Spitfire Footage Years Later

OldManC · January 20, 2014, 03:31:34 PM

Scott posted this on Facebook earlier today and I thought some of you guys might like it too. There's about 20 seconds where the guy explains transferring this footage to "modern digital media" and it stood out because that's my line of work. The interview that follows is really cool. I can't embed this clip but it's worth the click. That took some big stones to fly alone and unarmed over Berlin.

Thanks, Scott!

Quote
WWII pilot gets shown footage of his 1944 Spitfire crash that he's never seen until now.

http://www.wimp.com/warfootage/

Aussie Mark · January 20, 2014, 03:43:44 PM

Thanks George, that's great!

godofthunder · January 20, 2014, 04:02:56 PM

George thanks for posting this over here! What a great story. That the film survived, the pilot was still with us, that the grandson (who looks a lot like his grandfather) found it and cared enough to preserve it, just amazing. I really like the part of the story where the pilot talks about other pilots not believing the Spitfire had the range (or ceiling for that matter ) to do the job. All us post war model builders of course know this but to the rank and file it was probably not common knowledge. I searched ebay and bought my self a Airifix photo recon Spitfire to do up in this guys codes.

Basvarken · January 20, 2014, 04:21:10 PM

Wow, this guy sure looks fit and healthy. He remembers every little detail. Impressive.

godofthunder · January 20, 2014, 04:23:06 PM

Notice the glint in his eyes, sharp as a tack it seems.

Quote from: Basvarken on January 20, 2014, 04:21:10 PM
Wow, this guy sure looks fit and healthy. He remembers every little detail. Impressive.

Highlander · January 20, 2014, 04:26:36 PM

There's a recon Spit as a gate-guardian at 230's base... can't get the vid to run at present...? Benson was a PRU base in WWII

Loads of images on this link

godofthunder · January 20, 2014, 04:33:54 PM

The pilot in the story flew a Mk XI a converted Mk IX. The planes seems to have a rather bloated chin under the engine at the nose, whats the tech. reason for that? most Spits are quite trim.

Highlander · January 20, 2014, 04:51:00 PM

Must be engine related - most of those had Griffon's as their power-plant but I think that variant with the "larger" engine area was the PR XI and was a Merlin ...

godofthunder · January 20, 2014, 05:04:17 PM

Thanks for the roman numeral correction I meant X not V.

we were never occupied by the Romans

Maybe the big chin is to accommodate a heater to prevent carburetor icing? Or maybe to some mechanics to aspirate the engine at high altitude?

Thornton Davis · January 20, 2014, 06:48:58 PM

What a great story! Thx for posting it.

TD