WIX Archives

Re: Discussion Topics? 2 of 2 RM689, EE606

Posted by Joe Scheil on Sat Feb 16, 2002 12:52:07 PM

In reply top Discussion Topics? 2 of 2 posted by Paul McMillan on Sat Feb 16, 2002 09:21:40 AM

: Finally, what do everybody esle think is the other one?? I
: t could either be the Ex Rolls Royce machine: RM689 or the
: one that sadly killed Charles Church EE606. The remains o
: f both of which are I have heard are around somewhere..

The two Spitfires you mention were nearly completly obliterated in crashes, and photos of the aftermath are on the web. If you have the pieces for a similar aircraft, and the paperwork wreckage will ease you into the air easier, I don't think that there is a problem with that. As for the remains of these two, there wasn't much left so a donor airframe would have to be found. NH799 is still around, and fairly substantial as is the South African one. For that matter so is RW382 and TP298, both fatal crashes, though the wreckage is an unknown quantity to me. As for the emotional aspect of the post, I don't think that it really applies in as sensitive manner as you think. The airframe was a quest/dream of the previous owner, and if the positions were reversed, its availability would have the same effect as before. It drives a person who is smitten by the aircraft to spend vast quantities of resources to finish it again. As for the viewer? The historical inertia of the machine overshadows the labors of the individual/shop restorers after a time...Besides..Look at the number of "restored" P-51's that have killed one, two or even three pilots in three seperate crashes! In summation I believe it is a fitting thing to restore an aircraft that has a record like this as the family of the deceased can always point to the continuation of the dream, not an ending...

It also underscores the point to the pilot that these machines can kill if you let them.

Follow Ups: