Many thanks to Graham Price for this great photo of a Spitfire WW2 airplane at an old garage on Market Street. Apparently the business was called Bunnies Garage. You might recognise the place today as your Sainsbury’s Local!
What more can you tell me about the old plane? Whatever happened to it?
I’ve got  a couple more photos to publish on different topics – I’ll try and find some time over the weekend to publish those too.
Hi John,
The spitfire was a hobby of the garage owner Bunny Brooks, I think his real name was Albert. The aircraft was at the garage for a few years, the idea was to rebuilt and and fly it. In 67/68 the plane was taken away and was to be used in a new film, The Battle of Britain.
The picture dates from the mid 60s when I was about 6 or 7, living in Alderley Road opposite the Presbyterian Church. The thing that most excited me about the Spitfire at the time was seeing it one evening on the TV – I think one of the Granada news programmes (Scene at 6.30?) did a piece on it.
Off the right-hand end of the picture were the petrol pumps – at that time all dispensing petrol at under 5 shillings a gallon – the cheapest was 4/4d. I make that about 5p a litre in today’s money……
I remember being told that it was powered by a Griffon engine which was more powerful than the original Merlin engine. The five bladed prop gives you a clue, and the shape of the oil coolers under the wing. I was guessing at a mark XIV (it is in fact a Mark XIVc) and then found this record on
http://www.military-airshows.co.uk/spitaw.htm
Which I reproduce here with credit to their excellent site.
Built by Vickers-Armstrong, Aldermaston, early 1945. To 6 MU, then 414 Sqn making its only operational sortie on April 13th. Later with 610 Sqn until May 1949. Sold via Vickers after overhaul to Belgian AF as SG108 on April 9th 1951, serving as B2-K and then the Fighter School at Coxyde as IQ-V before sale to a scrap dealer who chopped off the wings. Bought for £250 and returned to the UK, fitted with wings from RM694.
Built and restored by Albert ‘Bunny’ Brookes in the mid 1960s, the main fuselage being brought over from Belgium and another from RAF Bicester in Oxfordshire.
Passed through several ownerships. To Strathallan Collection in January 1977. Stored then sold to Spencer Flack in January 1979. Restored to flying condition and flew at Elstree on March 14th 1981 with Ray Hanna, registered as G-FIRE and painted red with white trim. Sold to Planes of Flame, USA in January 1989, becoming N8118J, then registered to Robert Pond in April 1991 as N114BP.
Looks like it was a bit of a “Cut and Shut” deal – hope that does not reflect on Bunny’s car repairs!
All I remember is that it was one of the few 5 bladed prop Spitfires that were made. The other thing that really stands out is that, against the wishes of the local police, he fired the engine up one sunday morning and we could hear it in West Kirby, all the war vets were out in the Street looking for an invasion.
Wow, a 37 litre unsilenced engine would have made quite a racket, I wonder if it was timed to co-incide with Church sermon time?
A funny thing about the Griffon was that it went round the other way compared to the Merlin, quite exciting for a pilot moving up the range! You had to use full left rudder instead of full right rudder to take off.
The late George Fleet did tell me that Bunny flew in bombers during the war and occasionally had to “walk back” rather than fly. He might have been a bomb aimer who lay face down in the aircraft. I am guessing this as George told me Bunny always took a hub cap with him as “Cricketer’s Protection”.
I also belive Bunny had a Motor Torpedo Boat powered by two Merlins and despite being in the business, could not afford the petrol to run the boat flat out.
Maybe this was the noise heard in West Kirby?
This post reminded me about the fighter pilots of many nations whom I worked with in the 60s. All quite normal men (including the Luftwaffe one!) but very brave.
Hi John
You will get all the information you need from Bunny’s son Barry who still has the garage in Alderley Road South – I think – but if not many local people will know where he is.
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregistry/spitfire-nh904.html
Above link has a photo of how the plane looks today.
I worked as an apprentice mechanic for Bunnie in 1970. The plane was on the forcourt when I started.
The plane was so expencive to fly even in the 70’s about 200 pound an hour.
We would start the engine once in awhile….talk about noise and exhaust smoke.
Bunnie built the plane from parts he found in the dessert…The Spitfire was a Mark 3 with a Mark 4 prop.
The plane was in the Movie ” Battle of Britain” If I remember that it was filmed in the taxi and runway scenes but never in the air.
If anyone asks Barry about it…also ask him about the 1933 racing Riley that we rebuilt. Some very interesting facts with that car.
The Racing car was originally owned by Billy Cottton the band leader, The Billy Cotton band show on tv in the 60s.
