Bill Greenwood's, dashing British Mark IX Spitfire ...is a
two-seater fighter built in the spring of 1945, near the end of WWII, but it did not see combat. Bill, who is an Aspen-based investment broker, has owned the aircraft for 19 years and has put about 1,000 hours it. He flies it to air shows around the country. He said his Spitfire cruises at about 250 mph at an altitude of about 11,000 - 12,000 feet. "Fuel consumption for the 1710 horsepower Rolls Royce Merlin Model 76 engine," he noted, " is roughly 50-60 gallons per hour at slow cruise speeds and 180 at takeoff." Bill said its engine is not the original one, "This engine was originally from a Mosquito High Altitude Fighter Bomber."

Superior air-to-air fighters throughout WWI, Spitfires were renowned for their role in the victory of the Battle of Britain (1940-41) and served in every theatre of the war. Designed by Reginald Mitchell of Supermarine, Ltd., the Spitfire provided superb performance and flight characteristics. Deliveries to operational Royal Air Force (RAF) squadrons began in the summer of 1938. Spitfires were used in the defense of Malta in North Africa and Italy and contributed to Allied air superiority over the Sicilian, Italian and Normandy beachheads. They also served in the Far East in the spring of 1943. In addition, they played a critical role as photo-reconnaissance aircraft from early 1941. Fitted with fuel tanks that replaced wing-mounted machine guns and ammunition, Spitfires were able to probe western Germany from British bases.

Lon Arnold knew by age four that he wanted to fly... and took his first flight at the age of 12, while working on his Boy Scout Aviation merit badge. He then gained flight experience as a Civil Air Patrol Cadet. He flew his first solo flight two weeks after his 16th birthday. He now performs breath-taking, high-speed solo aerobatic maneuvers in his Long EZ experimental aircraft at EAA air shows all across North America, representing BECKER Avionic Systems. He is based in Huntington, Utah.

Lon said he can fly his115 horse power plane from coast-to-coast with only one fuel stop. "I burn about 5.5 gallons of gas per hour and cruise at an altitude of 10,000 feet. The plane averages 160 miles per hour."

When asked what would happen, if his plane lost power, he replied, "...this aircraft has an excellent gliding capability and I am usually flying high enough so that I could make it to a road or even an airport to land."

Ron is able to release a vapor trail effect, using a parafin-based oil, which he said is, "fairly environmentally friendly." The oil is stored in a special tank that fits into a space in the back seat. "The oil is injected into the exhaust system, then vaporizes like a cloud." The vapor trail adds excitement and lets spectators get a better look at Ron's spectacular skilled aerobatic performance.