Rosies & The Griffon Spitfire

Presenting: Rosies and The Griffon Spitfire. Here’s a bunch of folks, friends, family and associates, getting together for a charity photoshoot (and admittedly a good time) with a sleek World War Two fighter as a backdrop. The girls are stepping into the past and playing the part of a storied Rosie character, the iconic factory worker of the time. An army of Rosies built the planes, ships, bombs and guns needed for the war effort. On doing this they collectively became a symbol of empowerment and then went on to be legends.

A fighter plane has a singular purpose (as surrogate angel of death) and together with our players sends a message that when it comes to the cause at hand, it’s serious business. It’s all about the Knitted Knockers organization and done in the spirit of the Rosie factory worker. One person alone might feel overwhelmed, but together we can do it. Cancer is terrifying, but it’s best handled head on with support from family and friends.

Knitted Knockers supplies handmade boob prostheses free to breast cancer survivors and helped our own Connie during her bout. When the idea of this shoot came up, we immediately volunteered to coordinate the show and do what we could to help. We feel indebted. Plus the thought of getting to play around with a vintage warbird and with people in period costume is the stuff of dreams.

Our friend Byron chats with the owner of the plane.

Everyone who participated in this memorable and once in a lifetime event were similarly volunteers. It worked out to be a monumental group effort and that it played out as smoothly as it did is either some kind of blessing or perhaps it’s just dumb luck. We’re at a private airport in Southern Alberta and the Rosies have taken over! Enjoy the photos and help the Knockers people if you can! Here: Knitted Knockers Alberta.

The warbird: The Spitfire went on to be one of the most legendary fighters of the time, and made in huge numbers in the years 1938-1948. Designed in anticipation of conflict, it remained in production even after hostilities ended, which is quite amazing. While this era was domain of the piston-engined fighter, the post war period saw a wholesale changeover to jet propulsion. That the plane still found use during the transition speaks of the Spitfire’s outstanding capabilities and value. It held it’s own and that’s even after being usurped by aircraft more technologically advanced.

Just over twenty thousand were produced, across a wide number of variants and several factories (in the UK) were kept busy pumping them out. The firm Supermarine (or Vickers Supermarine) designed and manufactured most and with the help of countless contractors. Most Spitfires, those not lost to action that is, were scrapped soon after the war and this quickly thinned their numbers.

This example is a rare late model FR XIVe series built just as the fighting wound down. It’s a higher performance version (of an already capable fighter) and powered by a Roll Royce Griffon engine. Regular Spitfires used the smaller output Merlin (approx. 1500hp vs 2000hp+ for the Griffon), but even these were still quite exceptional in their abilities.

The Merlin and Griffon were both V12 liquid cooled engines and with capacities of 27 or 37 litres respectively.

Griffon Spitfires had two distinctive bulges on the forward fuselage, above the exhaust ports and to accommodate the larger engine. These were also equipped with a five-bladed propeller and that’s verses three on the Merlin variants. Later Spitfires and this one is included, used a modified fuselage with a teardrop canopy. In appearance, no matter the sub-model, a Spitfire is distinctive enough that it’s unlikely to be confused with any other fighter of the era. It’s taken on iconic status and that’s among some very capable competition.

Griffon Spitfires were capable of cruising at up to 600-700kph (depending on altitude) and this is perhaps fifty to one hundred better than the Merlin versions. In aerial combat, speed means everything.

This plane belonged to the Royal Air Force in the UK but completed so late in hostilities (during ’45) that it never saw service. It soon afterwards got sent to Canada and used as a guinea pig for cold weather testing and initially based out of Edmonton. They even outfitted it with skies for a time and no doubt learned a lot about adverse weather aerial combat in the process.

Later in the 1940s, the forces sold it to a private individual who used it for air racing down in the States and where it fared pretty well. It gleamed in polished metal, with red trim and advertised “Edmonton Canada – The Crossroads of the World”, with Imperial Oil shown as sponsor.

It then headed south and for much of the 1950s could be found down Florida way. An attempt to sell it to the Dominican Air Force failed and at one point it got seized by US Customs.

It then changed hands time and again while bouncing all over the US and Canada for the next couple decades. Sometimes in flying condition but more often not airworthy, it spent some time at various museums as well and didn’t seem to put down roots in any one place for long.

A full restoration was undertaken in the 1990s, and this made it fully flight worthy again. Soon after completion it made its way back into Canada and for a time it hung around the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Only recently, Don, the current owner, acquired it and now it’s found a new, loving home with an aircraft aficionado. He and his brothers have their own little airforce and planes vintage, modern, high performance and work-a-day.

Don is a fully capable pilot (ditto the brothers) and it’s expected this plane will hit the skies again soon enough. It is a bit of an unforgiving beast so a slow and cautious approach is being taken.

