Spitfire MH415 up for auction

[JohnB]

The UK-based Aircraft Sales Company is selling the IXb on behalf of its Australian owners.

According to a report in The Telegraph, the firm expects it to bring £4.5 million....an increase of £700,000 since last year.
Based on today's exchange rate of $1.36, that works out to $6.12 million.

"According to those in the industry, prices have doubled since 2016" , the report adds.

Much is made of the originality of the ex-Connie Edwards aircraft, the firm calling it one of the most original Spitfires flying. They claim it is largely all original except for the wing spars and they are "99.9% sure" the engine is the same one installed at the factory in 1943.

[Paul Stroud]

There's a bit more background here, including an interview with Richard Grace

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/lifestyle ... fire-mh415

[Sopwith]

Well it will be very interesting to see what it goes for in reality. I wonder if all the article hype will make it achieve the suggested figure.

[JohnB]

I wonder if all the article hype will make it achieve the suggested figure.

Publicity never hurts, but unless it attracts a new buyer from outside the current warbird community, ("I've had a good financial year, I think I'll buy a 1/1 scale diecast/Airfix") I doubt if it does much good.

A warbird collector who does a fair bit of buying and selling has told me most of the good stuff sells quickly and privately among the established community.

[marine air]

Sometimes billionaires put on their silk smoking jackets, buffalo leather slippers, ivory pipe and single malt scotch. Then they go online , looking , perusing and carelessly acting on their impulses.
At $6 million. That would be the highest it could sell for at the moment. I’d probably just go ahead and buy the XP-82 twin mustang. There won’t be another one available in the next thirty years.

[JohnB]

It depends on what you are looking for...
The Spitfire on offer has a lot of history and originality.
The XP-82...not so much.
We airplane needs find it technically interesting, but the Twin Mustang will never have the fabled history of a Spitfire that saw combat.

And remember too, rarity does not always equate with value.

[phil65]

Sometimes billionaires put on their silk smoking jackets, buffalo leather slippers, ivory pipe and single malt scotch. Then they go online , looking , perusing and carelessly acting on their impulses.
At $6 million. That would be the highest it could sell for at the moment. I’d probably just go ahead and buy the XP-82 twin mustang. There won’t be another one available in the next thirty years.

I sometimes do that too...

Phil