WIX Archives
Re: Two place Spitfire + Nick Grace and Dick Melton
Posted by PeterA on Mon Nov 25, 2002 04:40:32 PM
In reply top Re: Two place Spitfire + Nick Grace? posted by Christer on Mon Nov 25, 2002 03:24:56 PM
The Grace/Melton conversion of the type 509 Spitfire two seater may well have been inspired by the Russian conversion but the fundamental difference is that the front cockpit on the 509 was moved forward by Vickers one frame station of nominally 13inches, displacing fuel from the forward tank area to the wings into the space not now needed for the armament. The Russian coversion did not move the front cockpit, indeed we do not actually know if there were full dual controls in the rear. I imagine that the weight and balance would have been 'interesting'. The rear cockpit of the Russian conversion almost certainly used a stock Mk IX canopy, whilst the Grace/Melton conversion uses a unique canopy. It is slightly longer than the standard canopy with front and rear hoops generated to match the fuselage contours, once the the rear head protection of the rear cockpit station has been incised.
The clever bit is that the Grace/Melton conversion achieves such dramatic aesthetic improvement with no principal engineering changes, from the 509 standard, to the front and rear canopy slinding guides, both doors, the front screen, the rear dual controls and the rear seat position. The price payed was reduced vertical rear seat travel with some loss of forward vision, particularly during landing, important on a military trainer but of no consequence on a Warbird. Whilst there is a remoteness between the two crew on the 509, the rear crew member in the Grace/Melton conversion can see the pilot down the glazed link tunnel together with improved lateral vision.
: I don?t know where Nick Grace got the inspiration but it s
: eems likely since after seeing pictures of the russian tra
: iner, comparing it to the Ugly Duckling (T9), then I would
: certainly prefer the russki style.
: I don?t think that the modified T9 has a standard canopy o
: ver the rear cockpit though, it must be longer.
: I?m sure Peter knows, just took the opportunity to ask ...
: ...
:
: Christer