Doug Bayley
Great photo, interesting that they say it is a Mk IX but I am holding out for Mk XiV and note that the wings and fuselage came from different planes. The famous Spitfire wings have been clipped to improve the roll performance – they cut about 18 inches off the ends! The five bladed prop does confirm the larger Griffon engine with a bumpy nose to accommodate the cylinder heads. The plane was registered as G-FIRE and painted red as they could not put an authentic squadron i/d on a plane of mixed parentage! Sad to say I belive the US owner was killed recently in a race car accident. There may be a chance to buy it and bring it back to Hoylake – but someone will need to win the lottery!
Other links for G-Fire
http://www.angelfire.com/hi5/spitfiremk2a/nh904_gallery2.html
http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/NH904.htm
I was at Bunnies as a bodyshop man when the spitfires arrived untill just after it left.
Contrary to what anybody else says I did all the paintwork in Royal Airforce reconaisance blue.I remember well the hours I spent inside the fusilage all the way down to the tail,not much room there,removing and treating corrosion.
The 5 bladed prop had a variable pitch that I believe helped to relieve the torque problems on takeoff. I was told by Bunny that it was a mark 24,built after the war I think.
Yes it did appear in ‘The battle of Britain’ film and also ‘Pearl Harbour’ I believe.
The feature done on the news programme ‘scene at 6.30’ was I think done by Bob Greaves.They played the record ‘Bits and Pieces’ by the Dave Clark 5 during the showing of all the parts spread around the garage.
Great to see this photo. I have very distant memories of a Spitfire on a garage forecourt in Hoylake as a child but was beginning to wonder if I’d dreamt it!
I was a good friend of Bunny and Barry Brooks. Apart from looking after my cars( he once made a steering part for a old Bentley I owned as the part was unobtainable) but that is how he was. A skilled Rolls Royce engineer in both aero and car engines he once told me a story about a German who owned a Spitfire and wanted Bunny to go to Germany to service the Merlin engine. Bunny not being keen on travelling over there said If he wanted to have it serviced the engine would have to be shipped over here and he did.
Before He decided he would go to Portugal he had a German shepherd dog which was so wild he had a cage built in the garage showroom, he loved this dog dearly but it would not pass the vet’s inspection because it was MENTAL. Anne Bayley my wife was an experienced dog trainer and trained the dog so well,( People said it could not be done) that it could be walked around the shops wagging and friends with everyone and went on its merry way to Portugal.
Bunny still loved flying and I took him flying from Liverpool over the Wirral and some low level runs over Liverpool Bay.
I could go on but just to say Anne and I where proud to be amongst Bunny’s friends.
By the way Barry if you read this, best wishes and remember the E type and MGB.
The Spitfire is a Mk XIV with Griffon Engine and five blade propeller.
Although it was sold and dispatched to RAF Henlow for the Battle of Britain film it was not used in any way other than as a source for a random spare part.
It is very unlikely that Bunny Brooks ever fired up the engine at Hoylake.
Peter Arnold – Spitfire Historian
haha!
That picture pretty much sums up the eccentricity of old Hoylake.
Where else would have a Spitfire casually parked up on a garage forecourt?
I can assure you it WAS fired up, I was there… it was sold as ‘a prop’ for war film and never flown since well before it arrived in Hoylake
I helped my Father remove and repair the tailplane in early 1967.Dented when shipped over the channel..She was sky blue not PR with an esso man on the cowling.We received a Cortina 1200 crankshaft in preference to cash!Next time I saw her was Barton 1985 painted red ala Spencers Fury and Hunter.I was flying the Tiger G-ANTE at that time based Hawarden.I asked to purchase;as Father had flown earlier marks;; but Bunny wanted to hold on.
As I recall, growing up just down the road, there were 2 spitfires. The first was an early WW2 variant, something like a Mk.V which was sold, or exchanged, for the later 1945 era five-blade prop Mk.XIV, which I believe had clipped-wings. My dad (who knew the owner, they’re both running garages) said the earlier mark of spitfire was exchanged for the better condition airframe (for restoration) by the film company who were making the 1968 film the “Battle of Britain”. As I recall, the original Mk.5 was stored in an early automatic car wash.
Does anyone now how I get in touch with any of Bunnies family? Bunny was my grandfathers (John James Alfred Brookes) brother. Been tracing my family roots and found this article from a story that my Dad told me about Bunny and his spitfire. Any leads would be welcomed.
Glenn Brookes
Hi Glen Bunnies son Barry still has the garage in the road opposite where the spitfire picture is.
Barry sadly passed away last year but his Mum Jackie, Bunny’s wife, is in Hoylake Cottage.
His nephew runs the garage in Alderley Road South.
Hi Jackie
So sorry about Barry. I had no idea. I’m only in Hoylake once a week visit my mum. I had no idea.
