[MoMo]

Spitfire LA198

Every time that I get lonesome for a bird, I walk 10 minutes through Kelvingrove Park to visit my girlfriend who hangs from the roof.

She's over 60, but doesn't look her age. You can read about her face-lift below :












Glasgow welcomes home its Spitfire :

Glasgow's Spitfire Welcomed Home By WWII Veterans - 24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage

Link to the Museum and Art Galleries :

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Life - Spitfire LA198
Spitfire LA198, 1947, 3890 x 9960 x 11230mm.

Spitfire Aeroplane, LA198 F21 Model with Rolls Royce Griffon 61 Engine 1947. Used by 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, 1947-49. The plane is recognised as the best-restored Spitfire in the United Kingdom, and now hangs dramatically from the ceiling of the West Court in Kelvingrove.

Spitfire LA198 served with the 602 City of Glasgow Squadron - based at Abbotsinch - between 1947 and 1949. The squadron was the first United Kingdom auxiliary squadron to receive Spitfires, receiving its first Spitfire on 8 May 1939, and the aircraft remained with the 602 for exactly 12 years.

On 22 July 1949, LA198 crashed, an event entered in the log book as: 'Engine trouble, pranged on runway - did not fly again'. The fact that LA198 'pranged' turned out to be a blessing in disguise as most of the Spitfires in good condition were sold off as they were taken out of service. There are less than 150 flightworthy Spitfires now in existence.

Parliamentary approval was given in 1996 for LA198 to be returned to the City of Glasgow - this approval is necessary as all military equipment is property of the Ministry of Defence.

The restoration of Spitfire LA198 began in 1998 at the Museum of Flight in East Fortune and was completed in 2002. The restoration project was a joint venture between Glasgow City Council, the National Museums of Scotland and the Scottish Executive. In addition to core funding, support to re-display Spitfire LA198 has been provided through a contribution of £100,000 to the KRA from BAA Glasgow.

If you are near Glasgow visit the Art Galleries at Kelvingrove. It's worth a look! ( you can also see some other beautiful paintings, sculpure and artifacts including weapons of all ages. Across the road you can see over 200 ship models of many Clyde-built boats. The finest ship model collection in the world at the transport museum...trams ( streetcars ) too! )

MoMo

[MoMo]

p.s. they sell Corgi replicas of her at a tenner a hit in the Museum shop ( Easy Models are cheaper )

MoMo

[bsmith13]

She's gorgeous! Can I take her out some time?

[MoMo]

Be my guest...but remember, you'll have to unhook her first.

I used to have Spitfires hanging from my bedroom ceiling. All Airfix!

MoMo

[MoMo]

Some pictures of the Transport Museum across the road. You can see my Spitfire when it was housed here.

MoMo

[STARMAN 352ND]

The Spitfire looks so........sweet..
Be nice to go see her once a while too.
Is she still in flying cond ?
JP

[MoMo]

As far as I know, she was restored to flying condition. They spent about $1,000,000 restoring her. She's a type XX1. I think that they were built round Gryphon engines. She is the most perfectly restored Spit in the U.K.
This means better than the B.O.B. flight Spit., I'm sure.

I doubt if they'll ever let her fly again. She's hanging from the roof of one of the main halls in our Kelvingrove Art Galleries, as you can see from the photographs.

You can stand under her and it seems as if she's buzzing you at about 12 feet. Groups of schoolchildren stand under her and stare at her with mouths agape! Why not. She's a superstar!



MoMo

[Shamrock]

She is a beauty! In Dublin now we a have a great link to 602 Squadron as we have the logbook on display of one of the squadron's most famous leaders. The first logbook of Brendan 'Paddy' Finucane through the kind generousity of his family is now on display in The National Museum Of Ireland in Collins Barracks. Brendan led 602 Squadron from January 1942 until he was promoted Wing Commander, Hornchurch in June 1942 several weeks before he was lost in action on July 15th.

If you ever get to Dublin it is well worth a visit as it covers Irishmen at war covering a 400 year period. The exhibition is called 'Soldiers and Chiefs' and is world class.

[jim]

Mo have you seen HACs BM597 at Duxford? She could challenge the claim to be the best restored Spit and she flies. I have had the pleasure of looking this bird over and believe me she is perfect. Now can I put a fly in the ointment by saying that I dont like to see aircraft hung up. it can stress the airframe if left hanging over a period of years thus making sure that the aircraft will never fly again without major structural work. This topic has been much discussed in aviation circles and most have come out against the practise. But yes the old girl looks good.

Originally Posted by MoMo

As far as I know, she was restored to flying condition. They spent about $1,000,000 restoring her. She's a type XX1. I think that they were built round Gryphon engines. She is the most perfectly restored Spit in the U.K.
This means better than the B.O.B. flight Spit., I'm sure.

I doubt if they'll ever let her fly again. She's hanging from the roof of one of the main halls in our Kelvingrove Art Galleries, as you can see from the photographs.

You can stand under her and it seems as if she's buzzing you at about 12 feet. Groups of schoolchildren stand under her and stare at her with mouths agape! Why not. She's a superstar!



MoMo

[MoMo]

Thanks Jim,

I'll enquire further when I next visit the museum. I'm pretty sure that the information I have is correct about the old bird, and that she can fly. If what you say is true about stressing the airframe, and I did ponder this possibility myself when I first saw her, I will raise hell.

Satan and all his minions will assail Glasgow City Council until she's safe again!

MoMo