I'm sitting at the café in the middle of a busy city street. The weather is fine outside, shoppers are passing by, a group of nice but alarmingly shallow young female characters are chattering at the neighbouring table. My latte feels just right, I'm writing this on battery power surfing through somebody else's WiFi connection and the life in general feels thoroughly enjoyable. It's a blogger's paradise - why can't one's real job look like this?

June has been a month of slow updates, but as job pressures (the real ones) hopefully decline during the summer I hope to find more time for this site. But before doing that I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who sent me email praising the site, offering suggestions or simply expressing their affection for the Spitfire. Here's an email which I have received recently from Mr Ken Gowans in the US. It is interesting to see among different people in how many different ways this aircraft had inspired a lifetime interest. What's your Spitfire story?

Hi Martin,

Firstly love the site love the Spitfire.

I have attached picture of myself (smaller person) and another Air Cadet with a Sptfire MK XIV. My picture was taken circa 1971 at RAF Leuchars in Fife, Scotland, where TB252 was the gate guard for many years. This aircraft, TS252, is currently being restored in New Zealand.

http://www.warbirdrestoration.co.nz/current.html

Click to enlarge image

Labels: warbirds, webmaster

June continues to be a busy month with slow updates, but this time the reason is more pleasurable: travelling. However, while the updates are pretty slow, I wouldn't like you to miss the newest addition in the History Articles section.

• This new addition is Early Radar Memories, a personal story of Jean Semple, one of the pioneer WAAF radar operators. While almost every book on the Battle of Britain mentions the Chain Home radar as the key technological invention which enabled Fighter Command to defend its country in the air, comparatively little has been told about the practicalities of operating the early British radar. Written and kindly provided by Jean's sister Katherine Reynolds, this article closes this gap. Highly recommended.

Continuing on the subject of June's travels, I have already briefly mentioned the journey to Linköping, Sweden, to visit the Swedish Air Force museum and examine their beautifully preserved Spitfire Mk. XIX (or S31 Spitfire if you use Swedish terminology). This was followed by a short weekend trip to Warsaw in private matters - class reunion, which proved to be a most memorable experience. Last week, me and my family spent a few days in the UK, in the northern London area. The highlight of this visit was a picnic in Old Warden watching the Shuttleworth Evening Air Display - still, in my opinion, one of the most pleasurable air events around. The collection's Spitfire was not at the flightline this time, but the sights of all the other old and older aeroplanes flying in these classic surroundings were just as magnificent as ever. I include a few photo samples below.

I will be away for another family vacation week, this time going north to experience the midnight sun in the mountain range on the Swedish/Norwegian border near Trondheim.

I'll be back in July with more updates to the Spitfire Site.

Click to enlarge images

Added today is this new photo gallery:

• Spitfire Mk. XVI at Flydagen Kjeller, 2008 - Swedish-owned RW386 phtographed at the air display in Norway

Labels: site updates, warbirds

Work on the site could be finally commenced yesterday, after I have finished another monthly update of the IPMS Stockholm Magazine. By the way, if you are into modelling, I think you shouldn't miss the pictorial feature by Ricardo Dacoba entitled Alpha Jet Jaguar. Ricardo turns the old and weary plastic kit into the work of art, adorned by one of these wonderful Tiger Meet schemes. RAF fans should also enjoy the series of Fairey Swordfish models presented by Israeli modeller Rafi Ben-Shahar.

Turning the attention over to this site, we have a new addition tonight for your enjoyment.

• The new article is part of the growing Variants & Technology section. Entitled Spitfire Masts and Aerials, it explains the evolution of various radio systems and the antennae used on the Spitfire. Altogether a useful reference feature written by Jeff Webb.
  
  
• In the same section, I have also adjusted the old article on The Sutton Harness on the Spitfire, adding a photo of late type Spitfire harness and some new information received from Edgar Brooks (thanks).
  

May is a strange time of the year. There's so much to do, and time passes so quickly that before you have noticed, an entire month has gone in a flash. Is it ten days after I've made my last update? A lot seems to have happened since then - but sadly, not one of the many additions to this site that I have in stock.

