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Re: Intermediate/late Spitfire Rudders.......SM832

Posted by PeterA on Mon Jul 21, 2003 06:14:55 PM

In reply top Re: Intermediate/late Spitfire Rudders.......Response posted by Bradburger on Mon Jul 21, 2003 12:23:10 PM

Paul,
SM832 was always a high back XIV. I surveyed it with Doug Arnold (no relation) at the Dehra Dun military academy, north of Delhi, back in 1976.
You are absolutely correct when you say that Doug Arnold wanted to convert SM832 to Merlin Mk VIII specification. There is commonality with the wings and spar attachement area.
To this end, I traded with Doug a whole bunch of stuff for this conversion, radiators, engine mount, small tail unit etc and in return took a mint unused Seafire XV wing from Burma, via California, that had ended up in the crate with a Burmese Seafury transaction. I also took the restored intermediate/big tail unit of SM832. Time passed and the aircraft 'kit' moved to Stephen Grey, Charles Church and TFC finally being restored to flight by Historic Flying as a full high back XIV. I latterly embarked on the XII project and in some ways regretted the tail exchange. Keen Spitfire watches will perhaps know that the former Hornchurch gate guard XIV RM694, going as far back as any known photos to the 1950s, was always fitted curiously with a small tail unit and broad chord rudder from a merlin Mk XVI. Last year a straight trade was made and said small tail unit is now with the XII project EN224 and RM694 has the original tail unit of SM832.
PeterA

: Thanks Peter for the detailed explanation.
:
: I always thought SM832 started life as a low back XIV. I t
: hought it was when it was with Doug Arnold that it was ret
: urned to high back configuration, as he wanted it restored
: to MK VIII standard. But I was wrong!
:
: As for the extended tip type rudder being introduced on th
: e MK XVIII you could well be correct as several pictures I
: have seen of low back XIV's in Far East service have the
: standard rudder.
:
: Andy, I should have explained the anti balance tab better.
:
: Unlike a servo tab, it moves in the same direction as the
: rudder so rather than assisting him, it fights his attempt
: s to move it!
:
: Cheers
:
: Paul
:
:

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