Spitfire

I was asked a few days ago why I liked aeroplanes so much. I had to pause a little before I replied so that I could think about it. First answer is that I don’t like all aircraft, some I like more than others.

The Spitire is one that looks to me like sculpture. Regarded by many as one of the greatest designs of all time, it could be in MOMA. It’s not surprising that apparently it’s a dream to fly.

Not only does it look great, but with the Rolls Royce Merlin, its engine note is spine tingling.

A couple of weeks ago a Rolls Royce 2000 horse power Griffon engined Spitfire that had undergone a 3 year, $5M restoration, was going for its first flight. Unfortunately this was taking place in Auckland and I was in Invercargill, at the other end of the country. Now it is being shipped back to it’s Texan owner so I am unlikely to ever see or hear this particular aircraft.

The photo in this posting was taken in England and shows a New Zealand pilot, June Howden who flew these aircraft during WWII, not in combat but as a ferry pilot. Her role in the war was to deliver planes from factory to squadron, or squadron to squadron. It was only Russian women pilots who flew in combat in WWII.