Spitfire

[jadge]

I took my mum to the RAF Museum at Hendon in north London yesterday for a day out. Being a national museum entry is free, but we coughed up some extra money in exchange for sitting in a Spitfire! 

Here's yours truly in situ:



The young lady supervising was clearly very knowledgeable and was able to answer all my technical questions. We went through a simulated, but slightly truncated, engine start procedure with added audio. Oddly part of the procedure was both mags on before start, usually only the left (impulse) mag is used. But as far as I can see both mags is normal for a Spitfire. True to form the engine sounded like a bag of nails on start up.

Although the nose is quite broad and long it wasn't as intimidating as I thought it might be. Not that much worse than the Tiger Moth I learnt to fly on. The stick was a bit odd, side to side and back and forth on non-intersecting axes, but it wasn't connected to the controls so felt too light anyway. All the controls and instruments seemed pretty standard.

Strangely I felt quite comfortable in the cockpit, almost like it was familiar. I can quite imagine it feeling natural to fly a Spitfire. I'll have to raid the piggy bank and cough up the money to go and fly one at Duxford.

Andrew

[Jo]

Diddy isn't in in comparison with the Vulcan 

I'll have to raid the piggy bank and cough up the money to go and fly one at Duxford.

What's money for if you can't enjoy it - Go for it 

Jo

P.S. I would wait for the weather to improve 

[crueby]

What a treat!

[bent]

They let you fly a Spitfire?  If you don't mind my asking, what's the fee for that?  Do they take you up in a double-cockpit, and if so, do you need to be a pilot or can joyriders go for a ride too?

[bent]

Ok, never mind, I googled "Duxford Spitfire" and reached (eventually) this site

https://www.intotheblue.co.uk/flying-experiences/ww2-planes/spitfire-flights/two-seater-spitfire-flights/

2800 lbs. sterling for a ride in a 2-seater Spit out of Biggen Hill (ok, bucket list needs updating..  .).  The Spitfire at Duxford is apparently a single, and you just fly alongside in another plane @L400 (sorry, no British pound sign on my Yank keyboard).  Hmm...off to look up the current conversion rates...bye...

[Jo]

They let you fly a Spitfire?  If you don't mind my asking, what's the fee for that?  Do they take you up in a double-cockpit, and if so, do you need to be a pilot or can joyriders go for a ride too?

They will fly you: http://www.classic-wings.co.uk/fly-in-a-spitfire/ (I recommend the 50 mins flight  )

or they do the special Sky's the Limit package http://www.classic-wings.co.uk/the-skys-the-limit-package/ 

Jo

[Jasonb]

Andrew, I think it's time for a new avitar Glad you (and mum) had a good day.

One of my brothers friends went for a ride in the two seater last summer, Biggin Hill is quite local to us.

[crueby]

They let you fly a Spitfire?  If you don't mind my asking, what's the fee for that?  Do they take you up in a double-cockpit, and if so, do you need to be a pilot or can joyriders go for a ride too?

They will fly you: http://www.classic-wings.co.uk/fly-in-a-spitfire/ (I recommend the 50 mins flight  )

or they do the special Sky's the Limit package http://www.classic-wings.co.uk/the-skys-the-limit-package/ 

Jo

Wow, that skys-the-limit package is pricey enough, you should get a plane at the end!     It is a lot for the money though.

Here in the States the flight in a B-17 bomber is much more affordable, they are splitting the cost among 6 or 8 passengers. I took that this past summer, quite the experience, wandering all around (the inside) during flight was incredible.

[zeeprogrammer]

I am so stinking jealous. 
What a thrill that would be.

[steam guy willy]

Did she also tell about miss Shillings orifice ??!!!!

[crueby]

Did she also tell about miss Shillings orifice ??!!!!

That always sounds so rude till you hear the full story!!   

[jadge]

There are several outfits in the UK that offer flights in a Spitfire, all two seat of course! As has been discussed the cost is high. Mind you a Merlin can use 50+ gallons per hour and at £8 per gallon of 100LL that's expensive. The overhaul life of a Merlin is around 500 hours and at £150k+ for an overhaul...................

I am planning to fly with the Classic Wings outfit. You can just cough up some money and fly a Spitfire with no pilot qualifications, but I'd like to do a course which replicates the original training, ie, Tiger Moth, Harvard and then the Spitfire. For that you need a minimum of a PPL and CAA, or EU, medical.

I have a flight booked with Classic Wings for myself and my mum for a flight over London in a DH Rapide. That'll give me a chance to assess the organisation and get a feel for what I'd be allowed to do hands on in the Spitfire. I don't want to just fly it, being a techie I want to explore the flight characteristics. 

The lady at the museum didn't mention the orifice, but I knew about it anyway. 

Andrew

[mklotz]

"miss Shillings orifice"

Had to look that one up.  I knew of the problem but had never read of this solution.

Looking it up further reinforced my opinion that Google knows literally EVERYTHING.

[BillTodd]

Ok, never mind, I googled "Duxford Spitfire" and reached (eventually) this site

https://www.intotheblue.co.uk/flying-experiences/ww2-planes/spitfire-flights/two-seater-spitfire-flights/

2800 lbs. sterling for a ride in a 2-seater Spit out of Biggen Hill (ok, bucket list needs updating..  .).  The Spitfire at Duxford is apparently a single, and you just fly alongside in another plane @L400 (sorry, no British pound sign on my Yank keyboard).  Hmm...off to look up the current conversion rates...bye...

a friend has had the experience , in a two seater .' worth every penny'  he says (and he's not a rich man)

bill

[bent]

I've been to Britain twice, and numerous time to Washington, D.C.  And I live in Seattle.  All of these locations have some awesome static displays of historic aircraft (and steam trains at the British Rail museum!).  I tend to stay away after the first visit, though - because I want to see them run, or even help run them...

Yeah, I want to ride in a B17 too, one of these days.

But to get a chance to dive and roll in a Spitfire?  I have fond memories (age 7? 8?) of building my first flying models (rubber band powered, cardboard fold-and-tape fuselages and wings), one a Spitfire and one a Me109.  Guess which one I liked best.

.' worth every penny'  he says (and he's not a rich man)

I'd argue he's rich in ways not to do with money 

I had to take a trip to Reno for work (they do shake table testing there for California's Earthquake readiness program, and we had some equipment we needed to get certified).  Stayed an extra day "just in case", and had free time.  Stood at a craps table in the hotel casino and watched others drop hundreds of dollars in mere minutes.  Went back to my room without ever buying a chip, and googled for something else to do for the afternoon.  A local gun shop would let you shoot various weapons at their indoor range.  So, I spent $80 to shoot two mags full through an H&K MP-5 on full auto.  The first clip took about 30 seconds, in short bursts.  The second clip was gone in an eyeblink.  Worth every penny, and I got to take my target home with me.  Still makes me smile to think of it.