On an earlier visit, Don started up the plane and it literally shook the ground. It’s a good bet they heard it the next county over and everyone invited to watch this event walked away a little bit harder of hearing. A look inside the cockpit show the controls are simple, uncomplicated and pure ’40s tech. Still, you need to know what you’re doing and have no shortage of courage to fly TZ138 (its military number).

There’s a handful of Spitfires in Canada and it’s one of two still in flying condition. The world over, there’s a couple hundred extant examples, of which maybe a third can take to the skies. You’re looking at a rare one here and we’re thrilled to have seen it up close.

A Canadair Silver Star (Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star built under licence) is seen on parked on the apron and just off-screen from our shooting position. It belongs to a brother and maybe waiting for its chance to take to the skies again. Dating from the 1950s, aircraft of this type were used as trainers, even into fairly recent times, for aspiring jet fighter pilots.

This shoot evolved into a big project and it took the work of three photographers to make it happen. There’s Rob Pohl on his big film camera, Byron Rob on digital and yours truly doing the behind-the-scenes. You might recognize the names of those other two and note that we hang around with both often enough.

Sadly a technical issue cropped up during this shoot which resulted in some of our photos being spoiled and others that were passable, but a tad soft in focus. Say it with me…DOH! This problem missed being discovered right away and only obvious once images were downloaded and displayed on a larger screen. Still, we salvaged what we could and after a complete reset (camera and operator both), things have been fine ever since.

The Rosie character represents female factory workers of the war period, and not one single person, but a broad and idealized representation of all. Often seen working in aircraft factories the Rosie embodiment seemed like a natural fit for this project. An old plane and an important cause? We need Rosies!

The controls are simple and uncomplicated.

Canada had it’s own factory war-worker icon, a real person in this case, and who preceded Rosie by about a year. We’re speaking of Ronnie the Gun Girl and even if the representation of each is similar, Ronnie is generally not as well known so we picked what folks would recognize by name. In spirit they’re pretty much one and the same. They even looked similar, with the prominent hair bandana and baggy work clothes.

Thanks goes out to Jane Bond BBQ for catering this shoot and the smoked meat was huge hit. Check them out (new window): Jane Bond BBQ Calgary and tell them we sent you.

The delicious eats made this already special event that much better and to be honest, we’re still basking in the afterglow. We’d call it perfect and thanks to Don, the airplane owner, for tolerating our antics. It meant a lot of work and I know we were a pain, but we all appreciate that you allowed this to take place. A framed print will eventually being finding its way to you and maybe in a small way will show some appreciation.

Know more about the aircraft (new window): Supermarine Spitfire (Griffon Powered) and the cause (another new window): Knitted Knockers Alberta.

Stop by often and browse fresh content posted regularly.

They’re saying…

“I enjoy your pictures and write ups so much. They bring back a touch of nostalgia for things we used to know, or didn’t even know about. It’s all about keeping our history alive and vibrant. It’s about where we came from, and about the people that made today’s world possible. Today’s world is so fast paced and so focused on the future, which is all well and good, but it’s nice to remember too, how it was not so very long ago. Thank you Chris & Connie.” Jan Cooper.

We love visiting museums and historic sites…
An Evening in Meeting Creek – a little fun with stinky dog.
Pioneer Acres Sneak a Peek.
Canadian Civil Defence Museum’s Alsask Dome – from the Cold War era.

If you wish more information on what’s seen here, don’t hesitate to: contact us!

Date of Adventure: Summer, 2022.
Article reference and thanks (in no particular order): Don the Spitfire guy, Knitted Knockers, Jane Bond BBQ (yummy!), AerialVisuals.ca, WarBirdRegistry.org, VintageWings.ca, photographers Byron Rob and Rob Pohl, plus everyone who participated in the shoot. That’s our own Connie, plus Sonja, Leanne, Patty, Angie and the Knitted Knockers girls. Then there’s Emily, Margarit, Katherine, Shelly and the littlest Rosie of them all, Ivy.

From an earlier visit: started up for a test run.

They could hear it the next county over.

Hanging with a rare Griffon powered Spitfire & the fun’s about to begin.

Nearby, this ’50s era Silver Star jet trainer.

The Rosies have taken over the airport.

Film photographer Rob Pohl is primed and ready.

Behind the scenes.

It was a big group effort.

Magic always happens at sunset.

A group of all ages.

Of all the shoots we’ve done this one is a stand out.

The littlest of them all.

All good things must end.

Put to bed.

Class photo: Rosies & the Griffon Spitfire (film, Rob Pohl).

Class photo: Rosies & the Griffon Spitfire (digital, Byron Rob).

That’s me!

From the Knitted Knockers organization.