The skies and shores around the Solent paved the way for aerial innovation for many years during the formative era of British aviation. From the historic Schneider Air Races from Calshot to the unbreakable bond with the Supermarine Spitfire and Flying Boat operations, the area is rich with aviation history. https://www.flickr.com/photos/127965535@N04/33528773358/in/photostream/ The areas links to … Continue reading Museum Profile: Solent Sky – Southampton
Often aviation collections tied in as part of a less specialised museum can be basic affairs with the same old "Obvious" choices in place. The Science Museum's London collection is quite the opposite, in fact it without down forms one of Britain's most important collections. Its hard to know where to start really, but as … Continue reading Museum Profile: The Science Museum – London
- "I Don't Want Anything Touched" - The famous words uttered by Supermarine and Vickers test pilot Joseph "Mutt" Summers following the first ever flight of the new Supermarine Type 300 at Eastleigh, better known as the Spitfire. These words of praise clearly meant that Summers had very little to complain about following his introduction … Continue reading Supermarine Type 300 – K5054: The Spitfire Is Born
Concluding the look at UK based Spitfires, it is now time to look at the Spitfire's Teenage years, with the Mk XIV, XVI, XVIII and XIX. Mark XIV: The Mark XIV was an important development in the grand scheme of the Spitfire. The Rolls Royce Griffon engine had been introduced to the Spitfire in 1941, … Continue reading UK Spitfires Part 3: The Teens…
Following on from the last Spitfire post which looked at the early short nosed survivors of the type, it is now time for a look at the most common version of the Spitfire seen in UK skies, the Mark IX. With the advent of the larger Merlin 60 series, the Spitfire gained a longer nose, … Continue reading UK Spitfires Part 2 – The IXs
Warbird Tails 