First of all, I've had a very busy period at work, reaching a project milestone. If you live by project deadlines, you'll know what I mean. Enough said.

Secondly, I have been starting a company of my own to accomodate my "hobby" activities - teaching, lectures, and writing, including bookwriting.

Thirdly, I have started a number of activities at the Spitfire Site - a number of my own history articles and research, developing a discussion forum and editing submissions form other authors. Given the priorities of the month, this has turned out to be over the top and I will need to prioritize between these activities to get anything done during the coming weeks. Also , it's the end of the month and I will have to focus on producing the next monthly issue of the IPMS Stockholm Magazine before I can do more updates at this site.

Last but not least, I spent a weekend away in a company of this lady. Need I mention that she was worth all the attention that she could get?

Full report, with pictures and commantary will follow - eventually. Can you recognize the mark of this Spitfire?

Labels: warbirds, webmaster

Without further delay, here's the first update for this week:

• Among the History Articles, new additons are the two concluding parts of 1941: The Difficult Year - Day Air Operations by Fighter Command, November 1940 - December 1941, an account by Sholto Douglas, C-in-C of Fighter Command in the described period.
  
  
• New pair of models has been added in the Modelling section; both represent the Spitfire Prototype K5054, albeit in two different finishes. By Mark Davies.
  

Labels: history, modelling, site updates

Review of recent press brought the following articles related to the Spitfire or the people flying it.

• Spitfire wings its way to county - the Welsh Pembrokeshire Aviation Foundation Trust will tour a fuselage of their newly-acquired Spitfire Mk. VIII JG668 around the country in the hope to raise the funds needed to restore the complete aircraft. [Western Telegraph]
  
  
• Another Spitfire touring the roads in the UK this season will be a replica towed by a Land Rover, wings detached but otherwise transferred on ordinary roads. [The Northern Echo]
  
  
• Diana Barnato Walker, acclaimed British pilot, died at 90. She started her aviation career as one of the ATA "Spitfire Women" and later become the first British female pilot to fly at supersonic speed. [New York Times]. Here's also Diana's obituary in Times Online.
  
  
• Another wartime fighter pilot, Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp, DFC, AFC, passed away on April 16, 2008, aged 87. Barthropp happened to be one of those unfortunate victims of the Fw 190 suprtiority over the Channel in 1942. Shot down over St Omer, he spent the rest of the war as POW. There, in Oflag XXIB, he escaped, but was caught and put back in the camp. After the liberation, he returned to active service with the RAF, flyig the Meteors and advancing to the rank of Wing Commander. [Times Online]
  
  
• Former Australian Spitfire pilot Ted Sly has returned to flying at the age of 90 [Ballina Shire Advocate]
  
  
• The campaign to raise a Spitfire moemorial in Southampton has now been backed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown [Daily Echo]
  

Labels: history, warbirds

Additions to the site continue today with the following new articles.

• A new addition in History Articles is part 3 of AVM Sholto Douglas' report 1941: The Difficult Year. This part covers the first offensive operations (Rhubarbs and Circuses) of the RAF after the Battle of Britain.
  
  
• A new image has also been added in the Historic Photographs section. Clipped, cropped, clapped - YO-Q offers a picture and a story about an interesting Spitfire LF Mk. Vb.
  

Labels: history, site updates

Without further delay, here's the first site update in May. As announced previously, it is a new addition in the History Articles section.

• In many respects, 1941 was one of Fighter Command's most difficult years. Delpeted during the Battle of Britain and still the sole line of Britain's defence, the condition of RAF's fighter arm remained rather fragile throughout the year. Yet the command was ordered on the offensive with the limited means there were at hand.
  
  I'm pleased to introduce 1941: The Difficult Year, a report written by AVM Sholto Douglas, the Commander-in-Chief of the Fighter Command during that period, and one of the orchestrators of the Circus offensive. This detailed account brings to light the many factors governing the conduct and success of operations at the time.
  
  Today we're posting the first two parts of this feature, with parts 3..5 to follow soon.
  

