Irish Spitfire

ek942

Seen the Biggin Hill airshow on the history channel last week.They had the Irish air corps spitfire in one of the displays.Does any one know where it is based in ireland?I live near Baldonnel and I've never seen it around.

Wibbs

I think the one you're thinking of is an ex Irish air corp Spitfire, now owned and operated in Britain. I think there's about 3 of these floating around on the warbird circuit. 2 of them are 2 seat trainers, while one has been converted back to original one seat spec. The rest of the Irish Spitfire fleet were broken up and sold for scrap in the 60s/70s, along with at least one Hawker Hurricane IIRC :eek:

Anal fact No 1 the Irish Spitfires were mostly Seafires. Converted Spitfires for use in aircraft carrier service.

If you do ever encounter one flying low you'll hear it before you see it. Unbelievable, unmistakeable, glorious sound of that merlin engine. Man, I want a car that sounds just like that to frighten the lads in their big exhaust honda civics.

ek942

I went to Duxford last year for the d-day 60th anniversary show.You're right,there's nothing like the sound of those engines passing over your head.And there was about 12 of them together.Un -forgettable!

garry glenn

ek942 wrote:

Seen the Biggin Hill airshow on the history channel last week.They had the Irish air corps spitfire in one of the displays.Does any one know where it is based in ireland?I live near Baldonnel and I've never seen it around.

This aircraft is based at Duxford & is in its original Aer Corps colours,the Aer Coprs had 6 T9 spitfires all of which were sold for the movie "The Battle of Britan" they all survive to day but this is the only one in Irish colours

garry glenn

Wibbs wrote:

I think the one you're thinking of is an ex Irish air corp Spitfire, now owned and operated in Britain. I think there's about 3 of these floating around on the warbird circuit. 2 of them are 2 seat trainers, while one has been converted back to original one seat spec. The rest of the Irish Spitfire fleet were broken up and sold for scrap in the 60s/70s, along with at least one Hawker Hurricane IIRC :eek:

Anal fact No 1 the Irish Spitfires were mostly Seafires. Converted Spitfires for use in aircraft carrier service.

If you do ever encounter one flying low you'll hear it before you see it. Unbelievable, unmistakeable, glorious sound of that merlin engine. Man, I want a car that sounds just like that to frighten the lads in their big exhaust honda civics.

You are right in saying this one operates ont of the UK,Duxford in fact.The Aer Corps had 6 T9 Spitfires,all of which were sold to the movie Battle of Britan, all 6 still survive to day in various parts of the World,

Anal fact 2.the Irish Spitfires were not coverted seafires.The Seafire was a Navel version of the Spitfire ,and the Aer Corps also had 12 of these which were sold for scrap along with a no.of Hurricanes

Victor

ek942 wrote:

I went to Duxford last year for the d-day 60th anniversary show.You're right,there's nothing like the sound of those engines passing over your head.And there was about 12 of them together.Un -forgettable!

Ah, but apparently theres nothing like a Meschermitt engine to make 80 year old men hit the floor.

Capt'n Midnight

Wibbs wrote:

If you do ever encounter one flying low you'll hear it before you see it. Unbelievable, unmistakeable, glorious sound of that merlin engine. Man, I want a car that sounds just like that to frighten the lads in their big exhaust honda civics.

http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=167947
http://www.superjohn.f9.co.uk/thebeast.htm

Some of the spitfires were RAF ones interned after they crash landed during the war.
http://www.skynet.ie/~dan/WAR/crashes_new.htm

Dummy

Funny you should be talking about Spitfires, but there was one flying over and around Baldonnel 2 weeks ago. And like Wibbs said, the engine sound is very distinctive. When I heard the engines and went outside, I saw the spitfire making a very steep bank to the right and dive towards Baldonnel. The wing tips were the very distinctive round edged tips but the engine roared beautifully.

It flew around for about 30 minutes and haven't seen it since. Very impressive.

Red Hand

I would have liked to have seen that

FiSe

I am just browsing older threads...

