Avro Vulcan prototype

[Limey 242]

I have a cousin in Horsley Woodhouse (just north of Derby - "Ossley Wudus to the locals) - at the back of his house was a scrapyard that was locally referred to as "Spitfire Hill" - it was piled high with Merlin engines sold by RR as scrap at the end of the war!

The last set of original replacement RR Merlin pistons were installed in a P51 racer at Reno about 20 years ago! How can you blame a guy for buying a job-lot of engines and keeping them for folks who really NEED them!

[mr rob t 11]

Now funny you should metion that Limey, Butterly Engerneering Works was demolised recently and the rumour was that they had an old Spitfire in the works that they did work on, its also widely believed that there are bits of WW2 aircraft buried on the site. I have a friend who use to work there but he can't verify this, but he did tell me about merlin engines being scrapped nearby, he reckons RR dumped more than any scapyard could handle. He also says that a lot were just buried in the old Quarries around Crich and

that area because there was not a lot of money to be gained in recycling them.

[Limey 242]

Actually, Rob - you may know my cousin as he is very into shooting. His name is Gordon Luckett.

[firbeck 859]

Limey

I think we should agree to disagree over Mr Weekes and leave it at that.

Just a quick comment though, the RAF had so many Spits left over after the war that they were stuck outside as 'Gate Guardians', pretty natural thing to do, who knew that there would be a resurgance in flying these things many years later. As far as I know, none were ever stuck on poles, that was a North American thing, Lancasters in Canada, B-17's on filling stations, etc etc.

I recall the Spit at RAF Wittering, it was left outside during the summer but towed in for a bit of tlc during the winter months.

As for the RAF Museum at Hendon, yes it's a sterile place, lots of things wrong with it, it definately needs a kick up the backside, but it's an institution, just like the Smithsonian, we can wonder at some of these airframes that we are lucky to have left.

Your comment Ian, re the airframes at DX. I don't know of a Dornier, you could be getting confused with the CASA 2-111 Spanish built Heinkel 111. It was obtained by OFMC as a preservation package, but found to be well knackered, it's just being tarted up and assembled, it's well rotted apparently, not likely to fly again.

The Beaufighter has been a right tale as long as I've lived down here. Stephen Grey doesn't want to fly twin engined aircraft anymore and it's been up for sale for a while. Trouble is TFC can't get hold of any Hercules engines to replace the knackered examples that they have, it's a bit of a problem. There was another Beau rebuild in Scotland, this aircraft used to be the experimental test bed at Handley Page, it's engines are supposed to be OK, but they won't give them up, obviously. That project is on hold at the moment thanks to the museum aquiring a Concorde, but thats another story. Perhaps Mr Weekes has a few suitable Hercules engines at the bottom of the garden, sorry, I'm being naughty, I bet he'd love a Beaufighter though, they don't tend to de laminate.

[Ashley 288]

Think I've mentioned it elsewhere already but was told (by deputy at Hucknall training pit that "thousands of £££'s worth of stuff" dumping down the former Newcastle pit at end of the war, He reckoned it was USA stuff, (just telling what I was told)

[rob237 89]

...As far as I know, none were ever stuck on poles...

IIRC, there is/was a Spit' displayed on a pole, on a Lutterworth traffic island.

Near to where Sir Frank Whittle had his workshops...

Cheers

Robt P.

[denshaw 2,872]

Early sixties there used to be a plane outside Grantham as you went up the hill on the A52. Believe it used to be RAF before Prince William Barracks.

[firbeck 859]

Sorry Rob, it's a plastic E28/39 jobbie as they all are these days:

[rob237 89]

Believe it used to be RAF before Prince William Barracks.

RAF Spitalgate...

Once had a mate who lived, with his parents, a few yards from the main gate...

He was pleased to get to his National Service, primarily as his relationship with his folks was akin to that of Adams and Paisley. Spent most of his two year stint at a certain RAF base just yards from his parental home!

Cheers

Robt P.

[Beefsteak 305]

[Beefsteak 305]

[Beefsteak 305]

I have heard that they are trying to get it airworthy, and sorry I thought I had a picture of the "Beaufighter" but it turns out to be a "Seafury" Still I love the notice pinned to it !!! That is what is known as a speculative effort !!!

[firbeck 859]

I saw it fly at Legends last July, TFC have two other Sea Furies, one on the stocks, another, well, I don't know where it is, probably in a container, like Weekes Lancaster, only this one is supposed to be intact and not a pile of scrap rotting bits.

Sorrrrrry Limey.

[Limey 242]

I'm afraid "Sorrrrry Limey won't cut it!

You were the one who wanted to let it lie, then do so, and stop belittling someone you have never met, and base your judgement of on incorrect hearsay!

[firbeck 859]

Limey, I've been following aviation history for 50 years, I don't like Kermit the Frog, sorry, but thats the way it is. He took advantage of the death of Doug Arnold and the subsequent end of the Warbirds of Great Britain. I was a member of TFC for a while, I met Stephen Grey several times, he's not the most approachable man, but I have respect for him, and the hearsay isn't bollocks, any more than your response, we've never had Spitfires on poles, nor is the RAF Museum a complete joke, or was the Sandringham destined for the bottom of the Solent. I recall a few years ago, standing on the airfield at Saffron Walden with Jeffrey Quill and Alex Henshaw, watching two newly restored Spitfires perform, destined for the USA courtesy of Yankee dollars, it was a sad sight to see.

Can we knock it on the head now please.

[Beefsteak 305]

Haven't we been here before ??/ you stop it , no you stop it , no you stop it Etc Etc Etc ad infinitum. I shall have the last words on this subject. Agree to disagree and that's that !!!

[mick2me 3,033]

Sounds good to me.

Whatever its all about. You might as well talk about football (sorry Soccer)

as far as I am concerned.

[firbeck 859]

I thought I said that in my previous posting at 10:45, it seems I'm not allowed to have the last word.

SOCCER, MICK, how dare you!!!!!

[Ashley 288]

I still say the "spin device" for the dambusters was a Honda CB72 motor, lol

[firbeck 859]

I still say the "spin device" for the dambusters was a Honda CB72 motor, lol

C'mon, it must have been that great lumpy Meccano thingy.

[Limey 242]

we've never had Spitfires on poles

Sorry: Check HERE

[firbeck 859]

Some people don't want to give up do they, we're all the same though, human nature.

[rob237 89]

Knew I'd seen a Spit' on a pole...Locking it was!

The base specialized in advanced aspects of radio communication.

Meant to suggest earlier to Ian that, when next in Hutton or Weston, the nearby Helicopter Museum is well worth a visit...located just across the road from the ex RAF Locking site.

Many East European rarities there, apparently...

http://www.helicoptermuseum.co.uk/

Cheers

Robt P.

[plantfit 7,597]

Gloster Whittle, it's on the first island you come to after getting off the M1 heading to Lutterworth, passed it last week on me way to Rugby

Rog

[Beefsteak 305]

That one is in memorandum to the testing done of said beastie up the road a bit at Bruntingthorpe.

Yup seen the Helecopter museum Rob , (Don't tell SWMBO , but I'm trying to tie in our next Cornwall trip in with one oh their monthly open cock pit days !!!!)