WW2 Spitfire Y2-K (HK304) Restoration Project Comox Air Force Museum BC Canada
To build the Spitfires in the numbers anticipated, a whole new "Shadow Factory" was built at Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham, as a "shadow" to Supermarine's original Southampton factory. Although the project was ultimately led by Lord Nuffield who was an expert in mass construction in the motor-vehicle industry, the Spitfire's stressed-skin construction required skills and techniques outside the experience of the local labour force, and experienced staff from Supermarines and Vickers-Armstrongs engineers were needed. Even despite this, evidence exists[11] that the War Ministry was sufficiently concerned about the complexity of manufacture, to write to Supermarine expressing doubts about honouring their contract in summer 1939. The site was set up quickly from July 1938 - machinery being installed two months after work started on the site. More than 20,300 examples of all variants were built, including two-seat trainers, with some Spitfires remaining in service well into the 1950s. Although its great wartime foe, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, in its many variants, exceeded the Spitfire's production statistics, the Spitfire was the only British fighter aircraft to be in continual production before, during, and after the Second World War. During WW II the Spitfire's elliptical wings silhouette was recognized as a symbol of victory. Many pilots today dream of flying a Spitfire as the ultimate aviation thrill. The aim of this project is to return one celebrated World War II aircraft to flying condition in the exact colours depicting 442 Squadron's famous Spitfire with the identifiers "Y2K" Crew: one pilot Length: 29 ft 11 in Wingspan: 36 ft 10 in Height: 11 ft 5 in Wing area: ft² Empty weight: 5,090 lb Loaded weight: 6,622 lb Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 supercharged V12 engine, 1,470 hp at 9,250 ft Maximum speed: 330 knots Service ceiling 35,000 ft Project Volunteers Bon Svensson, Tom Quibell, Mike Forbes, Pat Murphy, Dave Mc Leod, Harold Mulder.
Size: 5620px × 3733px
Location: Comex Air Base Museum Vancouver Island British Columbia BC Canada
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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