This is the first DVD I've seen from these folks and let me say up front that if your passion is Spitfires, then you will want to contact Ecosphere at the e-mail addy in the header section about it.

As the cover states, this is a look at the pre-flight and initial flight proceedings for this aircraft. As a bit of background, BL 628 was found minus wings, engine and tail section in a farm in the UK in 1977. An initial group got together to collect enough pieces to put the plane back into flying status. BL 628 has an operational record of over 100 sorties and a single kill to its credit. It was then used to train RN pilots in carrier landings and so was fitted with a tail hook for land based training. It was stricken off charge when the war ended.

The current group got the plane with the restoration rather well along and shipped it to New Zealand for completion and flight testing. That is where this video comes in. It covers the final systems checks, engine run ups, taxi tests, initial return to the air and some very nice aerobatic and low level, high speed flying. There is some background music in sections as well as a narration in some sections as well, but both are rather low-key, keeping the spotlight on the aircraft itself. The sound of the engine is just glorious and most of you will do as did I and turn up the volume! There is a section of stills and some video closeups of some of the airframe and cockpit sections as well, so this has considerable use for modelers.

As an aside and taking away nothing from the presentation, it is pointed out that finding a set of original wings (this was a Spitfire Vb) was impossible and so a type C wing and the later tail section with the increased area elevators were gleaned from Australia where Mk VIII bits are relatively easy to come by as things go. This shows the pitfalls of using warbirds to use as references for totally accurate models, unless one want to model the warbird.

Overall, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I learned some things I didn't know and found the video to be quite well done. Spitfire and warbird fans will simply have to add this one to your video library. Did I mention that the sound was glorious?

You can get more information by e-mailing Ecosphere Publications at bsalmon@orcon.net.nz. They will ship worldwide.

October 2008

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