Two-seat Spitfires

[nuuumannn]

Hi Guys, I put some pictures of two-seat Spitfires on another board recently, so I thought I might share them with you.

Spitfire T.VIII MT818, registered G-AIDN is a Supermarine design conversion, rather than a post-war two-seat foreign air force one. It is photographed in the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar last year.

MT818

MJ627 was built as a single seat Mk.IX and has combat history in WW2. Postwar it was converted to a two-seater for the Irish Air Corps.

MJ627 i

It's seen here at Biggin Hill giving joyflights at 2,500 quid a pop last year.

MJ627 ii

SM520 was also built as a single-seat Mk.IX and was converted for the Royal Netherlands Air Force postwar.

SM520 i

It was photographed offering joyflights from Goodwood Airfield within the race track, formerly RAF Westhampnet, satellite to RAF Tangmere, West Sussex.

SM520 ii

Thanks for looking.

 

[rochie]

nice ones Grant, will see if i have pics of any others that may have been at Duxford.

 

[nuuumannn]

Go hard Brother, the two-seat Spit still looks good.

 

[rochie]

two quick ones for now

ML407 the grace spitfire.

The Grace Spitfire ML407 is a D-Day veteran, credited with the first enemy aircraft shot down over the Normandy beachhead on 6th June.

Converted to a 2-seat trainer it flew for the Irish Air Corps as IAC162.

NH341 (and friend)

Spitfire T9 NH341 flew for the Royal Canadian Air Force's no. 411 'Grizzly Bear' Squadron.

There were nine different pilots who flew NH341 in 27 operational sorties over France as part of 2nd TAF operations, all survived the war. This Spitfire has been converted into a 2-seat trainer.

 

[Crimea_River]

Never really warmed up to those piggybacks and tend to avoid photographing them. I do have a few though:

 

[Micdrow]

Sweet shots Grant

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely shots!

 

[Jeff Hunt]

Good shots all.
2 quickest ways to ruin a Spitfire.
1. Install a second seat.
2. Paint a shark mouth on it.

Cheers

Jeff

 

[Crimea_River]

Agree with 1. Disagree with 2. Grey Nurse looks great IMO.

 

[Airframes]

I like the modification carried out on the 'Grace' Spitfire, where the rear canopy is the same as the front, blended into the lines of the fuselage.
It's still a two-seat Spit, but at least retains the lines to a greater extent.
And of course, if offered a flight in any two-seat Spit, I think I'd move faster than I have done for some years !!!

 

[nuuumannn]

The Grace Spitfire ML407 is a D-Day veteran, credited with the first enemy aircraft shot down over the Normandy beachhead on 6th June.

Yup, operated by 485 (New Zealand) Sqn, with Johnny Houlton as pilot. Cool photos everyone.

 

[nuuumannn]

I think I'd move faster than I have done for some years

It wouldn't take much though, Terry! Don't need a Spitfire for you to move faster than you've done in years!

 

[nuuumannn]

Mk.IX MH367 in company with Mk.XIV NH799

Spitfire duo

Spitfire duo landscape

MH367 wearing markings of Sqn Ldr Colin Gray.

Two seat Spitfire

 

[Airframes]

Great shots Grant.
There's some doubt about ML407 scoring the first 'victory' on D-Day.
I'd need to re-read the passage in Johnnie Houlton's book, "Spitfire Strikes", to be certain of the facts, but although he certainly claimed the first 'kill', which was confirmed, he describes taxiing out in OU-V, and colliding with a chair and a field telephone, left at the assembly point by an over keen controller, with bits of chair, telephone and prop tips flying into the air, and having to quickly change to a spare aircraft.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Never really warmed up to those piggybacks and tend to avoid photographing them.

I have to agree. The two seat conversions of the Macchi G.55/59 are nicer looking.

 

[nuuumannn]

Hm, ther G.59 is a looker, but jamming that Merlin in does nothing for its appearance.

G.59 nose

G.59 tail

The original G.55 is far prettier.

G.55