Visit from The Minister of Veterans Affairs this month

The Y2-K Spitfire project had a visit this month from the Minister of Veterans Affairs. The Honourable Greg Thompson spent about an hour in the Spitfire hangar talking with 2 distinguished veteran Spitfire pilots, former RCAF Wing Commanders, Stocky Edwards and Duke Warren, he also enjoyed a tour of the project conducted by the restoration team. John Duncan a former Member of Parliament from the Comox area accompanied the Minister on the tour.

The Honourable Greg Thompson Minister of Veterans Affairs with former Wing Commanders RCAF Stocky Edwards DFC (left) and Duke Warren DFC, Capt Mike Forbes Project Manager and John Duncan a former Member of Parliament.

Work continues on the rudder and with luck it should be completed by the next update and hung on the aircraft. Once the elevator is completed then both pieces will be covered in fabric and painted, we expect it will take 6 weeks to complete the elevator, both pieces should be installed by the beginning of October.

The Honourable Greg Thompson Minister of Veterans Affairs and John Duncan being introduced to Canada’s most prestigious aviation project by project manager Capt Mike Forbes. The Comox, Y2-K Spitfire.

Visitors continue to flock to the hangar on Saturdays to view Canada’s most significant aviation project, by month end we had nearly 400 additional visitors this month compared to the same month last year. We have a large parking lot next to our hangar and parking is free as is admission to the hangar or, the nearby Heritage Air Park. Spend a Saturday with your family surrounded by Canadian Aviation history, plan a trip to the Comox Air Force Museum and drop in and visit the Spitfire restoration project.

We have plenty of quality Spitfire souvenirs for you to select, each dollar you donate for one of our items goes straight to the restoration project. Choose from a Y2-K T-Shirt, hat or our very collectable limited edition prints “Touché” the Hats and Shirts are available for a donation of $25 and the print with 12 Canadian Spitfire signatures can be obtained for a donation of $195, we offer a discount on the prints if you’re a veteran or are currently serving with the Canadian Military or any Police force.

We present a montage of Spitfire pictures this month, some going back to 2000 when we first started our restoration right up to recent work completed in July 2007.

Our Merlin 63 once powered a boat in South Africa. It will be completely rebuilt before being installed on the Y2-K Spitfire. Estimates for the rebuild range out to $100,0001	Assembly jig for Spitfire delivered to the Y2-K hangar first week of November 2000. The partially skinned fuselage sit next to the jig, 2 days later the skins were removed and each frame was aligned in the assembly jig. We were now on our long journey to get TE294 back into the air.
Ready to start installation of the port and starboard longerones, the bottom longerons are already connecting the frames together.	Taken in November 2000, frame 11 is now complete, all frames aft to frame 19 are now mounted and the distinctive Spitfire shape is becoming obvious. Fuselage Under Construction. The firewall is now completed as is frame 8, most of the rudder pedal assembly is now complete as are the heel plates.
Dave McLeod and Tom Quibell work on the tail fin, both Dave and Tom have been with the project from the start. Tom is a retired RCAF technician and Dave is responsible for much of the recent machining that has gone into the restoration.	Chief engineer, Bonn Svensson and master metal craftsman at work. Bonn has been the projects engineer for 7 years. He has transformed a pile of junk into a work of art.
Pat Murphy sits on his favorite chair next to his favorite Spitfire, he is preparing to give a Spitfire history lesson to the many visitors that attend the hangar on Saturdays, Pat has been with the project from the start.	Our instrument panel, spade grip and compass holder. Our instruments have yet to be installed.
The radio hatch with our roundel, on the port side of the Y2-K Spitfire.	Close up of the reflector gun sight and the mounting bracket.
Fuel tank bay with a view of the flame damper panel.	Tail wheel installed July this year.
A low angle shot showing the aft end of the Y2-K Spitfire.	A close up of the port side serial number TE294
Interior shot taken from cockpit looking aft. The complex Spitfire design is obvious in this view; the canopy rails are visible at the top on both the port and starboard sides.	Close up of the tail wheel mounting and bearing housing.
An unserviceable wooden Spitfire propeller on display next to our Merlin, notice the 4 hub Spitfire wheel next to the propeller. We have 4 hubs for our project.	An overall view of the port side of the Y2-K Spitfire.

Thanks for your continued time and interest

Pat Murphy
And the Y2-K Spitfire restoration team.

“The Y2-K Spitfire will Fly Again"