Spitfire Mk.IX, TA805 'Spirit of Kent'

Built at the Supermarine works at Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands late in World War Two, TA805 started its career with the Royal Air Force at No 39 Maintenance Unit in December 1944.
Wearing the code letters HF it joined 183 (Gold Coast) Squadron at Chilbolton on the 17th June 1945. Commanded by Squadron Leader J R Cullen DFC, the squadron converted from the Typhoon IB to the Spitfire IX. The squadron Operational Record Book records the conversion and movements:-
'The pilots and their kit were flown by Dakota to Chilbolton where we join Fighter Command No.11 Group and convert to Spitfire IX’s.20.6.45 - Four new aircraft ferried in by ATA.
A period of conversion then began for two months.
This morning the CO, Sqd/Ldr Storrar, led the squadron in formation down to Hawkinge where we will stay for a month for practice gunnery and bombing’.
The squadron then returned to Bentwaters. 234 Squadron were part of a wing of 24 Squadrons led by legendary Battle of Britain ace and later famous test pilot Wing Commander Roland P Beamont DSO and Bar DFC.
This wing flew the 1945 Battle of Britain commemoration flight over London in September and it is possible that TA805 was one of the aircraft taking part.
TA805 was then struck off charge with the RAF and shipped to the South African Air Force in early 1949.
The aircraft is on the UK Civil Register as G-PMNF, owned by Peter Monk and based at his Heritage Hangar at the former Royal Air Force WW2 Battle of Britain Fighter Station at Biggin Hill.
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[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Dude straight up flew the shit out of that Spitfire. You don't see actual combat level maneuvers with 70 year old warbirds very often. Awesome to see!

[@pringlel]

That music!! Next time I go to a classical concert I will play a recording of a Merlin at full volume and see if anyone objects. I'm sure they won't.

[@georgemorley1029]

I’ll be applauding Les! 🤣

[@gregmctevia5087]

Beautiful. Nothing in the air then or now like the Spitfire. Long may she reign.

[@mattharte7334]

Dan Griffiths is a brilliant pilot and his display in this spitfire looked like a dog fight, and he’s pretty good at waving too!

[@silverzero6430]

She is beautiful, and that Rolls Royce Merlin sounds awesome! Cheers from Costa Rica!

[@HighFlight]

Greetings and a Merry Christmas from Great Britain.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

Wow! The only man I know who can fly a Spitfire like that is Dan Griffith! What a fantastic display, many thanks for posting this gem Steve! What a Christmas present. Chris B

[@HighFlight]

Dan Griffith is indeed a masterful flyer. Merry Christmas Chris. Steve.

[@landyandy7]

Ray hanna was always the master of a spitfire display

[@HighFlight]

@@landyandy7 He was indeed.

[@HighFlight]

@Alan wragsdale I and many others certainly enjoy his flying and Spitfire displays, which are also certainly safe and skilfully enough flown to have been authorised by the CAA's flying display assessors, who would themselves be very experienced and safe pilots on the aircraft. I don't object to your differing opinion, but you seem to have a real down on Dan Griffiths flying with at least 3 similarly negative comments recently. It's fine to have a differing opinion, but I'd be interested to know if you have or have ever had a CAA pilots licence? I do totally agree with your assessment of Ray Hanna.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@Alan wragsdale I'm not sure you realize what you are watching. Two kinds of airshow performances with warbirds...one is a traditional precise aerobatic display with your typical maneuvers...the other is much rarer...a display of the combat maneuvers and movements you use to shake an attacking plane off of your tail or to reverse the attack. This display is the latter. These maneuvers are not refined and defined like the traditional stuff is. They are the starting point for what we define as specific maneuvers today. It looks unplanned and unpredictable by design. In combat if you were predictable...you weren't for long because you got shot down. He is also pushing the plane MUCH harder than you would with the aerobatic maneuvers we normally see when a warbird is flown...most pilots greatly limit the manifold pressure and g forces they put on an old, rare warbird with an old, rare engine. This is a rare...very rare glimpse of the near full capabilities of a WWII fighter in the 40's. Enjoy it...appreciate it. Yes...Ray Hanna was awesome, but Dan is as good at this type of display as anybody that I've ever seen.

[@jacktattis]

Spitfire. Truly the best fighter of WW2

[@bonvoyage5377]

Best looking......perhaps, but not as good as a P51, limited range, limited ammo, Im a brit by the way. Given a choice of a ride in a spit or a mustang......Id jump on the horse every time

[@jacktattis]

@@bonvoyage5377 Well if you are a Brit do the comparison Now let me enlighten you P51 Mk IX Service ceiling ft 40000 43000 TO 45000 Climb rate f/m 3475 4460 with JL 165 tested at 5740 Oct 44 top Speed MPH 437@ 25000ft 408@ 25000 roll rate deg/sec 78 @400mph 94 @310 150 - C/W @ 220 mph 103 - N/W @ 210 Tact.Mach 0.78 /0.80 0.84/ 0.89 Range 1600 full tanks and Drop tanks 1200 w/ 90 gal belly tank and after Nov 42 all Spits were fitted with various sizes Turn ft 883 700/750 Armament 6x.50 damage 57 x6 = 342 2x20mm +2x50 damage Cannon 2x200 +_ 2x57 = 514 and the RAF were the better marksmen Source :World War 2 Fighter Gun Effectiveness And then there was the VII VIII

[@brianmanley1079]

Really pushing the g forces, great display,,

[@knightflightvideo]

What a GREAT display of this Spitfire!!! One of the best I've ever seen! Very well filmed, Steve! 👌 Thumbs up 👍 and Merry Christmas!!! 🎅🎁🔔🕯️🎄 Greetings from Germany, Olli 😊

[@HighFlight]

Thanks Olli. Sorry I couldn't reply before and I hope you had a great Christmas and wish you a very happy New Year for 2020. This solo display of the Spitfire has become the traditional finale to shows at Biggin Hill.

[@entertainmentchannel8494]

Was thier. The year before was amazing too best spit display by a long shot and I'd go as far to say in the world

[@grandfather8907]

Ein Super Flug Bild👍

[@HighFlight]

Danke 😊

[@flying4fun159]

Incredible display, love the MK1x one of my favourite spitfires

[@ethanspaziani1070]

Such a beautiful aircraft

[@AndrewNutley-lf9uy]

IF there is a heaven it surely must be a cloudless summer's day and the sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin

[@andrewmontgomery5621]

One of many Spitfires flown by the Flyboys at Biggin Hill

[@darrengeorge5846]

Dan at his best

[@baselhammond3317]

That's how it should be flown

[@HighFlight]

Thanks to pilot Dan Griffith.👍

[@hwkalee]

een merlin moter klinkt 😇 als een mooi muziek stuk

[@jacktattis]

This is probably how Dick Audet flew when he got five enemy fighters in less than 10 minutes

[@ianevans67]

For crying out loud when will these airshow organisers ever learn. Ditch the crap music for gods sake. All we want to hear is that Merlin