THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE LONG FURLONG CONNECTION WITH THE SWANDEAN SPITFIRE 

Copyright Valerie Martin 2004

The late Tony Hammond (a one time resident of Findon) set me a puzzle in the autumn of 2004, when he asked —

 

15th September 2004

Valerie - Do you know about the Swandean Spitfire?

Tony.

Tony Hammond, East Preston, West Sussex.

 

Tony was well known for sending me cryptic messages and I knew he would reveal all before very long.    He was a man of many talents and way back he appeared in Joan Allen's book "Glittering Prospects" at a period in his life when he did metal detecting.  He was working full time as a free lance in the metal detecting business which gave him many  opportunities to go treasure hunting (as it was called in those days).   He was labelled quite a professional at his new found trade but this was thought up by the publicity men and, unfortunately, many people thought it implied that he made a living out of unearthing treasure all day long!   His hobby did, however, get him to appear on the programme Jim'll Fix It on the television.

It was only a couple of hours before I heard from Tony again....

 

15th September 2004

Swandean Spitfire

Valerie - Way back in the fifties on Battle of Britain Sunday the people living in the Swandean area were treated to the sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin going at full chat.   Not in the air but from the forecourt of the Swandean garage, for here in all its glory sat a complete Spitfire.

The garage owner had a thing about Merlins not being satisfied with the one in the aeroplane he put another in a car and called it the Swandean Spitfire Special and it is said that it was tested along Findon's  Long Furlong road.


 

Sorting through some old photos I took at the Brighton Speed trials sometime in the fifties I came across this picture which I believe is car in question.  Can anybody out there confirm this.

Tony.

Tony Hammond, East Preston, West Sussex.

 

Can anyone confirm this?  Yes they can.....

 

10th February 2005

Swandean Spitfire Special

In regards to a question by Tony Hammond, East Preston, West Sussex on the 15th of September,2004 about the Swandean Spitfire Special. That is indeed a picture of the car in question.

I am currently helping restore it. It is now in St. Louis, MO, USA.

It is in a private collection and is in very good hands.

Clayton R. Beeler, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.

 

 

The amazing fact is that there are more Spitfires flying today than there have been since the early 1950s.

I am now going to relate an absolutely amazing story of a Spitfire XVI that was parked not far from Findon.   It is the same as the model that also appeared on the cinema screen in the opening scene of "Breaking the Sound Barrier" in 1952, and in "Reach for the Sky" two years later.  

Here is the chronological history (as far as I have been able to discover to date) of the Spitfire that once stood in the small field on the east side of the Swandean garage and was most likely seen by many Findonians in its day.   The field was known as the Spitfire Field long after the aircraft had gone.

1945.  At the close of the Second World War, Supermarine Spitfire L.F Mark XV1, Serial No. SL721, sent to the R.A.F. No. 6MU (Maintenance Unit).   The date was 29th August 1945.  It was tucked away in the Oxfordshire aircraft storage unit until it was delivered to Fighter Command Communications Squadron at R.A.F. Bovindon, Hertfordshire on 10th October 1946.

The SL721 (as I will call the machine from now on... even though it was variously registered over the next half a century) was then flown to Vickers Armstrong at South Marston for the usual post war modifications removal of all armament and armour plating.  Free from casting off the colossal weight of armour, the aircraft could afterwards soar from sea level to 40,000 feet in ten minutes at full power.

1946.   Air Chief Marshall Sir James Milne Robb.  Our now reduced-weight SL721 was delivered to the Metropolitan Communications Squadron at Northolt (soon to be re-numbered 31 Squadron). 

Most British Air Marshals are allowed their own private air transport and in 1946 it was presented to Air Chief Marshall Sir James. Milne Robb, Commandeer in Chief Air Forces Western Europe to be his personal aircraft.  His initials JMR were stencilled on both sides of the fuselage.  It was also painted a special shade of light blue.

The SL721 was sent to a Maintenance Unit when he was transferred.

1949.  Sir James took another active command in 1949 and sought out his Spitfire, which was still in the Maintenance Unit.  The aircraft was one of the most distinctive Spitfires flying in England, with its one-off paint scheme and personal markings of its pilot.  SL721 was used by him until 1951, when it was again sent to a maintenance unit.

