I missed this back in April ... but this is a brilliant little film about the 25th anniversary of ML407.... This is Nick Grace's son flying with a proud Mum in the back seat ...... brilliant.... Watch it full screen and turn the volume up as it starts and flies
All permit a/c have been stopped from carrying passengers for hire or reward!! [It always has been against the ANO _ Air Navigation Order] So there were rumours that they were selling shares in the a/c. However Nick Graces son [can't remember his name] categorically denied that.
In memory of a very dear friend - Mike Pearson
Very fond memories of Robbie Gilvary - DTs 1st Vulcan Captain who taught DT all he knew.
He's Richard - the daughter is Olivia - he is 25 now - he went solo on ML407 in 2007
It is with enormous pride that I can announce that yesterday 4th October 2007 at 14.30 Richard went solo in The Grace Spitfire. Richard did an excellent take off departing off to the North to fly ML407 and returned to land on the grass with a nice three pointer. Again it was Pete Kynsey who had done his check out training to such a high standard and HSBC Insurance Brokers very kindly arranged for Richard to be covered as a pilot on ML407 - I am indebted to them for doing so. It is very pleasing indeed to have a male Grace back in the cockpit. Carolyn Grace
I must say its good to see ML407 out of invasion stripes and back in the colours Nick Grace had her in originally
This is a lovely clip of Nick himself and the first (embarassing) start up - and first post restoration flight - with Carolyn in the back seat.
Don't know about the shares thing ..... but if I ever see it I'm first in the queue
She is now based at Bentwaters permanently and is apparently secure there for years to come
This is the sort of story I love ....
During the Second World War, Jackie Moggridge had an unusual job.
She was one of a few women given her wings to fly planes from factories to their squadrons, and she transported more than 1,500 aircraft.
Known as the “ATA girls”, they flew more than 60 different types of planes solo, with just a gyro compass for navigation and no radio.
On April 29, 1944, Mrs Moggridge (nee Sorour) delivered a brand new Spitfire, ML407, which was later named the Grace Spitfire, from a factory in Castle Bromwich to RAF 485 New Zealand Squadron in Selsey, West Sussex.
Fifty years later, she was airborne again in that very same plane, with Halstead’s Carolyn Grace, now the only female Spitfire pilot in the world.
Together, they commemorated the maiden flight of the plane, each taking the controls to put the Spitfire through its paces.
