WIX Archives

Rolls Royce Spitfire Mk.XIV RM689 G-ALGT

Posted by Paul McMillan on Mon Dec 23, 2002 01:50:34 PM

has jsut made a re-appearance back on the UK register after her fatal crash at BAe Woodford in 1992

This has generated a heated debate about the rights and wrongs about this on the Air Britain forum..

One posting (not mine) caught my eye though, and I thought it would be worth sharing...

Subject: Spitfire G-ALGT

"I think maybe we should look at this question from the perspective of the relatives of the deceased, and in this case the rebuild may be questionable. However, the following story may indicate differently, even though it does not involve a flyable aircraft.

Some years ago I was being shown around the RAF Museum restoration centre at Cardington, and the subject of the Hampden remains came up. Our guide said that not long before, he was showing a party round and explaining the origins of the aircraft, and one of the party said that a relation of his had been killed in similar circumstances in a Hampden; as the conversation progressed, our guide became uncomfortably aware that this was in fact the Hampden in question. He said that for a few minutes he agonised over whether to tell the visitor or not, but that he decided to and did; the visitor, after getting over the immediate shock of the announcement, apparently expressed gratitude at being told and was pleased that he was able to see the very aircraft in which his relative had died!

I'm not sure that that would have been my reaction in similar circumstances, but it takes all sorts....... "

St. Albans

Follow Ups: