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Two WW2 Spitfires Low 'n' Loud

Classic Fighters 2017

In this video, we bring you a unique experience of two legendary Spitfire fighters flying in close formation at low level — just the sound of Rolls-Royce engines, wingtip whistles, and prop wash. One is a Griffon-powered Mk.XIV (NH799) once flown by Sir Tim Wallis; the other is a Tr.9 (MH367) painted in the desert scheme of No. 81 Squadron, flown by ace pilot Colin Gray.


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Spitfire MH367 comes in for a landing. Make sure you watch to the end of the video to see these two awesome machines approaching just overhead... Photo: © Historical Aviation Film Unit

The Spitfire Mk.XIV is one of the more powerful, late-war variants in the Spitfire family, fitted with the Rolls-Royce Griffon engine, which evolved from a need for higher power and better low-altitude performance. Though fewer in number than the Merlin variants, the Griffon Spitfires kept the aircraft type relevant late into the piston-engine fighter era.


Spitfire NH799 flew in the South East Asia theatre in the postwar era in a SEAC colour scheme. Prior to its most recent restoration, it was the aircraft in which Sir Tim Wallis suffered a severe crash on take-off in 1996. The rebuilding and subsequent return to flight of this particular machine underscores both the skill of the restoration team and the enduring appeal of the Spitfire in general.


Spitfire Tr.9 (serial MH367) is a two-seat trainer version derived from the Mk.IX lineage. It's painted to represent EN520, a desert-camouflaged Spitfire flown by New Zealand ace Colin Gray during his command of No. 81 Squadron in the North African Campaign.

Originally built as a Mk.IX in 1943, MH367 was later rebuilt into a T.9 two-seater and reassembled from parts from multiple airframes.

Spitfire MH367 showing off that iconic elliptical wing shape.   Copyright © Historical Aviation Film Unit


Colin Gray, born in New Zealand in 1914, became the highest scoring New Zealand–born fighter pilot in the RAF, credited with at least 27 victories. He commanded 81 Squadron in the Mediterranean theatre, flying Spitfires and contributing to air superiority efforts in desert campaigns.

In the highlighted video, the two aircraft fly in tight, low-level formation.   Copyright © Historical Aviation Film Unit


Make sure you watch until the end of the video, as when both aircraft return to land, they pass just a few metres above the camera on final approach. That close proximity gives an almost tactile sense of scale, sound, and speed — a rare perspective rarely captured in traditional warbird films.


If you're an aviation enthusiast, a warbird fan, or simply fascinated by WWII fighters, this video offers an immersive tribute to two historic Spitfires and their powerplants.

And we (almost) have touchdown....   Copyright © Historical Aviation Film Unit



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