Pilot Carolyn Grace flies the iconic aircraft to the delight of war veterans and history buffs to shows
all over the country
Posted on 06/25/2011 4:46:18 PM PDT by naturalman1975
The world's only female Spitfire pilot yesterday hit back at critics who complained that her Second World War fighter plane was too noisy.
Carolyn Grace, 58, flies the iconic aircraft to the delight of war veterans and history buffs to shows all over the country from her base in Rendlesham, Suffolk.
But one person complained the roar of the engine - which struck fear into German Luftwaffe pilots in the Battle of Britain - ruined the peace and quiet of the English countryside and complained to Suffolk Costal District Council.
Thousands of flight fans and locals in her home village of Halstead, Essex, have rallied round to sign a petition backing the female daredevil and her cherished Spitfire.
Widow Mrs Grace said: 'It's reflective of how supportive Suffolk people have been in general, hey are very patriotic and so proud of the Spitfire.
'There are 3,411 signatures on a petition of support of the Grace Spitfire flying over Suffolk and 211 beautifully-worded emails and 22 hand written letters.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
And if I may borrow a later phrase that seems very appropriate here as well.
The spitfire got the fame but the Hurricanes did the work.
It is the sound of freedom.
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great post!!!
...i suspect the ONE single complainer,
didn’t really care about the noise.
But I may be mistaken. Any Anglophiles please correct me if I'm wrong.
That is precisely what I’ve told my son at every air show we’ve attended together since he was a wee lad.
I am not all that knowledgeable about the Spitfire but it sure was a pretty one.
I noticed after the war, they did statistical studies or something like that and determined that the Spitfire and Hurricane had just about the exact same records of success.
I think that would show the pilot is the most important factor as the Spitfire was clearly a superior aircraft.
The old argument.
Yes, the Hurricane was critically important. Its numbers gave the RAF the ability to fight a protracted battle, especially the fact that so often it could be put back into service quickly after being damaged.
But the Spitfire gave the RAF the ability to take on the top German fighters on an equal footing, and that mattered a great deal as well.
Each plane found its niche and performed superbly in that niche. Yes, the Spits got the most attention, and the Hurries don’t always get the credit they were due, but that can’t be corrected by simply switching the credit from one side to the other.
The Spit’s got a lovely sound to it. I can hear it in my mind’s ear right now. How could anyone not like it?
That’s an entirely appropriate response.
And the Rolls Royce Merlin V12 supercharged exhaust note?Once you have heard it in full boost during an overflight, you never forget it. It is a womderful sound. Ms. Grace is quite right to tell them all to bugger off.Her name says it all.Thats what the exhaust note of the Spitfire is all about, "Grace," and a saving grace at that.
It is the sound of Western civilization's exceptionalism.
Spitfire thread with the addition of a nice view:
Spitfire thread with the addition of a nice view:
I saw or at least heard the sound of a P-40 on some website a couple of years ago.
That Allison engine may have not been as great as the Merlin but goodness it sounded great.
Yes, I just briefly addressed this in another post.
The Spitfire and the Hurricane both had different strengths and weaknesses. On pure performance, all things being equal, the Spitfire had the edge. But the Hurricane was far harder to fatally damage, and far easier to repair non-fatal damage. It was also simpler to construct, and during the Battle of Britain that was absolutely critical - if Britain had only had the Spitfire, it simply wouldn’t have had the numbers to fight that Battle.
In simple terms, the Spitfires and the Hurricanes tended to divide up the workload where possible - the Spitfires went after the German fighters, who they could engage on pretty equal terms, while the Hurricanes went after the bombers, which were easier to shoot down - but also more likely to damage you while you were doing it.
The Hurricane was also, critically, good enough that if it did find itself tangling with the German fighters, it wasn’t a disaster. So it could be used in small groups without needing support, and in situations where large numbers of German fighters needed to be engaged, or when no Spitfires were available, the Hurricanes could be deployed to face them or to fight along the Spitfires.
Rolls Royce’s Merlin do not make “noise”, they make music of power and parts in beautiful harmony
Whoever said a Spitfire was ‘too noisy’ is a classless uncouth heathen ...or German
I love the sounds of old warbirds. I got to watch the B-17 ‘Sentimental Journey’ take off, years ago. A delight to the ear, as well as the eye.
And- to the heart.
She looks like a tough ol’ pilot!
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