Melo965
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Spitfire K5054 90th Anniversary Circumnavigation of the UK: May 2026
Everyone is WELCOME to join in, regardless of what Simulator you use, or what Aircraft you choose to fly!
I am suggesting that we commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Spitfire with 9 flights around the UK in the month of May. Spitfires.com (https://www.spitfires.com/spitfire90) staged a nine flight Spitfire circumnavigation of the UK with a two-seat Spitfire (BS410) repainted to match the livery of K5054 - the prototype Spitfire from 1936.
During each of the nine flights the K5054 Spitfire was escorted briefly by other more modern RAF and/or British aircraft, commemorating each decade of aviation advancement since the first flight of K5054. This will give us an opportunity to have a story about the escorting aircraft too, if so desired.
Escorts for the 9 flights were:
Flight 1: F-35B Lightning, then BBMF Dakota & Spitfire Mk.Vb.
Flight 2: 2x Red Arrows Hawk T1s & Phenom T1.
Flight 3: P-8 Poseidon.
Flight 4: 2x Typhoons.
Flight 5: 2x Hawk T2s.
Flight 6: RAF Texan T1, then Jupiter HT1 helicopter.
Flight 7: 2x QinetiQ Pilatus PC21s.
Flight 8: A400M Atlas.
Flight 9: BBMF Dakota.
Here is what the K5054 repaint of BS410 looks like:
And here is a graphic showing the general flight route around the UK:
Planning our flights for the month of May will give us some time to repaint aircraft or download scenery or otherwise get prepared for the Spitfire flights.
Here are the nine completed historic flights:
Flight 1: Southampton Airport to RAF Coningsby (7 Apr).
Delayed by 1 hour before departing Southampton Airport (1pm for 1hr 35mins)
Flight 2: RAF Coningsby to RAF Leuchars (8 Apr).
Departed on time from RAF Coningsby (10am for 1hr 35mins)
Flight 3: RAF Leuchars to RAF Lossiemouth (9 Apr).
Delayed for 4 hours before departing RAF Leuchars (2pm for 55mins)
Flight 4: RAF Lossiemouth to Prestwick Airport (10 Apr).
Departed RAF Lossiemouth (10am for 1hr 5mins)
Flight 5: Prestwick Airport to RAF Valley (13 Apr).
Departed Prestwick Airport (10am for 1hr 5mins)
Flight 6: RAF Valley to MOD St Athan (15 Apr).
Departed RAF Valley (4pm for 1hr)
Flight 7: MOD St Athan to RAF St Mawgan (16 Apr).
Departed MOD St Athan (10.30am for 1hr 5mins)
Flight 8: RAF St Mawgan to Exeter Airport (16 Apr).
Departed RAF St Mawgan (3.50pm for 55mins)
Flight 9: Exeter Airport to Southampton Airport (17 Apr).
Departed Exeter Airport (9.15am for 40 mins)
I will generate accurate flight plans for all nine flights and make them available by next week.
I have also checked out some livery options in FSX and MSFS 2020 if people want to earn some extra credit on the flights by flying a Spitfire with the K5054 livery, or even flying a two-seat TR9. Of course, your participation is WELCOME no matter what aircraft you choose to fly!
One option is the FS2004/FSX freeware Spitfire TR9 by AF Scrub found here:
Included is an Irish Air Corps (IAC) Spitfire which looks pretty cool.
Another FSX TR9 option is the Aeroplane Heaven Spitfire Mid-War Pack that was available through Just Flight quite a while ago. I am not sure if it can be purchased and downloaded still. I plan to repaint this in the current K5054 livery and have it ready to fly by May 1st.
And the third FSX option, also payware, is based on the A2A Simulations Spitfire Mk I/II, found here:
The only drawback so far of this version on my test flights is the pumping of the landing gear lever with my right hand to raise the gear while trying to fly the aircraft with my left hand, with my head looking too far down into the cockpit the whole time.
And the fourth option, also payware and for MSFS 2020, is the Aeroplane Heaven Spitfire: The Early Years, found here:
www.aeroplaneheaven.com
Come join the 90th Anniversary Spitfire Flying Celebration!
I am itching to be back flying a Spitfire for an Air Rally, naturally!
Everyone is WELCOME to join in, regardless of what Simulator you use, or what Aircraft you choose to fly!
