Message for Britain

[Bill Greenwood]

Floats, as I read it they are in the polished silver single seat Mk IX, not the two seater. They have a support plane, I think a Piglatus. The schedule says they are going to be in Erie, just north of Denver on the 20 ,wish they were coming to Loveland where Ray Middleton has a shop, working on a Hurricane now, or to Boulder which is a fun town and where I used to base. Its 4100 ft long, at 5300 elevation, long enough for a Mk IX, but not a lot of room to float half the runway. Its so pretty there, and they can even find warm beer, or better yet ice cold.

Id like to fly the part from Erie to Colo Springs, but that other part. looking down for hours at an ice cold ocean is not my cup of tea, Kind of like as the song goes. "Leave those Zeros to the other heroes." Especially since the RAF PILOT NOTES under the section on ditching says, Don't. To quote, "If at all possible abandon the plane by parachute as the ditching qualities are known to be very poor."

You put your life in the hands of Mr. Rolls and Mr. Royce and those were two smart guys, along with a lot of others.

[rwanttaja]

Id like to fly the part from Erie to Colo Springs, but that other part. looking down for hours at an ice cold ocean is not my cup of tea, Kind of like as the song goes. "Leave those Zeros to the other heroes." Especially since the RAF PILOT NOTES under the section on ditching says, Don't. To quote, "If at all possible abandon the plane by parachute as the ditching qualities are known to be very poor."

The biography of Robert Tuck references a Spitfire pilot with the nickname, "Green to Black." It comes from his description of ditching his airplane...."everything was a pretty green at first, but then it all turned black and I started to be concerned...."

Ron "Glub" Wanttaja

[Floatsflyer]

Floats, as I read it they are in the polished silver single seat Mk IX, not the two seater.

In one of the pilot bios it said he and his Spitfire pilot partner bought a 2 seater at auction 10 years ago. I assumed or misinterpreted this to be the Siver Spitfire.

[Bill Greenwood]

I spoke to the FBO at Erie and they said they had not heard at all from the Spitfire team. I am going to be near Erie Sat, and would like to meet the guys and see the plane. The live tracker shows them to be in Monroe , La. now, Thur afternoon which doesn't make sense and is nowhere near their planned route. Anyone know anything?

[Floatsflyer]

Sorry Bill, as Sgt. Shultz use to say,"I know nutting." Just what's in the online schedule.

[Mark17]

Bill- I found this online: https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/ww-...cd85d9824.html

It’s an article from bowling green ky that states the spitfire stopped in Bowling Green KY yesterday. At the top of the article is the email of the journalist who interviewed the crew. She might have some info for ya! I hope you get to see it and meet them!

[Bill Greenwood]

Thanks, Mark they must have changed their route. It was supposed to be Penn, Iow, then Neb and Erie Co for a couple of days, then Col Springs and non to Nelis AFB at Las Vegas. Ky is not on that route. Maybe they really are in La?

[Bill Greenwood]

They are in Baharian now, long way they've gone,still some to go. I'd like to fly that last leg back into Goodwood!

[Bill Greenwood]

Just looked it up, they are in Jordan very near the border with Israel. It's not widely known, but Israel has at least one Spitfire, painted all black. And there museum flies it, or at least the did at one time. I cautioned the pilot about the short range nature due to somewhat small fuel supply and he reminded me that they were a small country surrounded by unfriendly ones so weren't going far from home. The also have or had a 51, and I think 109. likely an HA Spanish version.

[Bill Greenwood]

I phoned the FBO in Monroe and the very nice lady on the phone says they were there last night and left this morning and she doesnt know where but thinks the talked about the "west coast". Who knows?