It was 70 years ago today

An awesome plane, though unfortunately did not contribute as much as the Hurricane.

Its odd to think that my Grandad is still telling me 'stories' of when he used to pick up anything useful from the wreckages from these aircraft. He has a really good story about how good the spitfire was to fly. It goes basically along the lines of some 'Yank' (as he likes to called our good fellow Amercians) saying that his aircraft was better (his was something like a Wildcat), but anyway, the American guy is saying how flimsy the spitfire looks compared to his huge fat fighter and the american ends up with having his turn to fly the spitfire. Apparently he soon changed his mind, and was absolutely gobsmacked on how well the plane handled. My Grandad tells some good stories.

Originally posted by Shakeyjc
An awesome plane, though unfortunately did not contribute as much as the Hurricane.

That was true of the Battle of Britain, but not the whole war, plus the fact that the Spitfire served for 19 years (1938-57) compared to the Hurricanes 10 (1937-47)

Browno; in the very early days of the Typhoon, when it looked as if BAe would build the P.120 alone, it was casually referrred to as the 'Spitfire II', then when the Germans re entered the project at the EAP stage this was changed to 'Spitwulf 190'.

Not sure if this has been posted on ATS before but thought I would share it just in case. You always wonder who thinks up these ideas, and more worryingly, why the news reporters say "You know what, thats a great idea!"

The hint is to look very carefully over the reporters left shoulder, and not as high as you would think!

Anyway, enjoy

www.unoriginal.co.uk...

A beautiful plane... Those are the things that keep wanting me wake up in the mornings...

Here is a two-seat double-wing spitfire.
[img]http://www.ardea.be/planes//[3CAA873E-A6E0-4277-9299-1794843F816B]_Fairey%20fox%20VI%20gr.JPG[/img]

Argus, do you think that pilot flies Alpha Jets for the Belgian AF in his day job?

WOW..what an airplane!!!

My grandad used to tell me about the spitfire when i was a kid!!

He used to operate the search lights, and he told me times when spiitfires would dive towards the ground and pull up at the last second, and because the german plane wasn't manouvarable enough it went into the ground!

I guess it shows they were prepared to use any tactic to bring victory.

It kind of makes you think they had something back then, something that brought everyone together in one noble cause.

A few books i have read, one of them by the chief test pilot of the TSR2 funnily enough, he says the spitfire was an amazing aircraft, but people forget about the job the hurricanes did!

Apparently when the V1 rockets were bombing london, the RAF shot down well as we know, a lot of them.. apparentley they hardly got any recognition for it, not even by the prime minister, he congratulated the anti aircraft gunners more.

Anywayz, i hope there is always a spitfire flying!!

LONG LIVE THE SPITFIRE