Just flown straight over my house at about 2000ft. Heard the sound a mile or so out, recognised the sound of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine and watched it come over. As a complete plane geek that was special to see from the garden. Historical machine, who almost single handed won the Battle or Britain. There’s only c60 left that are airworthy.
We saw it yesterday, it flew straight overhead, what a wonderful sight and sound, one of my three favourite things, Spitfire, e type jaguar and Marilyn Monroe.
It must have been surreal and something you won't forget. Nice to have something GOOD to talk about for a change.
Err I think you have downplayed the role of the Hurricane... 372 Spitfires and 709 Hurricanes served in WW2. Spitfires downed 45%, Hurricanes 55%. No doubt the Spitfire was the better plane but Hurricanes were the mainstay - made out of wood and cloth...
Historians and some veterans alike say the hurricane was much more pivotal in winning the battle of Britain- its just the spitfire is a lot more iconic. I reckon if you asked a thousand people if they knew what a spitfire was they'd all know, bet that would drop dramatically when asking about hurricane!
Yes sorry if it came across as anything other than what I intended, mate. I was agreeing with you about it being undervalued. Imagine getting into a plane made out of such materials these days... let alone going to war in them!
Although I agree that the Hurricanes took the bulk of the work, but the Spitfire took on the best planes of the Luftwaffe and won. I suppose they were a perfect pair. Redders needed Sheridan next to him.
Don’t forget my grandads boys! https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/how-bomber-command-helped-win-the-battle-of-britain
Probably see at least one a week ... saw 2 planes last week doing what looked like a dogfight, pretty sure one was a spitfire. I think we are on the flight path for Duxford, so we see them all the time, especially this time of year. Sorry
You lucky sod, I was in my allotment in Barnaby dun at that time and would have been thrilled to see it or hear it. But no luck , bad luck twice in a week ha. Bless them all.
It's often not as straightforward as people think... I recently finished reading a book by a Hurricane pilot, he was saying that on the occasion where both Hurricanes and ME109's were in the air and aware of each other, the 109's wouldn't come down to fight the Hurricane at lower altitudes because the Hurricane would have a distinct combat advantage, likewise the Hurricanes wouldn't climb to meet the 109's as it meant being disadvantaged, resulting in a standoff.