1951. At a handing over ceremony in October 1951 Sir James flew SL721 for the last time to the Central Flying School at R.A.F. Little Rissington where he had held numerous previous senior posts.  He was aware at that point that many of the Second World War Spitfires were being unceremoniously scrapped and being a forward looking chap, he implored that his machine should be preserved for posterity. 

1953.  After two years the Central Flying School finally gave in to continued Air Ministry pressure and added SL721 to the list of 'Non Effective Stock'.  It was finally delivered it to RAF No 33 Maintenance Unit at R.A.F. Lyneham, Wiltshire for storage awaiting ultimate disposal.

A series of rather bizarre events followed which ultimately resulted in this very self same aircraft (unmodified and still undertaking exhibition flights), appearing over the sunny skies of California some fifty years on. 

1954.  Michael Wilcock of Swandean Garage.   In September 1954  F. Michael Wilcock, the Managing Director of the Swandean Garage near Findon came on the scene.   His company specialised in Rolls Royce and Bentley cars.   Michael had a burning boyhood passion to own a Spitfire.     He knew an ex-RAF pilot who was friendly with a  girl in the Air Ministry Disposals Section in Whitehall, London.   By some means now unknown she was able to get a special sanction cleared with the Air Ministry for the release of a non-flying Spitfire to be sold privately for the scrap price of £140.  

Thus, Michael realised his ambition of becoming the proud owner of a Spitfire..  The Air Frame on the SL 721 at that time registered only 218 hours and the engine 54 hours.

The Spitfire was dismantled in November 1954 and re-assembled on a pad in front of his Swandean Garage  and became the only Spitfire to be civilian owned and the engine was run regularly. The fate of the other twenty obsolete Spitfires deposited in the hangar at Lyneham made SL721 even more special and unique.

Sir James (by this time retired) was simply amazed to discover that his personal Spitfire had not been scrapped after all.

The fact that the Swandean Garage Company were sponsoring a new 140 mph racing car powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin engine known as the Spitfire Special at this time was purely coincidental. 

 

26th November 2004

Dear Valerie,

Spitfire Article

Congratulations on your remarkable website.

I was looking up some information on a spitfire that my father had looked after in 1951-1952 and came across your fantastic web page.

I hope I'll be able to e-mail you his little bit of the spitfires history soon.


With best wishes
Lucinda Griffiths

PS He can remember it being outside a garage in WE Sussex!

Lucinda Griffiths.

 

 

 

21st October 2005

Dear Valerie,

In Motor Sport magazine this month, (that is the November issue) was a little bit about Brighton Speed Trials in which is mentioned the Swandean Spitfire Special constructed by Michael Wilcock at the Swandean Garage in the early 1950s. As a result of this I put "Spitfire Special" into the search on my computer and up popped your web site ! Google tells me that there are 548 entries that match this search and yours was only the eighth. So I thought I'd drop you a line.

I well remember the Swandean Spitfire Special and Michael Wilcock's Spitfire at Swandean. The problem with the car was that there wasn't a clutch available at that time that would take the massive torque from the Rolls Royce Merlin engine. I suspect that I have the only bit of movie film of this car at Brighton Speed Trials taken by my father who is a great friend of Michael's. The car is almost invisible amongst a cloud of smoke from the engine, tyres, and clutch ! It was a great treat to be taken to the Swandean Garage where he had all sorts of things which were of great interest to a small boy in those days; Apart from the Spitfire itself there was a miniature car which I coveted, and brand new Government Surplus Merlin and Griffon engines in crates purchased from the Air Ministry at £25 each !

You mention this car being tested on the road; I remember the tale about the time Michael took the it out on test on trade plates over the hills at the back of Swandean and got followed by a Police car; with no speedo he had to judge the 30mph limit very carefully and heard the loud hailer on the Police car call out, "Good Boy !"

My father had a Rolls Royce Phantom II two seater drop head coupe which had belonged to the actor Howard Marion Crawford, and between them Michael and he sold this magnificent motor car to a Mr Serna who had a large pub in the middle of Findon, or is it Findon Valley ? About £475 was the price then. That car recently turned up in New York.

Michael and Valerie are still living in Jersey but he has now sold most of the cars from the Jersey Motor Museum which he had been running for some years. Apparently visitor numbers were going down and down so he put everything up for auction a year or so ago. We stayed over there with them and brought a couple of the more mundane cars back to England to sell because they were still registered here.

I have a cousin who lives in Findon and many relatives buried in the cemetery there.

