"1961 — A boy's dream comes true. On my 29th birthday my boss, Cliff Rogers (Chief Test Pilot) handed me the Pilots Notes for the Spitfire MK.XIV G-ALGT and said ""Happy birthday Dennis"". Priming and cartridge starting the powerful Griffon engine was the first hurdle to overcome; taxiing for take-off, the next due to lack of forward visibility. For take-off, full left rudder trim important to help counteract the swing to the right. Easy on the engine power-41b to 61b boost would suffice. All went well and I soared into the sky thrilled to feel in control of this thoroughbred aeroplane. After an enjoyable half hour exploring the handling characteristics of the aircraft, I was faced with landing it. I made two attempts at a curved approach before committing to landing off the third. No-one was excited, there were no celebrations, but I WAS OVER THE MOON! Over the next 10 years I flew G-ALGT on many displays around the country and also on liaison visits to RAF Fighter Squadrons where it always caused quite a stir. God bless the Spitfire!"
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