Whitehall Theatre of War

Two points:

Firstly, look at the Mustang picture above. Is that an illegal immigrant emerging from the wheel well after having hitched a free ride?

Secondly, I have a feeling the storage may have been somewhere in Cambridgeshire, near Royston, although this is unconfirmed. My source lives in Cambridgeshire, but is still very close to Royston which is on the Hertfordshire border.

Pleasant, peasant pedants rule!

Originally posted by dhfan
Pedantic mode on:
Royston’s in Hertfordshire.

[Large grin, shrugs shoulders, big sigh mode!]Not my problem – thats what it says on page 101, Wrecks and Relics 10th edition:- ‘moved to a large farm near Royston, Cambridgeshire in 1984’.
Maybe there is a Royston which is near a large farm in Cambridgeshire? [Lantern jaw thrust out, ‘My job here is done’ pants on, heroic pose mode off]

Flood.

For P51 fan’s the reclusive 44-73098, which has been under restoration in the Daytona Beach area of Florida for many years.

When it was on display at the Whitehall Theatre of war it did look very much like a shell, as did the Spit.

I seem to remember the museum lasted around a year (84-85) planning irregularities were the problem, although at the end of the day it may have been that Mr Raymonds other more colourful interests did not sit well with Westminster Council.

The Buchon’s camouflage scheme was hastily adapted from Lamploughs desert scheme. After restoration with Charles Church the aircraft appeared in new markings.

Originally posted by dhfan
Pedantic mode on:
Royston’s in Hertfordshire.

Is re-sparring a CASA 2-111 feasible?

Why not? They did it for PA474 a few years back. I don’t know if Heinkel/CASA spars are available in quantity, but I’m sure Lanc spars aren’t exactly off-the-shelf items either!

David & Septic
Thanks for the info and photo re the Pup.

Septic
I think I have as similar photo around somewhere. As you say the lighting was pretty bad. I also remember that the entry fee was pretty high.

The Buchon – was it painted up like a desert Bf109E, you know, like the one you see in all the aviation books of the ‘109 camouflaged against the desert?

Sure looks like it – would love to see a ‘spotty’ ‘109 in the skies! 😀

Thanks folks. Keep it coming. I remember the 111 being at N.Weald for quite some time. Thanks for the photos Septic, I’ve never seen pictures of the inside of the Theatre.

I may possibly have a source for some more interesting photos, it may even be the source from “near Royston”, but it will take a bit of time. Please bare with me.

Any idea how long the Whitehall ToW lasted for? It sounds like it was a total disaster, both as a tourist attraction and as a means of preserving aircraft.

Pedantic mode on:
Royston’s in Hertfordshire.

Is re-sparring a CASA 2-111 feasible?

Originally posted by David Burke
Also members of the museum but never at Whitehall were
the CASA 2-111 which ended up with Aces High and the former
HAM Proctor which sadly ended up being spares recovered and burnt.

Both were, as Sceptic says, with Paul Raymonds London War Museum, near London Bridge before moving to storage near Royston, Cambs – the connection being that the aircraft from both museums were auctioned at the same time.
Details from Wrecks and Relics 10th edition.
G-AWHB CASA 2-111 apparently going to Kermit Weeks.
NP303 Proctor IV initially going to Nottingham with Trent Aero.
12392 (FE905) Harvard IIB being bought for the RAFM before the auction.

Flood.

I seem to remember that the Casa was stored in an old railway arch, near to HMS Belfast at the time with a collection known as the London War museum. Unfortunately I never got to see it at this time.

I’ve heard its still in the UK, pending shipment to the US. From what I understand the aircraft needs a complete new main spar to fly again.

Also members of the museum but never at Whitehall were
the CASA 2-111 which ended up with Aces High and the former
HAM Proctor which sadly ended up being spares recovered and burnt.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mike J
[B]From memory, it included the ex-Robs Lamplough Buchon (subsequently to Charles Church as G-HUNN), now in the USA with Jim Cavanaugh,

Rumour has it that Robs Lamplough sold the Buchon G-BJZZ for a very good price at the time to Paul Raymond for the Theatre of war. This was despite the fact that the aircraft was damaged at Biggin Hill in 1982. Robs then repurchased the aircraft after the Theatre of war was forced to close for substantially less the Mr Raymond had paid a year or so earlier.

Originally posted by David Burke
SE5A Fan – The Sopwith Pup ended up with a delighted FAAM at Yeovilton. It is of a far higher quality than the machine at Coventry being built to an airworthy standard by EMK at Watton-On-Stone. Tim Moore from EMK later founded Skysport.

This photo was taken in 1983, unfortunately my poor old Cosina SLR struggled to cope with the poor lighting.

Wrecks and Relics 9th and 10th editions:-
Theatre of War, opened 1/8/83, contents auctioned 5/6/85.
N6452 Sopwith Pup replica G-BIAU – to FAAM.
MV370 Spitfire XIV – to Robs Lamplough.
E-C5, 414 P-51D ex MM4292 It.AF – to Aces High as G-BMBA then exported.
CB+VS Storch ex D-EKMU, OE-ADR, Sw.AF Fv3812, possibly w/n110064. – to N156FS and exported.
14 Buchon G-BJZZ, ex N48157 Sp.AF C4K-235 – to Robs Lamplough.

Flood.

SE5A Fan – The Sopwith Pup ended up with a delighted FAAM at Yeovilton. It is of a far higher quality than the machine at Coventry being built to an airworthy standard by EMK at Watton-On-Stone. Tim Moore from EMK later founded Skysport.

Also remember a Sopwith Pup replica in there as well. I think this is the one that is now in Coventry.

I seem to remember there being a Buchon there at some point. Don’t have the book in front of me right now, though. Something tells me it’s now a flying aircraft in the States (may well be something like N109GU, which was the ex-Charles Church aircraft G-HUNN).

(curses – beaten to it while discussing hot female cartoon characters with a work colleague!)

Thanks Mike. That’s interesting. J.