I am suggesting that we commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Spitfire with 9 flights around the UK in the month of May. Spitfires.com (https://www.spitfires.com/spitfire90) staged a nine flight Spitfire circumnavigation of the UK with a two-seat Spitfire (BS410) repainted to match the livery of K5054 - the prototype Spitfire from 1936.
During each of the nine flights the K5054 Spitfire was escorted briefly by other more modern RAF and/or British aircraft, commemorating each decade of aviation advancement since the first flight of K5054. This will give us an opportunity to have a story about the escorting aircraft too, if so desired.
Escorts for the 9 flights were:
Flight 1: F-35B Lightning, then BBMF Dakota & Spitfire Mk.Vb.
Flight 2: 2x Red Arrows Hawk T1s & Phenom T1.
Flight 3: P-8 Poseidon.
Flight 4: 2x Typhoons.
Flight 5: 2x Hawk T2s.
Flight 6: RAF Texan T1, then Jupiter HT1 helicopter.
Flight 7: 2x QinetiQ Pilatus PC21s.
Flight 8: A400M Atlas.
Flight 9: BBMF Dakota.
Here is what the K5054 repaint of BS410 looks like:
And here is a graphic showing the general flight route around the UK:
Planning our flights for the month of May will give us some time to repaint aircraft or download scenery or otherwise get prepared for the Spitfire flights.
Here are the nine completed historic flights:
Flight 1: Southampton Airport to RAF Coningsby (7 Apr).
Delayed by 1 hour before departing Southampton Airport (1pm for 1hr 35mins)
Flight 2: RAF Coningsby to RAF Leuchars (8 Apr).
Departed on time from RAF Coningsby (10am for 1hr 35mins)
Flight 3: RAF Leuchars to RAF Lossiemouth (9 Apr).
Delayed for 4 hours before departing RAF Leuchars (2pm for 55mins)
Flight 4: RAF Lossiemouth to Prestwick Airport (10 Apr).
Departed RAF Lossiemouth (10am for 1hr 5mins)
Flight 5: Prestwick Airport to RAF Valley (13 Apr).
Departed Prestwick Airport (10am for 1hr 5mins)
Flight 6: RAF Valley to MOD St Athan (15 Apr).
Departed RAF Valley (4pm for 1hr)
Flight 7: MOD St Athan to RAF St Mawgan (16 Apr).
Departed MOD St Athan (10.30am for 1hr 5mins)
Flight 8: RAF St Mawgan to Exeter Airport (16 Apr).
Departed RAF St Mawgan (3.50pm for 55mins)
Flight 9: Exeter Airport to Southampton Airport (17 Apr).
Departed Exeter Airport (9.15am for 40 mins)
I will generate accurate flight plans for all nine flights and make them available by next week.
I have also checked out some livery options in FSX and MSFS 2020 if people want to earn some extra credit on the flights by flying a Spitfire with the K5054 livery, or even flying a two-seat TR9. Of course, your participation is WELCOME no matter what aircraft you choose to fly!
One option is the FS2004/FSX freeware Spitfire TR9 by AF Scrub found here:
Included is an Irish Air Corps (IAC) Spitfire which looks pretty cool.
Another FSX TR9 option is the Aeroplane Heaven Spitfire Mid-War Pack that was available through Just Flight quite a while ago. I am not sure if it can be purchased and downloaded still. I plan to repaint this in the current K5054 livery and have it ready to fly by May 1st.
And the third FSX option, also payware, is based on the A2A Simulations Spitfire Mk I/II, found here:
The only drawback so far of this version on my test flights is the pumping of the landing gear lever with my right hand to raise the gear while trying to fly the aircraft with my left hand, with my head looking too far down into the cockpit the whole time.
And the fourth option, also payware and for MSFS 2020, is the Aeroplane Heaven Spitfire: The Early Years, found here:
Aeroplane Heaven - You're virtually there.™ Supermarine Spitfire The Early Years
Aeroplane Heaven has been developing software for flight simulation for 25 years. In that time we have produced nearly 60 different commercial releases for our own brand and for other publishers and distributors Worlwide.
www.aeroplaneheaven.com
Come join the 90th Anniversary Spitfire Flying Celebration!
I am itching to be back flying a Spitfire for an Air Rally, naturally!