Many of the world’s gnarliest cars have visited Gatebil over the years. Bugatti Chiron, Ford GT, Ferrari F40, Koenigsegg and Lamborginis, Porsches and Ferraris as well as the world’s fiercest drift and racing cars etc. etc. Admittedly, we have yet to see anything as spectacular in the air. July 2025 will turn this on its head.
During this year’s biggest Gatebil event, the most iconic aircraft of all time will be the guest of honor. Anyone who has seen a war movie, be it Dunkirk, Pearl Harbor or the like, knows that nothing – absolutely nothing – tops a twelve-cylinder Rolls Royce Merlin engine with 1750 horsepower in terms of sound! Not even Gatebils Taxis with V10s! This is a knock-out on most things, and will be an experience you won’t soon forget. Truly something for Gatebil’s history books – on a par with visits from Il Tempo Gigante and when Tommy Sharif crashed his Koenigseggen.
It just so happens that “Flying Aces” will be putting on an unprecedented air show with their newly refurbished and iconic Spitfire over Gatebil in July. As a visitor, all you need to do is make sure you have the right amount of sunscreen and the right angle on your camping chair when one of the world’s very, very coolest motorized contraptions shows up! The Flying Aces crew really know how to maneuver the 80-year-old fighter plane! We’re talking “loops”, “dives” and “rolls”!
For the uninitiated, the “Supermarine Spitfire” is a British-made fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and several other allied countries during World War II. The Spitfire was in use throughout the war and in all combat areas. In 1940, it played a key role in the defense of the British Isles during the Battle of Britain. The aircraft was also used by the Norwegian Air Force during the war. This particular aircraft was one of them. With war hero Lt. Rolf T. Tradin, one of World War II’s most distinguished Norwegian pilots, behind the controls. Read more here: flyingaces
If you want to experience something completely out of the ordinary, Flying Aces offers ride-on tours! It’s a bit like a flying street car taxi – only you’re one of the few people in the world who can experience something similar. Because this is a two-seater Spitfire! All you have to do is book via flyingaces and show up at Notodden airstrip – and we dare to guarantee an unparalleled experience! Plus, you don’t need Red Bull to get your wings or pulse racing.
Hope you’re ready for action in 2025! At least we are. Stay tuned here on Gatebil.no or follow us on Facebook, and we’ll keep you informed about what’s happening in the run-up to this year’s various events. Read more about the event here: Gatebil July 2025
Facts about Spitfire:
The Spitfire was equipped with a Rolls-Royce Merlin 12-cylinder V-engine with an output of 1,750 horsepower. It was equipped with two 20-millimeter machine guns and two 12.7-millimeter machine guns, and could drop bombs.
– Vickers Armstong Spitfire MK IX
– Wingspan: 11.23 meters
– Length: 9.72 meters
– Maximum takeoff weight: 3844 kilograms
– Maximum speed: 707 kilometers per hour at 24,500 feet (7468 meters)
– The first Spitfire took to the skies in 1936
– 20,000 produced
– Today there are 200 aircraft left worldwide. Only 70 of these are airworthy
– The only one in the world outside the UK that you can buy a ride in