Iconic Aircraft Aviation Forum

by **Mayfly** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:01 am

Spitfire the vulcan crew are ground training this week so had dinner with them last night & was talking to Bill Perrins the latest member who filled DTs spot, he flys & displays the RR spitfire & I asked how it sounded on the inside, he said very different - there is a definate rythmic thumping sound. I should see him again on Wednseday so if there is anything specific you would like me to ask him let me know............ No you can't have a trip I've already been down that route :((

by **Spitfire** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:33 am

Mayfly wrote:Spitfire the vulcan crew are ground training this week so had dinner with them last night & was talking to Bill Perrins the latest member who filled DTs spot, he flys & displays the RR spitfire & I asked how it sounded on the inside, he said very different - there is a definate rythmic thumping sound. I should see him again on Wednseday so if there is anything specific you would like me to ask him let me know............ No you can't have a trip I've already been down that route

OOOoooo I've got so MANY questions you'd need to collar him for a month =))

Here's 2 small ones to be going on with...

1) What's the prop torque like on take off - is there a noticeable twist effect on the airframe that has to be allowed for with control input ?

2) Is changing hands immediately after take off to lift the undercariage as cumbersome as stories suggest?

OOoooo and one really small one which will seem very strange - but I'd like to know - with the canopy shut & in the air what does it smell like?? e.g. Hot oil - leather - age ?? and is it hot?

by **Mayfly** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:58 am

well I know it's hot coz he said so last night ......right must get pen & paper & write your questions down....

by **Xplumberlives** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:27 pm

Poor old Bill, does he know what he's let himself in for?

Can you get him to join the forum M.F. and cut out the middle man so to speak? =))

by **RLN** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:50 pm

Xplumberlives wrote:Poor old Bill, does he know what he's let himself in for?

Can you get him to join the forum M.F. and cut out the middle man so to speak?

What a good idea. :ymapplause:

by **Xplumberlives** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:51 pm

RLN wrote:
Xplumberlives wrote:Poor old Bill, does he know what he's let himself in for?

Can you get him to join the forum M.F. and cut out the middle man so to speak?

What a good idea.

See what I can do on two hours of sleep! :))

by **IanM** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:58 pm

Spitfire wrote:Just as a point of reference ... This site shows a lot more than 44 .....
According to this http://www.military-airshows.co.uk/spitaw.htm

I think I said that before!

by **Spitfire** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:24 pm

IanM wrote:
Spitfire wrote:Just as a point of reference ... This site shows a lot more than 44 .....
According to this http://www.military-airshows.co.uk/spitaw.htm

I think I said that before!

I did notice that afterwards - but it must be one of these disappearing post things as I didn't see yours before I posted mine - or you were posting yours whilst I was writing mine - I don't know

Anyway its a good link and it stands posting twice

Thanks for your input :-bd

by **Mayfly** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:50 pm

here your answers Spitfire......Bills words...

1) What's the prop torque like on take off - is there a noticeable twist effect on the airframe that has to be allowed for with control input ?

Oh goodness yes, definately, you have to open the throttle very very slowly & very very carefully or you will be off the side of the runway............

2) Is changing hands immediately after take off to lift the undercariage as cumbersome as stories suggest?

absolutely, it really does take some getting use to [at this point he demonstrated where the controls were & what you have to do] He said if you ask any spitfire pilot what was the one thing they were most worried about on their first spitfire flight 95% would say it's the changing of hands to raise the undercarriage, and it is extremely difficult when in formation to keep the spacing.

OOoooo and one really small one which will seem very strange - but I'd like to know - with the canopy shut & in the air what does it smell like?? e.g. Hot oil - leather - age ?? and is it hot?

Old aircraft - all the things you described, just a mixture of evrything really.

by **Spitfire** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:47 pm

That's amazing - thanks very much Pam - it may seem very strange as you have spoken to him personally - but for me to get answers like that first hand from someone who's actually flown a Spit is really special for me. :-@

I am in total awe - I think I'd go to bits if faced with a modern day Spit pilot to talk to :ymblushing:

OMG I've exchanged text with someone who's spoken to a Spitfire pilot $\:D/$ I know - I'm sad :o)

by **Mayfly** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:23 pm

DT has flown a spitfire on BBMF not in front of the public tho',... he used to take the mick out of the fighter pilots by saying the lanc was 4 spits in formation

Edit - forgot to say Bill did say he would see if he had anything he could forward to me about his thoughts on the spit so I could post them for you.........

by **Spitfire** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:44 pm

Mayfly wrote:DT has flown a spitfire on BBMF not in front of the public tho',... he used to take the mick out of the fighter pilots by saying the lanc was 4 spits in formation

Edit - forgot to say Bill did say he would see if he had anything he could forward to me about his thoughts on the spit so I could post them for you.........

It just gets better and better ... I've now exchanged text with someone who's MARRIED to a person who's flown a Spitfire

$\:D/$

Whatever Bill can produce Spitfire wise will be very welcome - and if DT has any thoughts I'd love to hear those too - it must be so 'run of the mill' for them - but believe me - for an ordinary old chap like me, who's been in awe of the Spitfire since childhood, this is like rubbing shoulders with giants :ymdaydream:

by **Saracenman** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:47 pm

i knew a BoB Spit pilot some years ago, but typical me - i knew the one who was shot down over occupied Europe on his second sortie and spent the rest of the war in a PoW camp!

by **Spitfire** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:05 pm

I am told by my mother that her boyfriend immediately prior to my Dad was a Polish Spitfire pilot on Cosford :-o

He used to fly aerobatics over my Nan's house for my mum

So I could have been ½ Polish - AND my own Dad would have been a Spitfire pilot

But he crashed and killed himself - daft prat

So I got stuck with an english Copper who's only wartime exploit was training on Bodmin Moor - and applying to be a wireless op on Lancs but never getting there as the war ended - so he never even got across the channel =))

He did work in the Boulton & Paul factory as a boy though

by **Ducati Boy** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 1:37 am

I was i/c our ATC Squadron Mk XIV before joining the RAF. Its flying again now in 41 Sqdn colours I believe. Sat in the BBMF Mk2A last summer when we were operating XH558 out of Coningsby. What a lovely old bird. She was in the Battle of Britain. You can still see where they repaired the bullet holes. There is a fantastic feeling, a definite aura when sitting in the seat where heroes sat before. Got my photo taken in the cockpit. I was like a kid whose Christmases all came at once WHAT A BUZZ! B-)