The matter in summary: Runar Vassbotten owns a historic Spitfire Mark IX from 1943 which has received a great deal of international attention. After nine years of reconstruction in England, the plane landed in Norway in May. Vassbotten has already received an offer from a buyer in England of 3.5 million pounds (approx. NOK 47 million), but refuses to sell the plane. Over 20,000 Spitfire fighters were built in the period 1938 to 1948, but today there are only around 240 preserved examples in the world, of which only 70 are airworthy. Vassbotten wants to use the aircraft to honor forgotten air heroes, including by carrying out honor flights. The plane is rare because it has been converted into a two-seater, so that it can carry a passenger. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – This is the world’s most beautiful and famous aircraft, says the proud owner. Runar Vassbotten shows off his newest veteran aircraft, a Spitfire Mark IX from 1943. The historic Spitfire aircraft is rolled out of the hangar at Notodden. Robert Hansen/news After nine years of reconstruction in England, the aircraft landed at Notodden in May. – This is news that is followed all over the world. We see that from the response on social media. A picture from the flight home reached 120,000 people in a short time. Realized the dream The 51-year-old was born and raised in an aviation family in Notodden, and loves airplanes and aviation history. He already has two other veteran aircraft. But the new Spitfire surpasses all. When he sold out of a flight school just before the corona, he could finally afford to realize his dream of owning his own Spitfire fighter. Photo: Robert Hansen / news The plane was found as a wreck in a forest in France in 2013. Vassbotten bought the parts for NOK 4 million. Since then, he has spent large sums on the build-up, financed by the sale of a flight school in 2019. He does not want to say exactly what it has cost. – But I have already received an offer from a buyer in England of £3.5 million. This corresponds to approximately NOK 47 million. But this plane is not for sale. “A thoroughbred race horse” Over 20,000 Spitfire fighters have been built, most of them in the period 1938 to 1948. The aircraft played the main role in the “Battle of Britain”. The Spitfire was a specially designed fighter plane with a machine gun and extreme flight characteristics. They often ended up in combat against German Messerschmitt aircraft. Today there are around 240 preserved specimens in the world, and only 70 of these are capable of flying. A Norwegian pilot at a Spitfire during service in Northern England. Photo: Ole Friele Backer The plane at Notodden is rare, because it has been converted into a two-seater, so that it can carry a passenger. The Spitfire planes have an extreme engine in relation to their size of three tonnes: a 27 liter Rolls-Royce Merlin with a whopping 1,720 horsepower. – This is a thoroughbred thoroughbred horse, which is nervous all the time. It must be grazed in the air. You can’t relax for a second, says Rolf Meum, who is one of the world’s most experienced pilots of veteran warplanes. Hear the sound of the big engine here. He has over 1,000 hours in various aircraft types from the war, and 400 of these are in the Spitfire. He praises the plane that has now arrived at Notodden. – One of the best and finest Spitfires I have flown, so this is big for Norway, he says. Flying hero from Kragerø Vassbotten wants to use the plane to honor forgotten air heroes. Many young Norwegians enlisted as Spitfire pilots during the war. 4 out of 5 never returned home. Rolf Tradin from Kragerø was shot down and killed during a tour off the coast of France at the end of May 1943. During his service in England, he also flew the Spitfire that has now arrived at Notodden. Flying hero Rolf Tradin. Photo: Unknown – When we heard Tradin’s story, we decided to honor his efforts with an honorary flight over Kragerø. Several of Tradin’s family members were present on the ground. – 80 percent of the Norwegian pilots who were on squadrons in England died during the fight for our freedom. This is a story we must pass on to future generations, says Vassbotten. – And the best way to do this is with an aircraft that is in active use, he believes. The Spitfire at Notodden is one of the few two-seaters in the world. Photo: Jan Erik Arud / Norwegian Flying Aces Published 27.06.2024, at 09.17 Updated 27.06.2024, at 13.51
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Spitfire fighter plane from 1943 arouses international attention – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
