Tag Archives: spitfire

Sunny Autumnal Sunday at Daedalus

I suspect that, in a number of posts over the years, I have talked about being lucky with the way that things work out. In this case, I had gone out with the intention of photographing a sailing regatta. I got to the shore, and the conditions were gorgeous. However, they were too nice. Clear autumnal skies, cool temps but warm sun and no wind. That last bit will explain why it wasn’t ideal for sailing. I waited around for a while to see whether the wind would pick up but it soon became clear that, even if it did, things were not going to be dramatic out on the water.

This left me contemplating the next step. I had a couple of thoughts – one of which was to stop off at Lee on Solent. The airport there has a café and a viewing area next to the tower. Since I was going to be heading by and this also being the base for the local search and rescue helicopters, I thought I might get some AW139 flying in nice light.

When I got there, there was no sign of any helicopter activity. However, a sunny Sunday gets plenty of light aircraft movements. Also, sitting by the tower was a two seat Spitfire. Seemed like loitering might be in order. The Spit had the canopy open with a helmet sitting on the frame so maybe it would be heading out.

It didn’t take long for the pilot to come out and fire up. Of he taxied and I was feeling pretty optimistic. However, that was the last we saw of him. I guess the plane is hangared elsewhere on the field and that was the destination. Meanwhile plenty of other movements so I got plenty to watch. It was great seeing families with small kids watching the planes and the kids getting so excited by anything whether it was a Spitfire or a Piper Warrior. I’m glad I hung around and it more than made up for the lack of sailing.

An Unusual Pairing for “Formations”

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In the late 1980s, the RAF had just introduced the Tornado ADV to service. The squadron boss of the OCU displayed the jet with a Spitfire of the BBMF. This dissimilar formation caught my attention at the time. This was repeated in the 2000s when the RAF repeated the idea with a Typhoon and Spitfire display. However, I think I saw something that trumped both of those combinations at the Shuttleworth Military Air Show. The combination of a Great War SE5a and Spitfire was really something else. You might think that a fast jet and a Spitfire is a tough combination, but jets can fly slowly quite well, and Spitfires are no slouch.

However, an SE5a is not a speedy plane while a Spitfire is still no slouch! How to make this work then? Some very clever use of speed differentials and spacing is the answer. The SE5a would fly some curving passes closer to the crowd line while the Spitfire offset further out – slowing into the pass and then accelerating away. The result is a view from the crowd where both planes are quite well aligned.

The idea was very interesting. I won’t say it is innovative because I’m sure someone has done something like this before, but it was the first time I had seen it. The result was surprisingly effective, and they did it on a few passes. I don’t know just how precise the initial points have to be and how much scope the pilots have to adjust on the run in to make it work. I assume the SE5a pilot just flies the pass, and the Spitfire pilot has the power and control to make the adjustments. Whatever the approach, it worked well.

A Visiting Spit While We Wait

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During the Buccaneer event that I went to at Kemble, we spent some time in an enclosure out near the taxiway. This would be good for the first part of the event, but I was out there quite a while before things were due to kick off. While hanging around, the purr of a Rolls Royce Merlin came to my ears and, downwind there was a Spitfire. It flew a nice curving approach and touched down before taxiing in quite close to where I was standing. It was a two-seat example and presumably had come to provide rides for some enthusiasts. I didn’t see it head back out, so I don’t know whether it was a brief visit or whether it did some rides and then left. Interesting markings on it, though.

Spitfire and Mosquito Duo – Nicely Done

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Skyfair proved to be a fun day out at Paine Field. A variety of types flew and they put on some nice passes that made getting shots a lot easier than is sometimes the case. The biggest problem was the heat haze which was really tough and affected all but the closest shots. One great combination that was put up was the Mossie with the Spitfire. After an event last year where I was disappointed trying to get shots of the Mossie alone, I was hoping it wouldn’t be in formation. However, when I saw this pairing fly by, I couldn’t help but be pleased with the way things turned out.

Stirring Spitfire Performance

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In my younger days, I was all about modern aircraft and didn’t have much interest in warbirds. Over time and having been involved with a number of groups that operate these aircraft, I have grown far more interested. Being in the US, you get a lot of American vintage aircraft to see. In the UK I might not have been so bothered about Spitfires but, now I see them less often, they have become of greater interest.

The later model Spitfires seem less graceful to me but the earlier models have a simpler and more elegant appearance. This one was carrying out some flybys at Paine Field during the Open Day. The rumble of the Merlin is well known and common to the P-51s. The line of the Spitfire is unique, though, and seeing it swooping by was really quite exciting. What a great looking aircraft.