Planes & stuff

[SteveC#222]

I know a lot of you are into planes as well as bikes, I've mentioned our local Lincolnshire air museum before - East Kirkby Aviation Centre Well worth a visit ( Bike Night next Wednesday!).

As well as their immaculate Lancaster 'Just Jane' they now have a new aircraft - A de Havilland Mosquito night fighter HJ 711! Previously housed at the Yorkshire Air Museum it has just been moved to Lincolnshire. It is currently in many parts - it looks like an oversized Airfix kit in need of a large tube of glue - the plan is to reassemble it over the next few weeks and then use it for taxi run displays alongside the Lanc' - the sound of 6 Merlin engines running together will really be something special.

If you've never read about the Mosquito I recommend you do as it's a fascinating aircraft - the first multi roll attack plane and (arguably) the first 'stealth' plane.

Highly recommended at £8 per person and you can easily spend a whole day there. Privately owned so they rely on public support and not open on SUNDAYS.

[Andy M]

They found all the drawings for the Mosquito when they shut down the British Aerospace offices in Wales. As the drawings exist it'll make it much easier to get replicas and restorations through the air worthiness stuff.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-40873628

Andy

[SteveC#222]

They found all the drawings for the Mosquito when they shut down the British Aerospace offices in Wales. As the drawings exist it'll make it much easier to get replicas and restorations through the air worthiness stuff.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-40873628

Andy

The original Jigs for the fuselage and wing assembly are owned by a guy in New Zealand who will make you a replica for a few million quid. I was talking to one of the staff at East Kirkby and they said they have been trying to get this one certified as airworthy but the Ministry are making it hard - the last flying one crashed in1996. It would be nice to see one flying again.

Got overflown by the 'other' Lancaster' of the BBMF  'Thumper' on the way home !....Good day out!

[spooky]

Dumfries Aviation Museum,  well worth a visit,

[Smithy]

Thanks for posting this Steve it's good to know the museum has a new attraction to see. Me and my mate have talked about wandering along to see the Lanc taxiing but now there's an added reason. Am I right in thinking that you can sit in the Lanc as it taxis for a donation of a few hundred quid?

Ian

[johnburnsd]

My all time favourite plane. Paper and plywood...

[Roey]

I live close by, fantastic museum!

[SteveC#222]

Thanks for posting this Steve it's good to know the museum has a new attraction to see. Me and my mate have talked about wandering along to see the Lanc taxiing but now there's an added reason. Am I right in thinking that you can sit in the Lanc as it taxis for a donation of a few hundred quid?

Ian

I believe the 'Taxi ride experience' is about £325 but there is a big waiting list. They are rebuilding the Mossie now as it is their winter maintainence period but you can still visit and see what is underneath.

[Smithy]

Thanks Steve, better get my piggy bank out then! Seriously it is something I would like to do one day. I imagine the sound of those engines from inside is magnificent.

Ian

[Steve Lake]

I imagine the sound of those engines from inside is magnificent.
Ian

Well, I'm obviously not old enough to have flown in a Lanc, but I did cross the atlantic a couple of times in a Shackleton, (pretty much an uprated Lanc with twin prop Griffons), apart from having tinnitus for several weeks afterwards it was a crazy great experience, and the sight of the glowing, flickering exhaust stubs as we flogged over the night time atlantic is a memory that doesn't fade.

[timbo]

Another place that's definitely on my list of places to visit. My mate Barry started is aero engineering career repairing and servicing Shackletons. What years were they in service?

[Steve Lake]

not sure how long they were in service for exactly ... from shortly after the 2nd ww,(1948 I think) designed by the then senior designer (who also designed the lanc) at A.V. Roe . I worked on them when I was at raf st mawgan (cornwall) from my arrival there in 1967 until they went out of service (at st mawgan ) in 1972 . I think it was still flying from lossimouth .... most of the remaining airwothy 'shacks' went to the SAAF (south African airforce) where they flew well into the 1990's I believe. I moved on to the Nimrod from 1969 until I left the service in 1975.aparently there is an MR2 shack at Coventry airport, under the care of the shackleton preservation trust, currently taxiing, and hopefully flying sometime in the future

[timbo]

Hi Steve. My mate is called Barry Cooper. Now 75 years old. Went on to be an engineer for British Midland. When they leased a plane to another country, it also went with a maintenance crew as part of the deal. So Barry travelled quite a bit, including Kabul, just before the Russians, and a few years in Mozambique. He then worked for a firm who refurbished Spitfires.

[Steve Lake]

just remembered what we called the 'shack'.... it was fondly known as 'forty thousand rivets flying in formation' 

[CrazyFrog]

just remembered what we called the 'shack'.... it was fondly known as 'forty thousand rivets flying in formation' 

Hahahaha, like it!