ARCo have another Spitfire.

[DonaldGrump]

... my opinion they should have spent the money on restoring the Firefly/Lysander first.

Nice of you to tell John what to spend his money on. I really have no idea how he's managed to keep a successful business going for over 30 years without you around to tell him how to run it.

Well I for one totally agree with the view that from an enthusiasts point of view a Firefly would have taken priority over a Spitfire...its just an opinion from a mere enthusiast, just like I have opinions of whom should be picked to play for England which often conflicts with those that the person who really matters holds. It all makes for discussion on forums, at work, in the pub and so on.

As you say the chaps at ARCO seem to be doing something right and quite rightly make their own decisions and clearly have very good reasons for doing so that those outside may not be privy too.....its all good.

What I dont understand is why you should have a problem with people having and presenting an opinion on a forum such as this, care to explain?

[Georgeconna]

[quote="CJS"]Were the twin stick Spitfires ever used for pilot training when it was in service, or only ever for pleasure flying afterwards?

Irish and Dutch Air Forces flew them as Trainers, they do look nice in those Authentic Schemes, In RAF guise not so.

[Pen Pusher]

The Firefly has always been a back burner project. Worked on as and when engineers and time allowed. Now the Lancaster is finished time and engineers probably allow now.

Brian

[Mike]

Irish and Dutch Air Forces flew them as Trainers, they do look nice in those Authentic Schemes, In RAF guise not so.

The largest user was India, who had 10. Stephen Grey's ML417 came out of India as a two-seater and was converted back to single-seat spec. It's strange how fashions change over time, now single-seaters are being converted into trainers.

[Brevet Cable]

Because they can make money from selling flights in them.

[Mike]

Because they can make money from selling flights in them.

See, I told you that you should be John's business advisor!

[Marathon Milkshake]

Because they can make money from selling flights in them.

and who wouldnt want to fly in one? demand must be far greater than supply

[Mike]

At around £2,500 for a 20-minute flight and more capacity being added all the time as new 2-seaters are being built, it is only a matter of time before supply will exceed demand.

[Brevet Cable]

Because they can make money from selling flights in them.

See, I told you that you should be John's business advisor!

He couldn't afford me !

[GertrudetheMerciless]

Although inaccurate, shiny and not all that authentic, at least it has a unique colourscheme rather than "yet another Spitfire" identikit Mk IX markings.

[UKTopgun]

Ah so that was the glossy one I saw at the DX Sept show in hangar 2....
Not a nice paint job, but a Spit's a Spit I guess!
On another note, I saw that the flight sim guys were not in hangar 2 at the last show, wonder why?
Was always fun to watch the kids outfly the old fellas!

[Brevet Cable]

Were any of the trainers actually painted in camouflage colours when in service ?

[Mike]

The Dutch ones were, but that scheme has been done by a couple of the survivors. Both were very short lived before they were repainted.

[Brevet Cable]

Did the RAF even use any of the trainer varieties.....don't think they did, did they ?

It's as bad the fad for painting Buchóns in Luftwaffe schemes.

[Mike]

No, they didn't. The only users were Ireland, The Netherlands and India.

[Ledhead27]

Great to see another Spitfire hopefully being used on a regular basis, this one has been so seldom seen by myself it's almost easy to forget. Have to agree on the paint scheme, not a fan at all of the high gloss, almost "winter camo" scheme. Personally, I wouldn't be disappointed to see the aircraft repainted into Irish Air Corps or Italian markings.

[starbuck]

Not likely though is it.

If you're paying your two and a half grand for twenty minutes Joe public is going to want to imagine he's Michael Caine or Tom Hardy, Douglas Bader, Stanford Tuck etc etc not an Irish cadet.

[Ledhead27]

Not likely though is it.

If you're paying your two and a half grand for twenty minutes Joe public is going to want to imagine he's Michael Caine or Tom Hardy, Douglas Bader, Stanford Tuck etc etc not an Irish cadet.

Oh I understand that Joe Public would hate to not fly in a "genuine RAF aircraft" but I'm talking from a purists perspective. Although PV202 was in Irish colours at some point 10ish(?) years ago

[Mike]

Although PV202 was in Irish colours at some point 10ish(?) years ago

And it later wore Dutch markings, and after that BofB film colours. But all that was in the days before the paid ride programme kicked off a couple of years ago.

[Ryan.]

That'll do for starters....should have done that & the Firefly before bothering with yet another Spitfire.

They didn't restore this Spitfire though, just brought it.

Yep, I know ( it says so in the OP ).....to clarify : in my opinion they should have spent the money on restoring the Firefly/Lysander first.

How many airworthy Spitfires/Seafires are there just in the UK ? Somewhere around 25-30, isn't it ( or is it more ) ?
How many Lysanders ? Only one, isn't it ?
How many Fireflys ( and I don't mean the Slingsby variety ) ? None.

There will still be no Flyfire's flying, in the U.K, if they don't make any money.

[Brevet Cable]

Presumably they are making money, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to splash out on buying the Spitfire.

[cg_341]

There will still be no Flyfire's flying, in the U.K, if they don't make any money.

What about Fireflys (-ies?), or Spitfires? Any of those?

[jag636]

Just a slight aside, every thursday thriugh the summer without fail I get at least 20 minutes of spitfire flying out of sywell in Northamptonshire, and it only costs me a quid as its near to a car boot I go to. So next year my plan is to go and watch it doing cicuits and bumps as the viewing area is free

[Dan O'Hagan]

Just a slight aside, every thursday thriugh the summer without fail I get at least 20 minutes of spitfire flying out of sywell in Northamptonshire, and it only costs me a quid as its near to a car boot I go to. So next year my plan is to go and watch it doing cicuits and bumps as the viewing area is free

What are you on about? You do realise the two-seaters are giving paid flights. People aren't paying £2500 just to watch it fly for 20 minutes.

[ted633]

Just a slight aside, every thursday thriugh the summer without fail I get at least 20 minutes of spitfire flying out of sywell in Northamptonshire, and it only costs me a quid as its near to a car boot I go to. So next year my plan is to go and watch it doing cicuits and bumps as the viewing area is free

What are you on about? You do realise the two-seaters are giving paid flights. People aren't paying £2500 just to watch it fly for 20 minutes.

Think he's just saying that he gets to see Spitfires flying regularly without the cost of attending an airshow etc