Garry's comments about the history of the Spitfire jogged my memory a
bit, back to movie I saw on the tube a number of years ago.
Appropriately enough it was entitled "Spitfire" though I think the
British title might have been something else. It was a biography about
the man responsible for the development of this airplane. The film was
made during the war so I suspect some liberties were taken with history
in the interest of the war effort but I imagine that some of the
technical details were accurate. It's probably been 20 years or so
since I saw it but as I recall, the original Spitfire was not land
based but had pontoons and was carried shipboard. In fact, I
believe the fuel tank(s?) was in its large center float. 1936 sounds
about right for the first model.
BTW, I grew up around airplanes (my father had a commercial license and
instructor's rating) and anyone in the circle of flying groupies I was
around would have gotten some curious stares if they had used the word
aeroplane. I think this is strictly a Brit term, at least in modern
usage.
Garry, sorry that England didn't make the final. I was really pulling
for them. Still, 4th is nothing to be ashamed of. Good luck in '94.
Maybe we'll get a chance to see the team here in CA then.
P.S. There's one other very appealing characteristic of Spitfires that I
forgot to mention earlier, and that's the sound they make. It'
one of the most pleasing macho rumbling roars I've ever heard.
It's a sound that you never forget and is guaranteed to make you
look up if you're lucky enough to ever hear it for real. In fact,
the sound of British cars is one of the things I've always found
attractive about them too. Ever listen to a Miata? Yawnnnn.
Roland Dudley
cobra@hpcilan.hp.com
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