Bart Burger's Spitfire, Builder # 20

I am very exited to start my build soon. It has been my long time dream and ambition to build a full scale spitfire with its proper engine a V12. 

I have lived in New Zealand for 20 years now and originally hail from Holland. My whole family has always been intrigued with WW2 and particular the fighter planes. My dad grew up and Arnhem and had to evacuate during the  “Bridge to far” operation Market garden. 

I still remember when I lived in Papakura, not far from the Ardmore airfield. It was my 50th birthday and most of my family had come over from Holland to celebrate that. Suddenly my brother jumps up and runs outside muttering “I can’t believe that”…He heard the noise of an airplane, nothing special in itself but this one was the DeHaviland Mosquito flying over our house..what a sight to behold. 

I have been involved in the whisky business for over 25 years and in January 2019 we sold the whole business, which left me more time to explore my other passion, fly fishing. I am now a fly fishing and hunting guide in the Taupo region, which is very seasonal. A few months ago I sat down with my partner Katey and we reflected on the fact that I had all the ‘spare’ time outside my guiding season and what to do with it. I jokingly said “Why don’t I build a full scale spitfire” and to my surprise she fully agreed with me and thought it would be a tremendous project to do.

I started my research which took hours and hours and after a while I narrowed it down and with the help of some great people on Facebook, in the spitfire scene, I soon made contact with the right people. 

I am a self-taught furniture maker, wood craftsman, renovator and builder. Building a spitfire out of wood, like the Dehaviland Mosquito appeals very much to me. I have the room, skill, tools and time to build my spitfire MK9. With the help and knowledge of some great people I have met in the last few months I am confident that not only will I start, but finish my spitfire. My enjoyment will be the building of it, the pondering and finding solutions and see the distinct spitfire scape slowly emerge from my own hands.

Maybe one day I will fly it too.