SKCC - Southern Kit Car Club. A Club for kit car owners across Southern England. Kent, Sussex, East Hants, Surrey, Berks, Middlesex, London

It was my Dad's 90th birthday, so him, my Brother & I went on a tour at Biggin Hill's "heritage Hanger" where they say they "restore" Spitfires, they sort of do, but as they are returning 70odd yea old airframes to flight-worthy status, it definitely at the "jack-up-the-windscreen-and-wheel-a-new-aeroplane-underneath" end of the scale. The guy leading the tour was a good talker & knew his stuff & at the end someone was getting a joy-ride in one of their two-seaters, so we stood within 20ft of a Spitfire starting up & taxiing out. They also have a Hurricane & a Bf109e (this actual aircraft was flown by Hans Jochim Marseilles). There are no Spitfires there earlier than MkIX & the two seaters were all converted by Vickers-Supermarine from combat aircraft post war for foreign countries, no two seaters were built as such.

Anyway, a few pictures:-

Sounds like you had a good time Tony, hope your dad did as well ? Some very nice pictures there as well.

Nice pics Tony and looks like a great day out.

Looks like you had a good day out
Nice pictures.
I never get tired of watching the spitfires/hurricanes flying over my house, just the sound of them, and they seamed to be flying a lot more these days
And Happy 90th Birthday
It would of been my Nans today 103
Kev

Literally sounds like a great day out.

Watched a BF109 resto on YouTube recently. The only original parts were a handful of pieces like the rear canopy frame, belly pan and the data plate (VIN plate). Mk1 Escort of the skies. Great to see them still flying though. And the Merlin sound...

Did your Dad notice an irate miniature figure on the ground waving his arms and shouting? Knew the weather was improving as that frigging thing has been buzzing around loads over the past week or so.
Wonder if they want a bit of ack ack to make it even more realistic

Sounds like a good trip to the museum, saw that mentioned on a local noticeboard and stuck it in the 'ought to do one day'....

glad you all had a good day ....

Sounds a great day out
Did you visit tge new museum there too?

How great that you and your brother could share such an experience with your Dad at 90 years of age!

Hope you all had a great day. I’m going to definitely put that tour on the 2019 TTD list.

Brooklands museum (not the Merc bit the ‘real’ bit) used to be worth a look too. I used to go quite often as it was a client and we used to get closed doors tours. Some of the old boys that worked there were fascinating to talk too. Knew all sorts.

greenwoo wrote: Knew the weather was improving as that frigging thing has been buzzing around loads over the past week or so.
Wonder if they want a bit of ack ack to make it even more realistic

Mark. I live near Rochester airport and the b*ggers have definitely upped the anti this week. The gyro-copters have started. I was just sat having lunch wondering if my 2 litre coke bottle launcher that I made in the 5th year at school would be enough to take the buggers down! I used my dads industrial compressor to power it so they went a fair old way.

That said they look like they are the ‘kit car of the sky’s’ so perhaps I should have more empathy? And just hand them a roll of duck tape as they pass by.....

Sounds a great day, I'd be delighted if they regularly flew over us. The Goodwood Revival is not the same since the accident at Shoreham which has severely restricted air displays.....Looked into a ride in a two seater Spitfire, not cheap