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Re: Peter, does that mean that.............

Posted by PeterA on Tue Jun 18, 2002 11:14:34 AM

In reply top Peter, does that mean that............. posted by Cees on Tue Jun 18, 2002 06:33:23 AM

: ....the project to rebuild Mk XII EN224 is no longer going
: to happen? Will you concentrate on the F46 Seafire only?
:
: Questions again I know, but I think that a complete Mk XII
: would be something many of us on this board would love to
: see.
:
: Cheers
:
: Cees

Well it was only 'a bit of old Mk XII firewall' purporting to be EN224 and with all this controversy I guess it was only ever going to be a replica so I dumped it. Every body happy now?
Only joking but it does illustrate the point. I can't speak for P51 new data plates but in Spitfire terms Cockpit or Firewall data plates new or old do not indicate the all important RAF serial so if you had one it would not do you much good as a starting point as there is no known source of C/N and RAF serial tie ups that I know of. So you have to ask yourself what is the smallest chunk of fuselage monocoque with provenance that could reasonably be accepted as the basis for a reconstruction. Over the years this has changed. Half a fuselage. A cockpit section. A firewall. A top firewall. Draw the line now and I garuntee you will change it within five years if you want to sustain the Warbird Spitfire industry of one to two Spitfires world wide per annum. We are are continually re-scraping the barrel.

For the benefit of a certain party, the Mk XII started as a complete front fuselage section cut neatly between frames 5 and six. Its origins were the structures lab at Cranfield before going to Salford University. It has the full subcontractors firewall plate and (god bless somebody) oversize wing bolt plates each side of the spar giving the main fuselage c/n and the RAF serail EN224. Without that all important plate - I don't think so. Replica? You tell me.
From my collection of Seafre XVII parts of yesteryear when I owned SX300 and SX336 I yielded a Griffon VI, short Griffon bearer system, cowling frames and header tank. I had a couple of Canadian Seafire XV prop assemblies, a side and top cowling. They are all direct fit for a XII. Replica?
To this was added a pair of wings from Malta. Yep EN199, Supermarine built and in the factory at the same time as EN224. Replica? Plus Mk V trop rad and oil cooler.
Complete Mk IX tail unit formerly on the Hornchurch gate Guardian RM694. A Mk XIV! An orignal rudder and elevator.
All original canopy, screen, cockpit furniture, pedals, seat, selector, instrumentation, control column and on and on. Replica?
Fuel and oil tanks from the XVII. Spline type undercarriage, doors, brakes, wheels and rubber.
Fuselage frames 6 through 10 and 12 though to 19 together with longitudinals all new from Airframe Assemblies. An original door.
Replica? Your call. I think reconstruction using orignal parts is a more fitting title. I would be interested in weight terms the comparison of original first fit build parts between EN224 and ML427. I suspect much closer than you would imagine.
OK yes I have parted with most of my collection including the Seafire 46. I am contractually bound by a confidentiality clause not to reveal the new owner and home at this time but do not worry. Having been the collector and custodian of these parts for thirty years I am delighted that they will now move on to fly and I plan to be a part of this. Probably five years plus before the XII can be enjoyed by the Warbird fraternity but it will come.
I am sort of semi-retired now so I will just play with my Mk 22 project. It has a data plate!
PeterA
PS I never did locate a four hole spinner and backing plate from a Spitfire XII or a Seafire XV/XVII. Any body out there - I can find a good home. It will be so damn hard to replicate!


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