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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1974.PDF
FLIGHT International, 7 November 1963 111 Armstrongs, as two-seat trainers, designated Supermarine Type 509. Three of these machines were used by the Dutch and H99 was definitely in service during 1948. It was delivered most probably during 1947 or early 1948 and the type was powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin 66, driving a Rotol four-bladed constant-speed airscrew. Unfortunately, it is not on the list of surviving Spitfires. Portslade, Sussex F. N. BURTENSHAW SIR,—Spitfire H99 was one of three trainers which were converted from RAF Mk 9 fighters. The aircraft in Mr Hunt's photograph was registered BS147, the number being on the fin below the national colours. Similar machines were supplied to the Irish Air Corps, Egypt and India. It is very unlikely that BS147 still exists—it is not listed as such in Bruce Robertson's book on the Spitfire. However, there is in that book (page 212) a side elevation diagram of the aircraft as it was in 1948. An interesting point here is that both this and the Irish trainer illustrated on the same page appear to be standard Mk 9 aircraft with the second cockpit perched up behind it, whereas the Irish trainer on page 175 has the front cockpit moved forward 13|in (as with the Mk 8 trainer), yet all three aircraft are Mk 9 trainers. Can any reader explain this? Bristol ANDREW R. G. DOW SIR,—Further to Mr Leslie Hunt's letter and photograph of October 17,1 can inform you that no two-seat Spitfires exist any longer in Holland. The Royal Dutch Air Force operated three of these aircraft—H97 (ex-MK715), H98 (BF873) and H99 (BS147). They also flew as 3W-20, 3W-21 and 3W-22. These trainers were bought in England in May 1948 and were used for fighter-training at Twenthe Air Force Base. One of them, 3W-21, crashed at Soesterberg on September 20,19*51, and another flew as PH-NFN for Schreiner and Co on target-towing duties, together with three Spitfire Mk 9s. The last two Dutch Spitfire trainers were scrapped. There are several single-seat Spitfires as "gate guardians" or in museums in Holland. The enclosed photograph [reproduced herewith—Ed] shows TA-26 "Opa" in the war museum in Delfzijl in the north-east of Holland, prob ably ex-3W-8. In the National Aviation Museum at Schiphol, Spitfire 3W.1 is on show, and in the National War Museum in Overloon is a PR.XI, very wrongly painted with a big The Spitfire at Delfzijl, Holland, referred to by Mr Hugo Hooft- man in a letter on this page orange triangle. A Royal Air Force Spitfire, RK432, is still on show on Eindhoven Air Force Base. A damaged RAF Spitfire, ES693 (SA-1), is at Delft in the aircraft collection of the Technical University. Details of all aircraft ever flown in the Dutch Air Force can be found in my book Van Brik tot Starfighter, published in two volumes recently, which is illustrated by more than 400 photographs. Maarn, Holland HUGO HOOFTMAN Editor, "Cockpit" [Mr Hooftmari's book is published by La Riviere & Voorhoeve, Zwolle, and costs Fl 17.80 (£/ 15s) for the two volumes. It may also be obtained from "Cockpit," Postbus 2. Maarn.—Ed] IN BRIEF Aviation historian E. Meos, Opetaja 11-4. Tartu, USSR- ESSR, is compiling a book which will deal with some well-known women aviators, among them the first Estonian woman to fly, Baroness Elvyne von Hepflingen-Bergdorff (maiden name Kalep), of Tallinn-Nomme. Estonia. She obtained her pilot's certificate on August 1,1931, in Germany, where she bought a Klemm monoplane L-26 Ha, powered by Siemens-Halske 72-85 h.p. engine, which she flew in August 1931 from Berlin-Staaken to Tallinn and back. It is said that she was the private secretary to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. Information on her life would be welcomed by Mr Meos. FORTHCOMING EVENTS British Institution of Radio Engineers, Scottish Section: "Lasers," by A. C. Moore 'Glasgow). Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Internal Combus tion Engines Group: "Rockets versus Air-breathing Engines as Satellite Launchers." SLAET: "Development of Turbomica-type Engines, and Applications in the UK," by N. P. Coupe. British Interplanetary Society: One-day symposium on advanced propulsion. RAeS, Glasgow Branch: "Service and the Turbine Engine" by A. C. Bowling. •16 Engineering Materials and Design Exhibition and Conference, Earls Court, London. •16 Eleventh International Factory Equipment Exhibition, Earls Court, London. Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Internal Combustion Engines Group: "Development of a VTOL Powerplant," by C. T. Hewson. British Institution of Radio Engineers, South Western Section: "Non-destructive Testing," by A. Nemet. RAeS, Gloucester and Cheltenham Branch: "Sales Presentation of the BAC One-Eleven," by BAC senior sales team. Nov 7 Nov 7 Nov 8 Nov 9 Nov 11 Nov 11 Nov 11 Nov 12 Nov 12 Nov 12 Nov 12 Nov 12 Nov 12-14 Nov 13 Nov 13 Nov 13 Nov 13-30 Nov 14 Nov 14 Nov 14 Nov 14 RAeS, Luton Branch: "The Schneider Trophy Races," by W. G. Cox. RAeS, Boscombe Down Branch: "Shape of Aero planes to Come," by A. N. Clifton. International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associa tions: Symposium on supersonic aircraft. Royal United Service Institution: "Communications by Satellite and Submarine Repeater Cables," by R. J. Halsey. British Interplanetary Society: One-day symposium on aerospace vehicles. Air-Britain, London Society: "British Charter Avia tion," by J. E. D. Williams: "British Light Aviation," by P. W. Brooks. Kronfeld Club: Aeronautical Art Exhibition. Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators: a.g.m. and installation of the Court. RAeS, Cambridge Branch: "Photographic Recon naissance," by A. G. Abel. RAeS, Yeovil Branch: "Running an Aircraft Carrier and Keeping its Aircraft Serviceable," by Capt P. H. C. Illingworth, RN. RAeS, London Airport Branch: a.g.m. and "Civil Aviation Medicine," by Dr G. Bennett.
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