NZFF

Posted: **Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:46 pm**

Check these awesome pics at the Wings over Cambridge forum of a newly restored Spitty's first flight from Ardmore - for an overseas customer unfortunately.

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:10 am**

Naki wrote:
QUOTE(Naki @ Sep 29 2007, 11:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Check these awesome pics at the Wings over Cambridge forum of a newly restored Spitty's first flight from Ardmore - for an overseas customer unfortunately.

Nice ! Any Idea who did that testflight ?

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:10 am**

Geeze, isnt that fantastic?

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:29 am**

I managed to catch it yesterday, took a few photos, will post them here as soon as I've gotten them off my camera.

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 11:58 am**

Nice ! Any Idea who did that testflight ?

Keith Skilling, it says in another thread about this particular spit

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:08 pm**

Here's a couple of photos as promised. Excuse the extreme out of focus closeup in the first.

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:09 pm**

Fanbloodytastic.........................Just one thing can someone confirm that she is in fact a MKXVI,seem to recall she
is also powered by a Packard Merlin and is an old gate guard from the UK.
Would prefer to see her flying in the Uk but that is being sentimental I suppose,just to see and hear another is great.
Anyone know how long before she is crated and disappers?
Nunner

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:52 pm**

It is a Mark V - you maybe confused with the Mk XVI that is also under restoration at Avspecs. Check Avspecs website out.

Tim Wallis's old Mk XIV is also under restoration here.

A Mark XVI in any case is Packard Merlin powered Mark IX.

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:10 pm**

Very nice- wish I was there to hear/see it!

How is it getting overseas then? Are they putting it in a container ship or ferrying it by air? I'd just love to be the pilot flying it across the world

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:32 pm**

Fantastic news! About time we had a Mk.V fly in NZ. Superb! Shame she won't fly at any events here, but ah well.

Congrats AvSpecs!!!!!

Posted: **Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:17 pm**

Trolly

They will crate it and ship it - they wouldn't fly such an expensive and rare machine over long lengths of water

Posted: **Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:47 am**

It certainly was music to my ears yesterday... shame the weather was so cr@p that it didnt stay up longer

I only lasted 0.5hrs in the circuit before pulling the pin... 152 + turbulence = bad

Posted: **Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:32 pm**

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! Sorry, couldn't help myself- had to post again!

Pretty...

Posted: **Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:26 pm**

I agree. Its my favourite version of the spit.

Posted: **Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:38 pm**

My favourite Mark as well along with the MkIX & MK XVI low back.

Posted: **Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:57 am**

I watched it again yesterday morning on it's third test flight. Did a stall right over the airfield, and some high speed turns as well. Wish he would've made a high speed pass along the runway, but I guess that would have been a bit dodgy.

Posted: **Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:11 pm**

They closed the airfield at 1500 today, and he made a few low passes at speed, a few loops over the airfield, too bad he wasn't using full power..... but i guess merlin spares are a little hard to come by......

Posted: **Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:34 am**

More photos to come soon, was worth making the trip out to Ardmore yesterday purely to see the Spit put through it's paces somewhat more than the rather cautious test flights up until now.

Posted: **Sat Oct 06, 2007 2:07 pm**

I saw a gruntly low winged monoplane zip over my place towards the city today at around 1pm, pretty sure it was the spitty!

Posted: **Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:23 am**

Saturday saw the Mustang (not the kiwi thunder) and the Spitfire in action... simply stunning!

the shell tanker guy was very happy... and at around 200-250 litres per hour fuel burn... so he should be

NZFF

Spifire MkV