Model Spitfire in Garden
Retired doctor Hamish MacLeod has built a full-size replica Spitfire in his front garden because he loves the aircraft so much and wants to leave it to his village when he dies because it is also the birth place of the man who commanded the RAF during the Battle of Britain.
Dr MacLeod had the giant model, which was made to order, delivered in sections to his house and with the help of friends assembled the iconic World War II fighter.
He intends to leave the model Spitfire, which has a huge 37ft wingspan and a 31ft fuselage, to the people of Moffat, a town with close links to the aircraft.
Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding - credited with masterminding the Battle of Britain - was born in the town.
Every 'Battle of Britain Day' a special service is held at the Dowding Memorial which is a quarter of a mile from Dowding House including a Spitfire flypast, is held in his honour.
Dr MacLeod hopes the replica can be sited at Dowding House which remains the largest memorial to Dowding.
It was during a refresher course on night flying and instrument rating in Florida that Dr MacLeod, a former pilot officer with Edinburgh University's air squadron, had the chance to fulfil his boyhood dream of piloting a Spitfire.
He said: "I heard the fantastic sound of that Merlin engine and hopped on a bike in search of it. There were all these fabulous Spitfires being restored on the air base."
Special arrangements were made for Dr MacLeod to fly the plane, which he described as an "unbelievable" experience.
He said: "I had the controls from start to finish. We did all sorts of things. The Spitfire is so aerobatic. It is so iconic, the most fabulous-looking aircraft ever, hugely beautiful."
The replica, accurate down "to the last rivet", was transported to Moffat from the manufacturers in Norfolk two weeks ago in sections and Dr MacLeod said he had a "huge amount of fun" putting it together.
Friends and neighbours helped with the construction, which he said was similar to building a giant Airfix kit.~
Dr MacLeod and a friend built their own light aircraft during the 1990s, which they sold eight years ago, and he said that experience made assembling the Spitfire much easier.
The 71-year-old, from Moffat, in Dumfries and Galloway, said: "I trained to be a pilot with the Edinburgh Air Squadron in the fifties.~
"I am hugely interested in vintage cars and aircraft.
" While flying in Florida I heard the unmistakable sound of a Merlin engine coming from somewhere on the air base and my ears immediately pricked up.
"As soon as I landed the plane I was flying I hopped on a bicycle and tracked the aircraft down and discovered it was a Mark 9 Spitfire that had at one time in 1944, been based at Heathhall near Dumfries just 20 miles from Moffat.
"It was beautiful and I had the chance to fly it - which was incredible.
"It was almost orgasmic to fly this wonderful aircraft.
"After I flew it I thought that it would be amazing to have a full size replica of the plane I flew in my garden and then I would leave it to the people of Moffat when I die because this is where the man who masterminded the Battle of Britain, Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding, was born.
"And it is where I have spent nearly forty wonderful years working as a local GP and it is my way of thanking Moffat and district for being such a wonderfully supportive community during this time.
"Putting the replica together has been an incredible experience.
"Each wing weighs a quarter of a tonne each so it's a pretty hefty machine.
"I think some wives might be a put out if their husband started building an enormous spitfire in the front garden but my~partner is enormously supportive and she thinks it's wonderful.
"The neighbours come round to see it and they love it too and last week two men heard about it in deepest England and made a diversion on their journey North to come and see it."
He added: "It is so iconic, the most fabulous looking aircraft ever, hugely beautiful. I just feel a huge love for the aircraft and to have this copy of one I actually flew is so special.
"I can see it from most of the front rooms in my house and that is something very wonderful indeed."
The Spitfire, which flew for the first time in 1936, was in front-line service throughout the Second World War. The plane's design, by Reginald Mitchell, was considered revolutionary at the time and no other aircraft was considered a match for its overall performance and ease of handling.