TIGHAR
Historic Aircraft Recovery and Preservation => General discussion => Topic started by: Chris Johnson on June 28, 2011, 02:46:39 PM
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Search for downed spitfire in republic of ireland. Interesting article BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13924720)
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Well found Chris!
I had no idea that an internment policy existed with the ROI, although I suppose it is obvious when you think about the ROI being neutral; after all internment was the rule with other neutral countries.
Did you read the comments below the story, picky-picky ;D
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I'm all in favour, the Hurrican was by far the better fighter but didn't have the glamour of the Spitfire.
That has all the makings of another multi-page argument! ;D
It is certainly something that luckily we never had to find out for real, having both types available.
The Hurricane was certainly a better gun platform, could absorb much more damage, was quicker to repair, was (by accounts) easier to fly as a newbie and probably had many other fine properties. It was also at the limit of its performance development as a dog-fighter and would have been outclassed by any Luftwaffe development, with the Typhoon not an initial success when it became available.
If we had only had Spitfires, I doubt that the kill rate would have changed much, but I believe that we would have had serious problems with getting even lightly damaged machines back into action in time.
As I said earlier, thank God we had both when we needed them.
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Update on BBC Website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15652440) Irish Army Ordenance Officer suggests firing one of the guns and due to the preservation of them in the peat bog after a little work one does actualy fire!!!