Aviation.A shed project,that was worth the effort!

[BLUETHUNDER]

Well things got to big for the shed,so it was on to a hanger at an airfield in Norfolk





At long last.Maurice Hammond gets to take his Warbird for a spin












I think you will all agree.Well worth the effort.

[King Herald]

I've always loved them Spitfires.

[THX138]

Thats amazing, do you have any more background story to this?

[The Black Flash]

Inspiring.

[julian64]

The shame is pretty much guarantee its not on the British register. The CAA would have a field day with a rebuild like that.

[satchbot]

Nice pony

[BLUETHUNDER]

THX138 said:

Thats amazing, do you have any more background story to this?

The aircraft was destroyed on August 13th 1944 with 2nd Lt. Myer Winkleman at the controls over France.

He was assigned to the 339th Fighter Group, 504th Fighter Squadron, Eighth Air Force, flying bomber escort and fighter duties out of Fowlmere airfield in Cambridgeshire. (This airfield is literally a couple of miles due West of Duxford airfield - which was then assigned to the USAAF Fighter Command's 78th Fighter Group.)

Maurice purchased the wreckage over four years ago and set about restoring the aircraft to its former glory. That said, very very little of the aircraft is from that original airframe - probably less that 5%. He has however painted the aircraft to exactly represent the aircraft that Lt. Winkleman was flying that day - P-51 D Marinell.

None the less, it looks just like is has rolled-off the Inglewood, California production line, been shipped to the UK and just been assigned its unit identities and paintwork!

The link below takes you to a good video of the first flight on July 26th. Stick with it, because their is some good informative commentary towards the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb4nCBUdPlQ

Edited by BLUETHUNDER on Monday 29th September 10:27

[Hedders]

King Herald said:

I've always loved them Spitfires.

[BLUETHUNDER]

julian64 said:

The shame is pretty much guarantee its not on the British register. The CAA would have a field day with a rebuild like that.

Racing forward to July 26th this year, P-51 D 'Marinell' took to the skies again for the very first time since August 1944 with Maurice Hammond at the controls of his latest marvel of flight! Now fully certificated by the CAA

[Eric Mc]

Why should that P-51 not be registered in the UK. Quite a few have been over the years.

In fact, I've just checked and this P-51 IS registered in the UK - G-MRLL

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 29th September 10:37

[julian64]

I've just always found the CAA to be a right pain in the arse whereas the FAA seems to be accomodating, a word the CAA seem to know nothing about .

I think you'll find rather a heavy drain of FAA registered aircraft in this country for that very reason.

[Eric Mc]

They don't seem to have too much of a problem with WW2 era aircraft - especially mainstream ones like Spitfires and P-51s. I know they can be obstructive, especially with rarer or more sophisticated post war military aircraft.

[Roop]

Eric Mc said:

They don't seem to have too much of a problem with WW2 era aircraft - especially mainstream ones like Spitfires and P-51s. I know they can be obstructive, especially with rarer or more sophisticated post war military aircraft.

Flying stuff on 'Permit' is not too bad provided you have someone who knows which hoops to jump through and who's best to deal with at the CAA...

[danrc]

That's cool. I'll have a proper read of it once i'm on my lunch!

Wish i had space to do up a plane.

[Shar2]

julian64 said:

I've just always found the CAA to be a right pain in the arse whereas the FAA seems to be accomodating, a word the CAA seem to know nothing about .

I think you'll find rather a heavy drain of FAA registered aircraft in this country for that very reason.

They're not called the Campaign Against Aviation for nothing, bunch of bunting tossers.

[Harry Flashman]

I have always said that if I ever made the sort of cash where I could own an aircraft, a P51 would be parked in the barn. My favourite WW2 fighter, bar the later Spitfires (which I'm guessing cost 10 times as much if you can find one).

Gorgeous.

[Eric Mc]

I'd go for a Hawker Sea Fury myself.

[Shar2]

Eric Mc said:

I'd go for a Hawker Sea Fury myself.

Oh yes want, want, want.

[BLUETHUNDER]

Shar2 said:

Eric Mc said:

I'd go for a Hawker Sea Fury myself.

Oh yes want, want, want.

I didnt think there was too many Sea Furys left in U.K ownership?.

[mybrainhurts]

Eric Mc said:

I'd go for a Hawker Sea Fury myself.

Don't know why, but I just had this mental image of you running to the end of the pier and puking in the sea...