WIX Archives
Re: Spitfire MH367
Posted by PeterA on Tue Jun 18, 2002 02:38:22 PM
In reply top Re: Spitfire MH367 posted by david J burke on Tue Jun 18, 2002 01:53:13 PM
: The only problem with this concept is that the project has
: long since left the 'starting blocks' in terms of her exp
: osure and indeed the public has the seeds sown in their mi
: nds that this is genuine Dick Melton Spitfire.
: Now she has had an 'identity' attached to her it rath
: er spoilts the concept - after all if it's acceptable to b
: uild 'brand new' and the is no illusion about why do we
: need to change the team so late in the game.
: Perish the thought that a identity could add value to
: her without entailing any modifications !
: In fairness to Dick - I rather liked the idea of this
: machine from the start. I envisioned a life for her of en
: less 'circuits and bumps' and the harsh hand of the inexpe
: rienced pilot converting to the type. After all what could
: be better than a Spitfire with no history - when she's be
: nt no worries about retaining as much of her original stru
: cture - just take it off and replace with new.
: Now her pedigree has been 'elevated' I hope she isn'
: t above training future Spitfire pilot's how to stay alive
: .
Dick would be the first to agree that he didn't give a stuff about identities and provenance and we had long discussions about it. To him they were DM001, DM002 DM003 etc and under the Charles Church regime that was fine and Charles would ascribe a paint scheme and identity as he thought appropriate. We did not always agree on this.
The problems would start, as I propheseied to Dick, down stream when future potential owners would want the comfort of a provenance and serial identity, however tenuous, before they would commit to purchase. This was the case with DM008, the two seater. There is certainly no deception in this case and the owner can now proudly carry the serial MH367 on his new build Spitfire.
Don't let there be any delusion here. Generating a new Spitfire from scratch with all new aluminium structure is not a short cut cheap route throgh to Airworthy Spitfire ownership. The cheapest route to an airworthy Spitfire, and believe me I am asked regularly and my advise is always the same, is to go out and buy one that is currently flying - if you can afford it.