Paying off Spitfire loan is plane sailing for UAS

The Ulster Aviation Society has already repaid the £20,000 loan it got to purchase a stunning replica of the historic Spitfire aircraft.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Oct 2014, 12:27 BST
The replica Spitfire made its public debut in Lisburn, at the Mayors Parade in May. The wings are transported separately from the fuselage, in order to avoid knocking people off the footpaths.The replica Spitfire made its public debut in Lisburn, at the Mayors Parade in May. The wings are transported separately from the fuselage, in order to avoid knocking people off the footpaths.
The replica Spitfire made its public debut in Lisburn, at the Mayors Parade in May. The wings are transported separately from the fuselage, in order to avoid knocking people off the footpaths.

The settlement marks the end of a very successful campaign.

“The amazing generosity of the public was responsible for putting this project into overdrive,” said UAS chairperson Ray Burrows.

“We had five years to repay the loan, and we did it in only ten months. Frankly, we’re overwhelmed.”

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Queues were common as the Ulster Aviation Society's Spitfire travelled from one festival to another during the spring and summer. This event was the Maritime Festival in Belfast in May.Queues were common as the Ulster Aviation Society's Spitfire travelled from one festival to another during the spring and summer. This event was the Maritime Festival in Belfast in May.
Queues were common as the Ulster Aviation Society's Spitfire travelled from one festival to another during the spring and summer. This event was the Maritime Festival in Belfast in May.

The Society has brought the full-sized Spitfire reproduction to local festivals and airshows throughout the spring and summer, sparking a blaze of public interest.

“The queues were continuous wherever we went,” said Mr. Burrows. “This aircraft struck a chord with people, well beyond what we anticipated. Time after time, they’d drop £2 into the donation boxes, take a picture, then stand back and gaze at the Spitfire with awe.”

The Society paid £28,000 for the World War Two aeroplane, adding £8,000 from its own funds to the anonymous £20,000 interest free loan.

Society treasurer Garry MacDonald, who chaired the UAS appeal, noted that the major financial input has come from those £2 donations by thousands of people who flocked to the Spitfire wherever it appeared. He also said that individual members of the Ulster Aviation Society stepped up as well, some with very sizeable cheques.

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“But we also had some major contributions from other sources,” MacDonald continued. He cited in particular the Northern Ireland War Memorial, the ASDA superstore at Portadown and the Dromara Local History Group. As well, two anonymous stars provided £1,000 each.

Strangely enough, the first public contribution came from outside the country. Toronto businessman Paddy Carson, brother of the late, famous Belfast comedian Frank Carson, sent a cheque for £100 from Canada as soon as he heard the appeal was to start.

Now that the fund-raising campaign is over, the Spitfire is now making its final appearance of the season before heading into the Society’s hangar for its winter maintenance schedule.

Today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday), the aircraft will be at the Northern Ireland Ploughing Championships at Balmoral Park, a short distance from the UAS collection in a hangar at the Maze/Long Kesh site.

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The Spitfire’s winter hibernation will mark a busy time for Society volunteers as they carry out maintenance work to ensure the Spitfire looks “even more realistic” for next year’s tour of the province, for which it already has ten invitations.

“The society purchased the replica of the famous fighter to serve as a unique and lasting memorial to the people from many lands during World War Two who produced, maintained and flew the aircraft that helped to ensure our freedom,” said chairperson Burrows.

Related topics:Spitfire