Very sad. Regards Nick 🙁
And Ted his brother in law who had the DIY store on market Street. Lives in Meols.
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for your post.
Very sad to hear about Barry.
I was fortunate enough to work with him and Bunny.
I gained many skills from them and have fond memories working at Brookes Motor Engineers from 78-87.
Hi Mark,
How are you old friend?
Hi Dave,
I’m sure we were colleagues…
Here is my number if you want to chat.
27817533646.
Good to hear from you mate.
Bunny used to tell me about his Spitfire when I worked for him at the Garage in Alderley Road in 83-84. Some of the cars he and Barry had had where stunning. I think 2 of my favourites where a Blue Jensen VC-8 on show in the petrol station and a Green Alpha Romeo Montreal, Both stunning, and both probably locked away safely in a collection somewhere now.
Yes Dave, I had the pleasure of working on most of Barrys cars in the 80s.
Interesting re the Montreal – I had a friend, Rick Cardus, (also a motor engineering company owner in Bootle), who’s uncle had an Orange Montreal in North Wales. I also seem to recall the green Montreal at Rick’s garage. Maybe he and Bunny knew each other – they sound like ‘kindred spirits’.
Hi Steve,
There were not many Montreals in the N/W and you must be talking about the same 2 cars…
I remember the orange one came in for a small job and was stolen from the petrol station at Alderley Road.
The crooks burned the clutch out while going through the mesey tunnel.
I remember that well Mark. They took Ian’s big red box of snap-on tools too, I recently moved back to the Wirral, and went for a nostalgic walk past the petrol station. Some great memories.
Hi Dave, I don’t remember Ian’s tools but I wouldn’t be surprised.
Did you also work at the workshop in Carr lane? I seem to remember Bunny telling me that the plane was actually a Seafire.
Maybe one of the experts on here can help with that one…?
I never got to see the plane, but must of been something having that sitting on the forecourt. I just worked at the petrol station, but used to wiz down to the workshop sometimes to dodge the space heater and pick parts up. I think the last job of yours I saw you working on was that amazing silver flake roof you did on Barry’s Wife’s Lotus Elan.
Hello all, I went to see this Spitfire back in the early 60’s with my dad and brother, dad saw a picture of it in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph which prompted him to rent a car and take us all there to see it. I just came across the newspaper clipping which actually shows Bunny standing on the port wing if anyone is interested? It is nice to know that it was fully restored and is still going strong.
Mark, very few indeed, I only ever saw the two of them – great looking car though. I recall both were very vivid in their colours. The green being particularly bright. The garage owner I mentioned, Rick Cardus, who was a ‘Ford’ man – (as long as it had a Lotus engine….) had a twin cam Escort the same vivid green as the Montreal.
Steve
The green one was not as good as the orange one which was a low mileage car.
I remember it took Barry months to fabricate the replacement body parts by hand..
Him being old school and refused to use a 2k material at all, we ended up using ICI 1k clear on a bottom half respray.
The car was always a bit tatty but still unusual.
Also, it proved impossible to get it running smoothly, maybe an Alfa Mech could have sorted it out….
The orange one is probably still on the road today, it was a 76 model if I remember right and was still like a new car in the early 80s.
Thanks for your comments Steve, it’s a small world hey! ðŸ‘
My recollection is that there were 2 Spitfires, followed by something like an Auster observation plane.
I seem to recall that the 1st Spitfire was something like a Mk5, which the owner exchanged for the later clipped wing aircraft, because the later aircraft required less restoration work. And that he exchanged the later Spitfire for the Auster for similar reasons; easier restoration.
For quite a while, the Spitfires and then the Auster were stored inside a defunct early car wash.
Rick
There were two Spitfires…and one pair of wings.
Mk XIV NH904 (low back) and Mk XIV RM694 (high back)
Thanks, Peter,
No I can stop worrying I was losing my marbles ðŸ˜.
The story, with bits and pieces from others’ contributions, now falls into place.
Thank you everyone,
Rick
[IMG]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/Album%205/14-NH904%20amp%20RM694%20Hoylake%20Peter%20Arnold%20Collection%20001_zpswl8jjfbm.jpg[/IMG]
I remember seeing this aircraft sometime around the mid or late sixties. It had it’s wings removed (IIRC) at the time and was wedged down the side of the garage.
I am a 93 year old retired farmer in Northumberland
In the past I competed in Monte Csrlo Rallies etc ,but my first ever rally was in a TR2
reg, no CHF 925 belonging to Norman C Renyolds (who
i think owned a dress shop in Hoylske ) and possibly entered but definitely prepared by
A H Brooks of B
unnys garage in the 1955 round Britain M C C Rally
I would appreciate hearing any memories or comments ——Bill Robson