Warbird Information Exchange

For Sale - Battle of Britain Spitfire Mk IX

The finest Spitfire in the world is now available for sale. After a massive program of overhaul and reconstruction lasting four years, this aircraft is in perfect condition with a new engine and prop. The new owner will have no problems with this aircraft. All operating manuals are available as well as any technical information wanted.

Performance: Normal cruise 345 mph at 27000 ft. Max speed straight and level 425 mph (max speed in a dive Mach .87 - faster than most subsonic jets). Climbs 5000' per min. Range 800 miles. 165 US gals capacity.

Fully comprehensive dual avionics including transponder. 2 x 16mm movie cameras mounted in gun bays working from firing button.

$30,000 or $25,000 without avionics.


Ad from Flying magazine classifieds, December 1967. Aircraft G-ASJV, now more often known as MH434.

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Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

Expensive back then....

Mark H

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Fly safe or you get to meet me .......

Wondering what $5000 of avionics looked like back then (I know what it looks like today!)

Dan

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Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

Back then.... $5000 was probably top of the line, full IFR stack, 2 radios, 2 VORs, glideslope, marker beacon, ADF.....

That $30k is probably $550,000 today. Still a lot of money..... If you think back to then, very few warbirds flying compared to today...

Mark H

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Fly safe or you get to meet me .......

Actually, $30k invested in the S&P 500 in 1967 would be worth around $1.5 MM today, so the Spitfire would have really been an equal investment (if you had just pickled it and parked it.)

That said, it is difficult to dance the skies on laughter-silvered S&P 500.

I could dig out my '67 Road & Tracks and we could work out a Spitfire/Ferrari ratio and carry it forward. I have a feeling the Spit would come out second best, unfortunately.

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Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

Funny to see them using the Spit's speed as a selling point back then.

What I mean is, it's hard to imagine anyone buying one of these treasures now because it could get you somewhere fast.

I did a clue comparison on inflation in costs of goods to come up with $550k. S&P would be a much better investment.

Speed as a selling point.... at the time the Cavalier Mustangs were around. Personal aircraft were pretty slow back then. No SR-22s or TBMs or that kind of stuff.

Mark H

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Fly safe or you get to meet me .......

I didn't realize they had already made it to the Mark IX during the Battle of Britain

I believe they may have used some Mark IXs during the filming of the movie, but this ad even predates that.