Bonhams to sell replica Spitfire for The Royal British Legion
12 August 2010
Bonhams are to auction a replica Supermarine
Spitfire for The Royal British Legion during The Goodwood Revival
on 17 September 2010.
The full sized aluminium replica of a MKVb Supermarine Spitfire was built in 2008 by members of the Ripon Branch of the Royal British Legion in order to publicise their work. It took 10 months and 11,000 man hours to construct.
The plane represents
aircraft number W3850 which was flown by Pilot Officer Atkinson,
now Sir Joe Atkinson, over France on 13 October 1941 in an attempt
to protect Blenheim bombers attacking port installations. Atkinson,
in formation with other aircraft from 609 Squadron Royal Auxiliary
Airforce (West Riding of Yorkshire), engaged and damaged a number
of German Messerschmitt 109s during this flight. He was later
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The replica, weighing 1.75 tons was built using original Supermarine blueprints with the airframe being constructed of an aluminium skin. The cockpit has two instrument panels and both use original Spitfire parts. A number of modifications have been made: the wings can be removed for transit, the propeller is made of three separate pieces individually bolted to the nose and it comes with its own custom designed and built trailer.
Since its construction, the Spitfire has been used at a variety of Legion branch and regional events, as well as at RAF Leeming events including the base's 70th anniversary celebrations.
It is estimated to fetch £50,000-60,000.
Bonhams has previously sold two original Spitfires. A 1945 Supermarine Spitfire sold for NZ$3.164million in New Zealand in 2008 - a record price for any historic motor vehicle or aircraft sold by auction in Australia or New Zealand. A Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire TR Mark IX sold for £1,739,500 in London, April 2009.
Tim Schofield of Bonhams comments, "We are delighted to be assisting the Royal British Legion with the sale of this aircraft. It also illustrates the diverse nature of the Bonhams Motoring Department and our Goodwood Revival auctions where we have previously sold aircraft, military vehicles, boats and a huge variety of motorised vehicles."
Stuart Gendall, Director of Corporate Communications, The Royal British Legion, said, "The replica Spitfire is a wonderful machine. The proceeds from its sale will go towards a very good cause - our wide range of care and support services for Armed Forces personnel, their families and veterans."
Visit www.bonhams.com/goodwoodrevival for more details.
For further press information:
Please contact Katherine Boyle on 0207 468 8363 or Katherine.boyle@bonhams.com
/ press@bonhams.com
Notes for Editors
Bonhams
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and
largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company
was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks
and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired
Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast
of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its
rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and
Knightsbridge, and a further five throughout the UK. Sales are also
held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in
the USA; Toronto, Canada; and France, Monaco, Australia, Hong Kong,
Australia and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and
regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and
valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009,
Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist
collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus
details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com.
