Spitfire Damaged - Again...

[FlyingKiwi]

Just heard that the Ardmore based Spitfire has had another groundloop.

[Ian Warren]

Its that damn second cockpit causing the problems , they simply were'nt born with a second cockpit

[spongebob206]

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE

Just heard that the Ardmore based Spitfire has had another groundloop.[/quote]
noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Ian Warren]

It also took time for Sir Tim to get to grips with his Spitty , had a couple dings , not talking about the one that just about killed him

[coltis]

maybe a few lessons with carolyn grace woudnt go a miss at least give your self and the aircraft a chance

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (coltis @ Jun 12 2011,6:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lessons with carolyn grace woudnt go a miss

Doug Booker can really fly this thing , could have easy been ground conditions , even in the day they were reknown to be tricky , we still don't no the true facts yet anyway .

[FlyingKiwi]

The article in the NZ Herald this morning suggests it wasn't a ground loop, but rather a nose-over in soft ground. I saw him nearly nose it in at the open day last year in the soft mud when it got stuck.

[avenger2504]

QUOTE (FlyingKiwi @ Jun 13 2011,9:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The article in the NZ Herald this morning suggests it wasn't a ground loop, but rather a nose-over in soft ground. I saw him nearly nose it in at the open day last year in the soft mud when it got stuck.

Correct and this was posted by Dave Homewood over on Wings over New Zealand:

"I have just had a call from an insider at Ardmore who has given me the story as it actually occurred and has asked me to post it. This has apparently been sanctioned by Avspecs staff to be posted here to clear up the rumours and innuendo from the armchair experten.

Firstly there was NO groundloop.

I am told that Doug Brooker had landed fine, and was taxiing on the hard taxiway. He was aware there was a line up of aircraft behind him so he decided to pull off the taxiway onto the grass to let them go by, out of courtesy.

The grass was boggier than he expected, the wheels bogged down and the aircraft simply tipped gently onto its nose, possibly aided by the wind.

Three propeller blades were broken as they impacted the soft ground, damaged beyond repair. The fourth has a ding probably from debris off the other blades. The Avspecs team are not even that sure they need to strip the engine to check its shockloading and will make a decision very soon. It may just mean sourcing replacement blades, fitment and back to flight.

This is an unfortunate incident that could have happened to anyone in a tail dragger. End of story."

[Ian Warren]

Same thing happened to late Colin Paye in 1988 during the Australian Bicentennial Airshow , Sir Tim Wallis's Griffon almost did the same in his Mk14 at the VE Day show at Wigram in 1995 , part and parcel with high power , thin wheels and narrow gear , ironic , not sure the practice anymore - the props being of wood - Made in Germany