The Old Flying Machine Company are completely delighted that Spitfire IX MH434 has won the 2018 Freddie March Spirit of Aviation, at Goodwood Revival.
Over the three day event, people were thronging around the aeroplane, eager to hear it’s history and understand a little more about what it takes to keep such a wonderful veteran up and running. It was such a pleasure to chat and explain. Owners and former owners were present – Tim Davies’ daughter and grandson sat in the aircraft, and we were delighted Sam Swire was able to be there too. Time and again, the thing that really came through were the emotional connections made by so many with ‘434 over the decades, and at Goodwood it is held particularly high in peoples’ hearts because of it’s long association with Revival, and of course, with Ray Hanna.
The judges clearly took the essence of the competition, ‘the Spirit of Aviation’ to heart, and in the same year that the RAF celebrates it’s 100th anniversary, and ‘434 had it’s 75th, we could not feel more thrilled by the award.
The victor’s laurel wreath
Our engineer, Joe Kennedy, looking far too clean and dapper