WIX Archives

Re: Spitfire ML255 - Atlas Aircraft

Posted by PeterA on Mon May 12, 2003 03:08:13 PM

In reply top Spitfire ML255 posted by Cees Broere on Mon May 12, 2003 12:57:26 PM

Cees,
I think we can safely assume that Atlas Aircraft, in conjunction with the SAAF Mueum, were the principal contractor for the sheet metal reconstruction. They had at that time considerable experience with the flying Mk IX MA793 and also the static that was returned to Harold Barnett's scrap yard for display - BR601.
The tail unit on ML255 is Mk V type with the original elevater horn. I had steered this item to Larry Barnett, owner of MA793, back in the early 1970's. It was from the same original source, Cranfield, as the firewall/front fuselage that was to become my Mk XII project EN224 some 10 years later. Logically the tail unit was from EN224 also. The sectioning for student inspection unfortunately made it impractical to restore for MA793.I always wished however that the timing had been more favourable to making an appeal for it's return!
PeterA

: Hi all,
:
: I have just re-read the book about the Spit in South Afric
: an service and the chapter about the surviving airframes i
: n particular. As you all know a lot of identities came fro
: m the famous Snake Valley storage yard including ML255, no
: w on display in Portugal. Photographs show the airframe to
: be beautifully restored, but knowing that the remains in
: Snake Valley were shredded, to what standard was the resto
: ration carried out,and the (obviously) newmade parts to wh
: at standard where they formed?
:
: Cheers
:
: Cees

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