Labels: history, site updates

Almost exactly one month ago I have initiated the RAF 90th Anniversary Festival to celebrate this important milestone and try to populate this site with more articles, photographs, art and other material related to the Royal Air Force and its long history.

How did we succeeed? Let's have an overview of all the festival contributions in April and new additions pending this month.

• The Variants and Technology section was enhanced with two important reference features. A two-part Concise Guide To Spitfire Wing Types provides an overview of of the basic wing types of the Spitfire and the differences between them. Inherently related to Spitfire wing design is also The Hispano Cannon, the weapon which gave the aircraft the punch and a characteristic element of its silhouette.
  
  
• Four new colour profiles added during the month in Camouflage & Markings were NH550, in Royal Norwegian Service accompanied by another Norwegian Reconnaissance Spitfire, EP706 - The Malta Defender Spitfire Mk. Vc and "Bogle" Bodie and his Spitfire Mk. I, X4321.
  
  This adds up to six new reference articles, a good record indeed, with no less than three additional features currently waiting to be published.
  
  
• The pace in the History Articles section was rather more leisurely, with two articles added. Independent Air Force - Tracing the Origins of the RAF, an essay by Brett Holman and A Lifetime of Aviation, another essay by Martin Waligorski.
  
  This month I will be adding much more in this section, with five-part coverage of the 1941 Circus offensive as a main theme.
  
  
• Images added to the Historic Photographs section were: a portrait of Sqn/Ldr Jiří Maňák,
  photos of RAB Spitfire of W/Cdr Berg, UZ-Z of No. 306 Squadron, Northolt, Spitfire Mk. VII in the United States, launch of Operation Bowery and K5054 prototype prior to her maiden flight.
  


• The Video Section grew with just about as many videos, including the footage of Mark Hanna leading Spitfire formation display, Spitfire in IL2, Best of Chino's contraprop Spitfire Mk. XIX and Public debut of Seafire Mk. XVII SX336.
  
  
• The new Gallery Section, established at the beginning of the month, grew up rapidly and is already offering several hundred quality images. Collections added this month were: Spitfire Models by Tim Prosser, images from Old Warden 2007, The Joy of Flight Testing the Spitfire Mk. V BL628, Seafire Mk.XVII SX336, 90th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force, April 2008 celebration flypast over London, BBMF 50th Anniversary, 2007 and finally Ronnie Olsthoorn Photo Gallery with many beautiful Spitfire images.
  
  I'm happy that the technology behind the galleries worked out. Image collections I have been receiving from our visitors since last autumn can now finally be posted online and I will continue to do so during the months to come.
  
  
• Modellers have proven to be eager and knowledgeable supporters of this site. Their interest was demonstrated last month through a collection of 1/72 Spitfire Models by Tim Prosser , Spitfire in Saigon, a tribute to the Memory of A/C Paul Webb, Tamiya Spitfire Mk. V backdated to Mk. Ib, Kenley Wings beer-carrying Spitfire and another Malta Spitfire Mk. V.
  


• Another group which keeps giving this site a "push" are aviation artists; many new great pieces can be enjoyed in the Art & Memorabilia gallery and Pavel Rampír has been spoiling us with an entire series of drawings. Enjoy A portrait of Clive Caldwell, Spitfire Mk. VIII in Italy, "The Last", Chasing the V-1, "The CO's Query", Typhoon trouble, Beware of the low-flying Mosquitos, "Se va la Primera". For collectors, there was also a set of RAF 90th Anniversary poststamps.
  

Summarizing, it is apparent that April was one of the most fruitful months on the Spitfire Site so far. It is fantastic, and showed up well through the editorial workload - I had a hard time coping with all the material I've been receiving. I'd like to direct a warm thank you to everyone who contributed their work and material to make it happen. My apologies to those few who are still waiting to get their contributions published - none has been forgotten and they will appear online as soon as I can possibly manage.

The RAF Anniversary Festival will continue for some time to come, so please keep the articles and photos coming.

In the meantime, I'm into some serious programming trying to establish a discussion forum for all of us Spitfire buffs. I'll keep you posted.

Labels: history, modelling, reference, site updates, videos, warbirds, webmaster