Spitfire Crash (ML407)

philstanbridge · 7 Jun 2008 at 20:18

Oh man that is such a pity. I was at Duxford in 2004 when the same thing happened to a Hurricane. Fortunately the pilot escaped injury and I believe the aircraft was fixed pretty quickly.

FreeStream · 7 Jun 2008 at 21:21

Energize said:
You work for hsbc then?

No. I understand the costs in running old aircraft.

MarcLister · 7 Jun 2008 at 21:42

p4radox said:
Hopefully not, such beautiful machines.

Truth.

Flibster · 8 Jun 2008 at 13:29

So unhappy at this.

The Grace Spitfire was pretty unique. Carolyn is a fantastic person and she learnt to fly 407 after her Husband died.

I'm off to Duxford in the next week or so, so I will be looking to see if there is anywhere that I can drop a few quid into to get her flying again soon.

Nose down shouldn't be too much of a problem to rebuild from luckilly, if thats all the damage extends to. Could be trickier if there is damage to the U/C and associated mounts.

Just checked ML407's site and there is a news update:

Today, on the 7th of June 2008 at the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden, the Grace Spitfire suffered a minor taxiing incident. The pilot, Carolyn Grace, was not injured and is absolutely fine.
Whilst taxiing out to display, the Spitfire unexpectedly crossed a patch of soft ground causing it to nose over at low speed. The propellor blades broke upon contact with the ground, and the engine will be tested for shock loading.
The aircraft has been recovered to the hangar and will be inspected by the engineering team.
The aircraft should be serviceable again soon, further updates will be posted.

Good to hear. It's better for me as that it's at Shuttleworth - thats only about 10 minutes away.

Simon/~Flibster

Leodido · 8 Jun 2008 at 13:38

erf that's sad, i love spitfires ! hope they can repair it

Lopéz · 8 Jun 2008 at 13:47

Concorde Rules said:
No. I understand the costs in running old aircraft.

Indeed, given the choice of it flying with (let's face it, a pretty discreet) HSBC decal or not flying at all, I know which I'd take.

Adz · 8 Jun 2008 at 13:57

I was behind this at the hold for takeoff (Shoreham) on one of my first flying lessons. I was in awe. The noise alone was enough to send a shiver down your spine.

Much bigger up close than you think too.

I need to have a ride in a 2 seater one day. It's on my "must do before I die" list.

A real shame about the accident but I'm sure it'll be back

.

Vulcan · 8 Jun 2008 at 16:40

Adz said:
I was behind this at the hold for takeoff (Shoreham) on one of my first flying lessons. I was in awe. The noise alone was enough to send a shiver down your spine.

Much bigger up close than you think too.

I need to have a ride in a 2 seater one day. It's on my "must do before I die" list.

A real shame about the accident but I'm sure it'll be back .

When I was a Gloucestershire airport last year, Carolyn was going around the circuit for a flyby, and there was a little Cessna plane just coming in too land. The plan was for that to land and the spitfire would fly past, except the spitfire is so fast it caught it up and flew straight over the top of it. It was brilliant, probably gave the Cessna pilot a nice surprise.

Flibster · 16 Jun 2008 at 18:48

Right - made a little trip to Shuttleworth collection today....

ML407 left on saturday *DOH!* to go back to Bentwaters. No damage to the engine, just a broken prop.

Very lucky there.

Mad_Jay · 16 Jun 2008 at 18:51

Is that a Bugatti Veyron?

*grabs coat*

nutcase · 17 Jun 2008 at 15:52

Flibster said:
Right - made a little trip to Shuttleworth collection today....

ML407 left on saturday *DOH!* to go back to Bentwaters. No damage to the engine, just a broken prop.

Very lucky there.

That's good news

The day it happened a friend's daughter won a 1/2 hour flight in a certain 2 seater spitfire in a raffle :eek:

so she should be able to take it sooner rather than later