NZFF

TV3 at 7.30 pm tonight:

DESCRIPTION: James and his team sand, paint and glue together the world's biggest ever model plane, a full-size Spitfire.

OVERVIEW: New to 3, James May's Toy Stories sees James May out to prove why traditional, old fashioned toys are still relevant today when he pushes them to the limit in spectacular, supersize challenges

Thanks for reminder....sounds intruiging

Did anybody spot the Kiwi connection?

I didn't, what was it?

The real Spitfire James May was in use to be a 485 sqn (NZ) Spitfire which NZ fighter ace Jonny Houlton was in when he was the first allied pilot to shoot down a German plane on D-day..of course it was a single seater then..its currently in its 485 sqn markings.

Thanks 4 the post ,dont normally watch TV so would of missed the show..

i can't see the connection , yip the markings .. ...... stopping at the Hotel Armitage , setting up logging , i bumped into a very nice elder couple , burnt and dusted mentioned i was up for the airshow , well so were they .. op's .. I had to ask .. and guessed it right .. Looked at him ! I just said ' TEMPEST 486 Squadron ' smack on the nose ! , i mentioned Desmond Scott .. to him it was Scotty and being the group/sector command .

I showed the couple my interest , damn .. the pair were so amazed to have met a person as young with , ..well i gave them the forum address , myself ... i only wished i had got there names .

I hope you are reading this please reply .

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Feb 8 2010, 10:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i can't see the connection , yip the markings ..

You can or you can't see the connection? You're the one who directed me to the book about the history of 485 Sqn some time ago Ian - check the part about surviving 485 sqn spittys....

ML407. The "Grace" spitfire. Very well known - pioneer of the "Grace-Melton" 2 seater conversion style.

Here's what my Spitfire Haynes manual has to say about it:

"Built at Castle Bromwich, ML407 was delivered to No 485 Squadron in April 1944. The following December it was assigned to 145 Wing, before going to No 341 (Alsace) Squadron in January 1945. In the weeks to follow it served with Nos 308, 349, 485, 345 and 332 Squadrons, before returning to Great Britain and going into storage in September 1945. Bought by Vickers Ltd in July 1950, it was converted into a two seat Mark IX trainer and sold to the Irish Air Corps in June 1951. In 1960 it was retired and placed in storage. In March 1968 it was sold, and after passing through a succession of new owners it was bought by Nick Grace in August 1979. After a rebuild in 1985 it was fitted out as a two seater with the unusual Grace-Melton canopy conversion. Following the death of Nick Grace in a road accident in October 1988, ML407 passed to his widow, Carolyn, who flies it regularly at air shows. Currently the aircraft resides at Duxford."

Mark , Im very sure Jonny Houlton did not have a back seater ( oooh yeah , guess we all would have loved to have a backseat during his exploits ) , hence the reason i dont see the connection but only to the airframe modification , a two seat spitfire - maybe should have continued with the paint it first used rather than a wartime hero , least with AL spity being more realistic in following the type an its use , I do wonder dose the glue come in the box , and hoping i can open the super sized cans of paint .

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Feb 9 2010, 07:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mark , Im very sure Jonny Houlton did not have a back seater ( oooh yeah , guess we all would have loved to have a backseat during his exploits ) , hence the reason i dont see the connection but only to the airframe modification , a two seat spitfire - maybe should have continued with the paint it first used rather than a wartime hero , least with AL spity being more realistic in following the type an its use , I do wonder dose the glue come in the box , and hoping i can open the super sized cans of paint .

Fair enough - according to the blurb it was converted in 50/51 to a 2 seater...I'm with you on the 1 v 2 seat spitfire thing too BTW...having a back seat in a Spit is a bit like taking a Moto GP bike and carrying a passenger! Doesn't seem right to have two seats, and you've really got to wonder whether karma is gonna get even with you in the end!!

Having said that though, if Doug Brooker popped me an email offering a ride in the back seat of his, there is NO WAY I'd turn it down!

markll wrote:

QUOTE (markll @ Feb 9 2010, 08:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having said that though, if Doug Brooker popped me an email offering a ride in the back seat of his, there is NO WAY I'd turn it down!

I'd have to disagree with you there. Never been in a plane crash before, and I don't want to make sure I'm in one. Seems to be a bit of a recurrence with him?

Mark ... myself ,like you , no hesitation at all ... I think we,d both run up to aircraft as if we were both in the Battle of Britain

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Feb 9 2010, 09:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mark ... myself ,like you , no hesitation at all ... I think we,d both run up to aircraft as if we were both in the Battle of Britain

Ohhh yeah....there goes the phone in the dispersal hut..... "Scramble chaps!" and run like buggery to be the first to get in the....back seat...?

Yon can 'TEACH' monkeys to run better than that ... Mark! get your head down incoming ...... Dugga Dugga Dugga Dugga Dugga ....... Damn , stick on my tail ! ....... Reason we put a second cockpit in 'Sir'