The Supermarine Spitfire is an exceptionally beautiful aircraft and she carries some of the proudest history of any bird which ever took to the air due to her defense of the free world in the Battle of Britain. (WIKI: Supermarine Spitfire)
Note: less frequently mentioned is the Hawker Hurricane but those birds were heavily engaged in that defense as well.
Zen Yogi: the Spit would have been more beautiful without all the military accoutrements
Of course she would, Yogi, since her lines have such an elegant beauty to them and every curve on them is tailored for speed.
Zen Yogi: are we going to do military history all day? Did we magically teleport to England?
None of that today since there's a novel surprise about Spitfires.
Brad Pitt owns one. He has been fully-trained in piloting his Spit so it's more than an idle amusement ... but ...
Zen Yogi: why is she not in a museum?
Right, mate.
New York Daily News: Brad Pitt buys WWII Spitfire airplane for $3.3 million: report
We don't need the editorial about rich boys and irresponsible spending because there's the bigger situation insofar as she's priceless. That value comes from much more than any fact that rich boys like them since she earned her reputation in one of the most crucial times in history.
Zen Yogi: so it's not specifically that Brad Pitt bought the aircraft but rather it's that anyone did?
That's true, mate. You know the song since it's over when the last one is gone.
This is not a wounded lament since likely there is a relatively-healthy number of them still airworthy with yet more than that in pieces. Brad Pitt won't be the Spitfire killer but it still seems disrespectful to buy it. We hope he doesn't crack himself up in it, for that matter. The Spit is a full-bore fighter aircraft and it's almost certainly not so forgiving as civilian aircraft. Pitt is apparently a skilled pilot but he appears to be taking an unnecessary risk with himself and a treasure of an aircraft.
Update: we need to update relatively-healthy to endangered.
There are approximately 55 Spitfires and a few Seafires in airworthy condition worldwide, although many air museums have examples on static display, for example, Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has paired a static Spitfire with a static Ju 87 R-2/Trop. Stuka dive bomber.
- WIKI
Brad Pitt still won't be the Spitfire killer but that low number lights up the need to get these aircraft into museums as with most (?) of the others.
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