Spitfire for sale .....

[deeb7]

Next Sunday, in Nelson New Zealand ... go on, you know you always wanted one. I can go down, and bid if you like.

No?

Oh well, we can look at the pictures .....

http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/lot ... uction=257

 

[Lignemaginot]

How much would something like that be worth these days - US$1m? More?

 

[deeb7]

How much would something like that be worth these days - US$1m? More?

Maybe more .... this from the New York Sun.



For sale: used airplane, nearly complete, fragile, single seat, by modern standards slow and uncomfortable. Sixty years old. Price: about $2 million.

Serious collectors of aviation and military memorabilia are being sought by an auction house that's selling an original U.K. World War II fighter.

The former Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire was built in April 1945 and is said to be one of only 44 airworthy examples of the fighter, which played a key part in the Battle of Britain.

"The sale of an aircraft so linked to the history and very survival of Great Britain has enormous significance for us here at Bonhams & Goodman," Tim Goodman, chief executive of the Australia-based auction house that joined the Bonhams in September 2003, said.

The restored Spitfire MK XVI, RAF Serial No. TE 330, will be the centerpiece of his inaugural auction of aircraft and cars in New Zealand, to be held at Nelson, South Island, on September 14.

According to the New Zealand Herald's Web site, the sellers are the Subritzky family of North Shore, Auckland, vintage aircraft collectors who acquired the Spitfire 11 years ago. The family recently advertised the plane on trademe.co.nz without attracting a firm offer, the Web site operator said.

It flew in the 1957 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and was displayed at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs until 1997.

 

[bristolherc]

Sold for $NZ2.8 million, $NZ3.1 including buyers premuim.

It needs a spider for the Rotol prop and it is then airworthy. It was bought by a Hong Kong business man, he will supposedly donate it to a museum, so it prolly won't fly again.

The ex-owner, Don Subritsky, is on the opposite shift to me at work.

He's a happy chappy.

BEVAN

 

[deeb7]

The ex-owner, Don Subritsky, is on the opposite shift to me at work.

He's a happy chappy.

Geez Bevan .... how much are they paying you guys? :shock:

I don't want to see the Spitfire go,'' Don Subritzky, an Auckland engineer whose family has restored the aircraft the past 11 years, said before the sale. ``Basically, we need to get some money in to fund the completion of a few of the other aircraft we've got here.''

Subritzky has nearly completed a 1936 Hawker Hind biplane. Other airframes waiting to be restored include a rare Vickers Vildebeest biplane, a twin-engined Airspeed Oxford and a Gloster Meteor jet.

 

[fleet16b]

I think you will find that a Spitfire fresh out of restoration will cost you between 3.0 - 3.5 million.
Thats alot of cash for a single seat , limited endurance aircraft.......but if I had the money, I'd happily pay it !!!

 

[T-Bolt]

In my opinion it will be bad news to see it go into mausoleum (museum)......I would MUCH rather see a buyer get it and keep it in airworthy condition. It is one thing to see a Spit setting in a dim lit building, doing nothing, versus hearing the RR Merlin roaring as the plane makes a low pass and the sun glints smartly off of it's polished fuselage!!


Ted

 

[Maverickson]

We see a Spitefire in our neighborhood from time to time. The guy likes to fly the beach :roll: . It is kept at the local fighter factory http://www.fighterfactory.com/airworthy ... -plane.php.