Now that’s what you call an engine sound ….

[davymead]

The fine weather has prompted the season long appearance of just the best sound available, and fortunately for me, over the Isle of Wight.
G-ILDA, and her stunning soundtrack, a Roils Royce Merlin 66 to be precise.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Yep....they fly over my work and home all the time. Fly out of Goodwood....27 litres of unsilenced V12.....lovely!

 

[davymead]

Amazing just how it stops everyone to look up, old or young.

 

[Skd884]

Better than a m156?

 

[ALFAitalia]

Oh yes!.....and much LOUDER!

 

[davymead]

Better than a m156?

Distinctly different sound, the Merlin is slightly up on size and horsepower.

 

[SpikyMikey]

The fine weather has prompted the season long appearance of just the best sound available, and fortunately for me, over the Isle of Wight.

G-ILDA, and her stunning soundtrack, a Roils Royce Merlin 66 to be precise.


View attachment 126228

Fabulous photo. The Biggin Hill Spitfires regularly fly over us on their Beachy Head flights. The interesting thing is that after a while, you can work out which aircraft they are using by the engine note. They all sound slightly different.

 

[davymead]

The fine weather has prompted the season long appearance of just the best sound available, and fortunately for me, over the Isle of Wight.

Fabulous photo. The Biggin Hill Spitfires regularly fly over us on their Beachy Head flights. The interesting thing is that after a while, you can work out which aircraft they are using by the engine note. They all sound slightly different.

It’s amazing just how many are still flying, and realising that they’re all in there late seventies or more, watching G-ILDA this morning looping the loop is a testament to their design and build quality. Mind, would I be up there this morning

 

[BTB 500]

Great sound, but the horrible 2-seat conversion ruins the looks of a beautiful aeroplane.

 

[davymead]

Great sound, but the horrible 2-seat conversion ruins the looks of a beautiful aeroplane.

It’s true, but lots of people I guess want to experience a flight.

 

[BTB 500]

It’s true, but lots of people I guess want to experience a flight.

Yes, there's a ready market for it which is why they get converted.

 

[ALFAitalia]

....and only 5 grand a go!! Well that's the price they where signing people up for at the Festival of Speed!!!

Don't forget that some you see around are replicas....so nowhere near 70 years old. Quite a few makers worldwide.


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[BTB 500]

Don't forget that some you see around are replicas....so nowhere near 70 years old. Quite a few makers worldwide.

Some of the 'original' aircraft are 99.9% new. Aircraft are considered a 'restoration' rather than a 'replica' if they contain one single original piece (no matter how small/trivial). So you can dig up a corroded wreck that's been buried on a salt water beach for 45 years, build a completely new aircraft around a couple of small/cosmetic engine parts and that's then an original WW2 Spitfire:

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This guy flies "his grandfather's 100 year old aircraft". In reality after he died they discovered he'd kept three small parts as souvenirs (the joystick, rudder bar and magneto), and a completely new aeroplane was built around those in 2012:

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[davymead]

Not quite 5 grand, but if you fancy it ……

Two Seater Spitfire Flights | Spitfire Flight Experience

Fly a Spitfire over the White Cliffs on the south coast of the England, UK. Spitfires.com, The Spitfire Academy, offer two seat Spitfire flights from only £2,975. Book online or call 01243531147.

www.spitfires.com

 

[SpikyMikey]

The Beachy Head flights from Biggin Hill (45mins) are £4475. Last year during the summer on some days we were seeing 2 or 3 return flights a day.

 

[Jukie]

I'm moved to tears when I see and hear four Merlins powering a Lanc. Just the best noise.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Not quite 5 grand, but if you fancy it ……

Two Seater Spitfire Flights | Spitfire Flight Experience

Fly a Spitfire over the White Cliffs on the south coast of the England, UK. Spitfires.com, The Spitfire Academy, offer two seat Spitfire flights from only £2,975. Book online or call 01243531147.

www.spitfires.com

They can be up to £11500....depending on duration, and destination!!

Most Thrilling Spitfire Flights over the English Channel

Enjoy the most thrilling spitfire flights with us at Spitfires.com. We offer up to 75 minutes of Spitfire flight experience over the English Channel to the White Cliffs of the Needles, Beachy Head and Dover

www.spitfires.com

 

[ChrisHGTV]

I'm moved to tears when I see and hear four Merlins powering a Lanc. Just the best noise.

Im with you on that. Id love to know the psychological reasons why it's such a stirring sound. I can well imagine if you lived during the War but i was born in 1972 and it has that effect!

 

[davymead]

From what I’ve gleaned, you can arrange plenty of options.
When living in Bembridge a few years back, I watched an obviously expensively contrived dive bombing display over a large yacht by both a Spitfire and a Hurricane. I can’t think how much that would have cost.

 

[John N]

I'm moved to tears when I see and hear four Merlins powering a Lanc. Just the best noise.

You have got me thinking (Dangerous) I haven't seen the Lancaster yet this year! She normally appears somewhere above Peterborough from Early Spring onward, I wonder if the Maintenance Program has been delayed this Year?