Ready for take-off
Once strapped in, Steve fired up the 27 litre, 12 cylinder Merlin and smoke billowed into the cockpit as the engine roared into life. He apologised but I gushed and told him the smell was fantastic – even though I was on the point of choking.
We lined up on the runway and he opened the throttle. I glanced at the controls, those famous elliptical wings, the rush of the runway tarmac going by and then the magical moment when we lifted off. A lump the size of an apple came into my throat at the very moment Steve asked if I was okay. In a split second, I supressed the urge to flood my face and reported back that I was fine – I was in heaven.
With control being handed to me, I climbed to 2,000 feet and levelled out, dipping the nose to see the sky was clear ahead then scanning for other aircraft. The controls were very sharp, I was then able to perform turns that would have pulled the wings off the Cessna. The blue sky was decorated with cumulus clouds and visibility was excellent.
All too soon it was time to land, 40 minutes of absolute joy was coming to an end. Steve took back control and executed a victory roll and, for a fleeting moment, the ground replaced the sky above my head. With no chance of a missed approach we touched down and a lifetime dream had been etched forever into my mind as a reality.
About this Spitfire
About this SpitfireSpitfire PT462 is a Mark 1X variant and was built at Castle Bromwich in 1943. It saw service in the RAF with 73, 326 and 253 Squadrons. In 1952 it was sold to the Israeli Air Force and, on being retired from duty in 1956, was given to Kibbutz Kfar in Gaza.
In 1976 the derelict airframe was discovered buried at the municipal rubbish dump. Duxford based collector Robs Lamplough brought it back to Cambridge in 1983. The aircraft was then sold to property developer Charles Church who returned it to flying condition. Following his death in 1989, the Spitfire moved to Florida before returning to the UK in 1998. It was acquired by the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford on the 9th October 2017 and is now part of their fleet based at Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire.
Would you like to fly in a Spitfire?
The company operating this Spitfire is willing to offer a discount to readers of International Property & Travel magazine. To find out more contact stuart@ipropertymedia.com