Yours,
Tim Sargeant
Goudhurst
Kent
 

Michael soon became aware of the tremendous world wide appeal created by the World War II relic on his forecourt.  The possible damage from the weather was his greatest concern.   Special paint and preservative (and even "shrink wrapping" the entire fuselage) were successfully undertaken.  He decided that only complete  shelter for the grounded bird could prevent the ravages of time and weather.   This brought him to loaning the Spitfire to Lord Montagu's Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the hope of accomplishing his.


12th February 2006

Swandean Spitfire

Valerie - further to my email of a few weeks ago, and your lovely reply, I have dug up a picture of the Swandean Spitfire at Beaulieu, about 1961 or 1962.



 

I was only about ten years old when I took it, so the quality is not quite up to the other pictures on your site! As you can see, she is covered in some sort of protective coat.

You run an exemplary site: I don't think I've come across a better in any field, and have shown it to my wife, an ICT teacher, who is thinking of using it as a superb example of good practice. Thank you!

Dick Bateman (born Worthing, lived Broadwater, and cycled many times to and around Findon in those never-ending sunny days of one's youth!)

 

I wish all ten-year olds had bothered to take photographs as you did, Dick !

In 1956, fighter ace, Sir James M. Robb visited nearby Worthing to see his old wartime Spitfire displayed outside the Swandean Garage.   He climbed on the wing and examined the aircraft, which bore five stars.... the mark of an Air Chief Marshal..... signifying his rank when he flew the machine.

1958 R.A.F. Thorney Island.  The Spitfire was still parked on the garage forecourt.  As soon as the RAF became aware that SL721 was available on permanent loan, they persuaded Michael to have the Spitfire dismantled and trucked to Thorney Island where it was the main exhibit at their Battle of Britain Day in September 1958.  

After a complete overhaul by R.A.F. engineers, Michael was still rather reluctant for the machine to take to the air again.  This did not prevent him from running the engine on the ground for the public (just as he had done on similar occasions outside his  Swandean Garage!)   True to form, it is said that the engine ran as smooth as silk.

 

28th October 2005

Dear Valerie,

Swandean Spitfire

How I remember that magnificent machine !

I lived with my parents at no 40 Arundel Road (almost opposite Swandean Garage) from 1951 onwards.

I was seven years old when Ginger, the affectionate local nickname for Mr Wilcock, ran up the engine for the last time at Swandean.

I think every schoolboy from miles around turned up for that memorable occasion!

Regards
Ian Bush, Broadwater Worthing.
 

 

 

2nd May 2007

Some time in the 1950s I saw (and heard!) the special perform at Brighton.

A few weeks later I went to Swandean and found the garage -- and the car. I took a photo (with my full-plate camera) and this is a small copy if you would like it for your records.  .....................Bill Hart".

 

 

1959.  Motor Museum at Beaulieu.  On 6th October 1959  the R.A.F.  delivered SL721 to Beaulieu where it was mounted in pride of place for all to see in the Rose Garden.  It sat there for the next seven years (still without a roof over it) and became known as the Rose Garden Spitfire.

1965.   M. D. (Monty) Thackray.   Inevitably as time marched on, Michael received an offer even he could not refuse.   This was in July 1965 and came from  M. D. (Monty) Thackray), a vintage car collector.   A direct part exchange followed between the two friends — the SL721 for an 8 Litre Bentley once owned by Michael's father — (one of a limited edition of 100).   

Michael was by now the Managing Director of the Jersey Motor Museum in The Channel Islands and his father's Bentley became the jewel in the crown there.  Both machines involved in the unusual exchange were valued at £2,000. and it was negotiated that the Spitfire should be allowed to remain on display at Beaulieu for a further six months.

Monty Thackray then suffered a heart attack and sold SL721 to the Marquis of Headfort for £3,000.   Monty (seeing large £ signs beckoning from over the pond) then bought the Spitfire back again for £4,000 — and offered it for sale in the States! 

1967.  William (Bill) D. Ross) of Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.  The proud purchaser on this occasion was William (Bill) D. Ross from Chicago, Illinois and he crated the  SL721 all the way to Atlanta in Georgia.    

So on that sorry note, I will leave the local history of the magnificent aircraft once parked on a local garage forecourt.

Continue if you would like to read about the The Windlesham Motor Bomb.

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THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

 

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com