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A full-size replica Spitfire was driven into Norfolk yesterday with a police escort.
The painstakingly accurate model, constructed of a glass-reinforced composite, arrived at Lotus' Hethel headquarters for a spruce-up at the hands of the firm's expert bodywork engineers.
On one RAF truck the fuselage was strapped upright, while its wings were removed and stacked on a second.
At the front and back of the convoy was a pair of Lotus' latest production car, the Evora.
The model was sent to Lotus by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) after it heard that the company had previously repaired the RAF team's bobsleigh.
The material used in both the bobsleigh and the replica Spitfire is similar to that used on some parts of the Lotus, making the company unusually qualified to work on them.
The BBMF's commanding officer Sqdn Leader Smith, who has owned several Lotuses, mentioned to the company that the RAF had a “model” that needed restoring.
Neil Turner of Lotus, who has been overseeing the project, said: “When you say model it conjures up images of a little toy, but it turns out it's rather bigger than that.”
“The level of detail on it is really good, it's very realistic.”
“We're proud to help out. Everyone gets quite emotional about Spitfires.”
The replica is owned by the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, where it is usually on display to the public.
However, it has been loaned to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to help it promote the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in 2010.
Lotus hopes to have work completed by Christmas or early in the New Year, so that the model is ready in plenty of time for its promotional tour.
Next year it will go on display in Trafalgar Square in London and also in Manchester.
As well as repairing the model, Lotus will also be transforming it from a Mark IX to a Mark II - the model which would have flown in the Battle of Britain.
This will involve removing some cannon pods, which were only present on later versions of the aircraft.
The model has a metal frame, with a composite shell and includes several genuine Spitfire parts, such as the wheels and canopy.
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If I recall correctly
during the program By James May re: the 1:1 Airfix Spitfire , there is a firm based in Cornwall,( I think), that makes these "Plastic" aircraft for the RAF, as "Gate Guardians"( the aircraft usually on a display plinth outside operational RAF Airfields)because the real thing is often too valuable to be left to the ravages of the weather, etc.
ordinary fibreglass constructions are tooo heavy so need drastic steel framework to keep them in shape..
I guess that Lotus in Norfolk was a bit nearer to Duxford as a repair shop than dragging the thing down to Cornwall? would be too expensive and time consuming......
Bob
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Thought this would interest you Mac.
Rita, that must have been interesting. That was the year my son was born so probably why I didn't get to Yarmouth then.
Bob, I meant to watch that programme and forgot and think I forgot to record the repeat as well !
Yes Lotus isn't far from here and closer to Duxford, as you say.
Once was the day I knew all the Team Lotus lads, we had a nightclub that had a quieter more select bar called the Lotus Room as the owner was made on the cars, and they all congregated there.
Lizx
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