Club Arnage

Well, it was a significant birthday a few days ago, and the family have clubbed together and want to buy me a flight in a Spitfire. For those that don't know, it's a modified Spit (there's only one I think), with an extra cockpit and canopy behind the original. Presents don't get much better than this, but when I saw the price, I went a bit pale, a sort of duck egg blue really.
https://www.intotheblue.co.uk/flying-experiences/ww2-planes/spitfire-flights/two-seater-spitfire-flights/
I don't want to appear ungrateful, or adopt any other hues of skin based camouflage, and a trip in a Spit would top a bucket list any day, but I'm thinking for a bit of aerial fun and nostalgia, a flight in a Tiger Moth might be a better alternative, -there's plenty around and it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
Now I know vintage aviation is close to a lot of peoples hearts on this forum, - has anyone ticked the Spit or Tiger Moth box?

I've done neither but a back seat ride behind a Merlin is a no brainer. Do it, you know you want to!

There are at least 4 2 seater Spitfires that I can think of, Duxford, Biggin and 2 at Goowood. Do the honourable thing, go for the Spit, you know you want to!

Decision made!

BigH if it worries you on a 'right thing to do' basis I'll do it for you, no don't thank me

I mean to say, I've had all sorts of 'significant birthdays'

Lots of 'em so if you like...

;)

Spitfire ride, Merlin engine, adrenaline

 >:D


Go on, do it

Go on go on go on

As it happens I'm looking at going up in a Tiger Moth in the next few weeks.  

I shall report back once the deed is done.

Dx

Si, I have had a Tiger Moth flight in New Zealand and it was fantastic. It turns from Austin 7 on the ground to Mini Cooper in the air with looping the loop, stall turns and tight turns and for about £50 for a flight was a no brainer to experience. ( Croydon Aircraft Company at Mandeville).

 However for me the opportunity to fly in that Spitfire would be so way way beyond fantastic that I think it does not compare.

You must be a hell of a bloke that your loved ones will club together to buy you such a gift. It wouldn't suprise me that if you didn't take up this super present it will be amongst your  biggest regrets when you look back.

And we would all get to share your account of it after.

What have you got on them  ;D

Sometimes in life you just have to do these things.  What else could you have instead.  Just buy/borrow a GoPro so you can bore all your friends and relatives with the video for years, and you'll never forget. 

Aahh - De Havilland Tiger Moths - string, wire, canvas etc - used to fly them when many of them were used as tugs for gliders, before they got worth preserving and therefore valuable. They are fantastic fun and of course very wind in the hair - you are back in the gentle Empire days of biplanes, tea parties and you are Biggles. Do it. Look on it as necessary to experience and understand the elementary aircraft that pilots trained on before moving on to the likes of the Spitfire.

A trip in Mitchell's finest? Awesome prospect. Do it. No question. You are in the evironment of the greats. Kent. BofB. Simply the ultimate piston-engined iconic aircraft. Havent done it yet, but I will be. JFDI.

So, in short do both if you can (no bulls*t) as one leads naturally and elegantly to the other......do not feel guilty.....

MG Mark

Good for you - look forward to hearing how you got on!

MG Mark

Not to be overly patriotic and apologetically off topic, but, I would put our B-17 Flying Fortress and the P-51 Mustang up there re: ultimate piston-engined aircraft...heck I'd hafta stick the Zero in there, also.  ;)

Mustang wasn't that brilliant till they put the Merlin in it, lacked high level ability.
The Packard V-1650-7 in the D version was a Merlin built under licence.
I would also like to put the Mosquito on the list as best piston engined plane in WW2 and the Lanc.
Zero's seriously out classed due to lack of development in the latter stages of the war, especially when the Hellcats superseded the Wildcats.
But 'Winkle' Brown rated the Wildcat as the best carrier aircraft of the war.
So we have planes in niches, many planes performed wonderfully before being overtaken by the hot pace of innovation, the one thing that remainded constant was the brave pilots who flew them, on all sides of the conflict.

(http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/happy/happy0180.gif)

A flight in a Spitfire would be awesome but is expensive, there are other cheaper options like a flight in a T6 Texan which costs around $800 for an hour in Florida from Kissimmee, but that does of course mean flying to Florida first. But could be combined with a Florida holiday of course. They also so flights in a P51 Mustang but I think these are approx $2500 though.

Another alternative would be a 25 minute flight in the Collins Foundation B-17 G (Nine O Nine) this costs around $425 but would also mean flying to the USA first.

I took a flight on the B17 over Sebring in 2002 and it was a great experience. Cost $350 then ( or £250 )

Hey Chris, good to hear you enjoyed the B-17 flight, I've thought about plunking down for B-17 ride myself, Aluminum Overcast is here every year.  There's a large municipal airport a few miles from our home, and several times a year the Cincinnati Warbirds organize bomber fly-in's for a long weekend.  Back in the autumn they had the only flying B-29, Fi-Fi, in town, accompanied by a B-25, a F4U Corsair, and an assortment of trainers, and transports.  I think the B-29 rides were around $600, we opted for the free ground tour.
I've got some great pics from the afternoon, have to figure out how to download them to the I-Pad.
Fax

Hi Barry, totally agree about the Mustang.  It was originally a fine North American design, handicapped by a woefully inadequate Allison engine.  When they plugged in the RR Merlin, it became a game changer, allowing the 8th to go right into the heart of the Reich in broad daylight.  It was also a tremendous ground attack weapon with its six Ma Deuce 50 cals.  Once released from bomber escort duties, the Mustang pilots were free to roam for "targets of opportunity" basically meaning anything that moved.
Personally my favorite warbird of WWII was the Focke Wulf FW 190, espically the D variant, sexy & deadly.
Fax

Thanks for the advice chaps!
I was about 90% for politely declining, but it's probably about 30% now. I hope they haven't spent the cash.
Might grow a 'tache.
H

I think there was a whole feature on the plane in last weekends Mail, not sure if Sat or Sun.
Someone over there may have one hanging around to check and pass on.

>Martini...LB

This? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3478260/Back-sky-Spitfire-takes-air-enactment-flight-mark-80th-anniversary.html

That be her, thanks Smokie. It has to be the same one.

>Martini...LB

I have seen the smile on peoples faces when they have finished their flight at Goodwood. They are still high as a kite when they climb out of the plane. You have to go for it H After watching many flights when I worked at Goodwood I would go up in a heartbeat  :)

.....and buy a white silk scarf.....

MG Mark

A bit off topic but a happily scary experience today.

'Driving north on Interstate 95  through Fort Lauderdale about 11 am this morning, windows down, radio playing, I heard this massive droning sound to my left. Mucho traffic moving along at a good clip (70-75 mph), I start to turn my eyes and head to my left and my peripheral catches this mass heading right in my direction. Turns out 'twas a B-17 at about 200-300 feet obviously taking off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (I'd say about 1/2 mile west of the highway) just lumbering along, climbing very slowly. Sorry, no camera (too much traffic anyhow), but I recollect there's some sorta airshow in the near future (Palm Beach methinks, maybe Miami). Needles to say, after the initial thought that something was going down, it was a beautiful sight and sound...


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