This one started in September 2005, and I presume, that lot of people went to Bray that year to see this particular Spitfire TR.9, IAC No.161 in action over seafront there...

Next thing I am not quite sure about Cpt'n Midnight proclamation:
"Some of the spitfires were RAF ones interned after they crash landed during the war."
None of Irish Air Corps Spitfires or Seafires were interned and used by IAC during the war. There is probably some sort of interchange with Hurricanes IAC No's 93, 94 and 95, which were interned in 1940 - 1941 and later acquired by IAC before 94 and 95 were returned back to RAF in 1943. Seafires were delivered in 1947, Spitfires in 1951. Some of them saw action during the war in RAF colours, though...

For little bit more info on Irish Spitfires/Seafires check:
www.wicklowsmc.com/colour_profiles.htm

kona

the aer corps recently bought a twin seater spitfire, its in baldonnel. beautiful aircraft , even more beautiful engine!!! rolls royce merlin:D

FiSe

kona wrote:

the aer corps recently bought a twin seater spitfire, its in baldonnel. beautiful aircraft , even more beautiful engine!!! rolls royce merlin:D

Well this is "that 161", which does not belong to the Air Corps / Aer Chor ...

It was on the visit to Baldonnel 2-3 months ago and stayed for two weeks, but that's it.

There might be some bits and pieces, but there is no Spitfire/Seafire of any kind in ownership of the Irish Air Corps!

kona

it was in the defence forces magazine??? ah i thought it was ours ah well, when they got rid of the spitfires they got rid of loads of boxed merlin engines, dunno if they were scrapped or sold but what a stupid thing to do, id say the apprentices would have got great value from them

JamesM

Have yo ever seen this one ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6tJgdquU_M
Jim.

television

ek942 wrote: »

Seen the Biggin Hill airshow on the history channel last week.They had the Irish air corps spitfire in one of the displays.Does any one know where it is based in ireland?I live near Baldonnel and I've never seen it around.

like others have said this is based in the uk.at least 1 was repainted in dutch air force markings as it was displayed in holland for a few airshows [the same aircraft that appaered in iac colours at the bray air show a few years ago].however as some one has stated the irish spitfires WERE NOT broken up for scrap.there is 3 of them in the uk and the other 3 are in the usa,some HAVE been converted back to single seater form with raf colours but all survive,it was the seafires that were broken up for scrap.also when the bob movie was being made the irish spitfires were still in active service with the aircorps [the government loaned at least 1 to the producers as they wanted as many real spitfires as they could get for the movie...and i still have not seen this aircraft in the movie...its a real "blink and you will miss it" moment

corktina

It's my memoery that the Seafire had folding wings. Am I right?

As for hearing a Spit before, you see it it, Oh yes, totally unmistakable and an occasional memory of my youth.

ANy photos of the Air Corps liveried plane?

television

yes and no.as royal navy fleet air arm fighters they did but when the aircorps bought their seafires from the royal navy 1 of the requirments was that the wings had to be locked down and the folding wing option removed.yes it is defo an aircraft you will hear long before you see it.sadly i dont have any pics myself but im sure if you google "irish air corps seafire" you should be able to find some:)

corktina

television wrote: »

yes and no.as royal navy fleet air arm fighters they did but when the aircorps bought their seafires from the royal navy 1 of the requirments was that the wings had to be locked down and the folding wing option removed.yes it is defo an aircraft you will hear long before you see it.sadly i dont have any pics myself but im sure if you google "irish air corps seafire" you should be able to find some:)

i kinda meant current pics....

television

im sure there are some current pics too.i know the gracie spitfire that flies quite regularly in the uk is an ex air corps spitfire [although it has been repainted in wartime raf scheme,this aircraft was actually on static display at baldonnel back in 1986 for that years airshow..."air spectacular 1986":)

Sharknose

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Sharknose

Seems to be making progress

Sharknose

Saw this one at the incredible RAF Waddington Air Show in 2013

Sharknose

MJ 627