Journey's End at Hendon …..

re;

if it was a display of his 1st and final a/c I would have no problem with it.

did he have a Gemini? And what is a Spitfire Va? Is it a Vb with cannons removed? it would make more sense to have an extinct replica than a real MK1a and a replica 1a!

The ‘policy’ seems to evolve depending on the circumstances ! Regarding Douglas Bader -his Beech Travelair G-APUB is still about in the U.S but I doubt even a large donation could see that hanging in Milestones!

re;

I wonder where the policy stands on civvie a/c with connections to RAF legends, such as the light a/c owned by Douglas Bader? Or anything owned by Ken Wallis?

The RAFM has nice documents that outline the provenance of their airframes -the most recent probably the one on the Comper Swift . I await these three with interest!

The paragraph I quoted was from their own website –

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/whats-going-on/news/snipe-albatross-re-8-unveiled-by-raf-museum/

So which one is right….?!?!

Jon

Jon – this is the text from the RAFM in this month’s AM :

‘the museum is exchanging artifacts which have no connection with the history of the RAF with ones incorporating extensive original material that significantly enhance the collection’

Which differ’s quite a lot from using parts as patterns!

Also regarding the parts NAPS found, have gone through my pile of NAPS/TAC newsletters for that period and from the December 1966 edition –

“a Mr. Butler of Coventry on examining his garage discovered sundry parts of a RE.8 biplane, which he hastily donated to us. They include the tail unit, parts of the top decking, rear cockpit surround, struts, wing root section and wheels. As yet no identification has been made, any ideas will be welcome”

Wish I had a garage like that!

Jon

Who said the RE.8 has original parts incorporated? Not the RAFM 😉 –

“This flying reproduction, in No. 9 Squadron colours, individual code B, was built in New Zealand by Wellington-based The Vintage Aviator Ltd (TVAL) in 2011 (constructor’s number 0002) using original RE.8 rudder, wing and fuselage parts held by the RAF Museum as patterns.”

Jon

Thanks for that!

Hi David

Apart from various Snipe items listed elsewhere, the RAF museum have a large number of original “unused” wooden fuselage components for the Snipe, they are mainly struts from the forward fuselage.
I believe that they came from an old factory building, but don’t know which one, though the old Walbro factory in Ely “Camb’s” is a possibility, as a lot of wing struts etc were found there when the building was being demolished.

The RE8 fuselage parts that I know about, came from more than one source, the rear fuselage longerons & struts were found under a house in the Coventry area, I think these were the ones on display in the aircraft museum at Coventry. There were also some engine bearer parts that were found elsewhere.

Bob T.

Interesting Andy -I was just reading the RAFM press release on the aircraft and the Snipe is listed as incorporating original fuselage parts as well as the RE8. I watched the RAFM Snipe holdings for a number of years and to find anything significant fuselage wise is a suprise. Likewise the RE8 is listed as incorporating fuselage sections found by the NAPS in 1966 in the Coventry area. I await my next chat with some of the former members with interest as your description of unloading original parts for return to Hendon seems decidedly at odds with the RAFM description of the airframe’s provenance.

If you trace the history of the Hanriot, it’ll soon have lived on every continent–apart from Antarctica.

Who knows, in fifty years they may be back.

Never realised that!

Then you do realise that much original RAFM material was used to replicate both the Albatros and the RE8.
The original CAD work for the Albatros was done with the help of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The original RE8 and Albatros parts were safely returned to Hendon.
I would say over one half of one of the two containers which arrived at OW was full of stuff going back to Hendon. I know because I helped unpack them.

If the individual who was going to do the Farman was the same as the FE2B then I wouldn’t have lived myself long enough to ever see it.

My view remains, that these machines haven’t been destroyed, they are just moving to another continent for a while.
If you trace the history of the Hanriot, it’ll soon have lived on every continent–apart from Antarctica.

Who knows, in fifty years they may be back.

There is a big difference between restoring aircraft and using aircraft as templates to allow for production. Doing that allows for economies of scale and with I am sure the ability to produce metal fittings quickly and accurately.
Now in terms of the Farman – it is a loss to this country -especially as there was an interested party here that would have seen it restored . In terms of the RAFM collection -certainly the time it will take to see the Hampden on display
will mean sadly there will be few Hampden air and ground crew able to see her.
There does need to be a review of what the RAFM can and cannot achieve in a realistic timescale.

Andy -where are you getting the ‘limited’ restoration facilities in this country idea from?? Can’t help but think that the likes of Skysport -Tony Ditherage and Guy Black to name just three have pretty much written the book for the last thirty years on WW1 builds and restorations. I think there is a perception that in some way restoration work has to be exported abroad for it to be in any way viable !

David.
Look how long the Dolphin took–or even the FE2B–which Mr Black had to finish.
I’m fifty, I reckon I’d be nearly seventy before the Farman appeared–nearer 80 waiting for the LVG C.VI. Meanwhile TVAL and the French at The Memorial Flight Association keep churning stuff out.
years ago, I used to visit a tin shed at Salisbury Hall where a misanthropic old individual was fettling bits of kindling which he purported to be a BE2C. I used to dream of seeing a BE finished, even as a static. That same aeroplane today flies in New Zealand.
I know to you they are replicas but they are too close to the originals to call.
You’re far more likely to see the Farman finished in new Zealand than you ever will here.

Andy.

His original Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter went to New Zealand along with I believe some engines. In return I think an Albatross and Snipe went to Florida.

I wasn’t aware of that. Did Kermit Weeks trade something for his Albatros? Engine(s) possibly?

DD

AFAIK
TVAL do not sell their newly built aircraft, they only trade them for suitable original etc aircraft.
So even if there was some one here in the UK with the money to pay for one, he would’nt get one.

Bob T.

re;

The Farman is certainly relevant to Hendons history, lets see what TVAL do with her.

Andy -where are you getting the ‘limited’ restoration facilities in this country idea from?? Can’t help but think that the likes of Skysport -Tony Ditherage and Guy Black to name just three have pretty much written the book for the last thirty years on WW1 builds and restorations. I think there is a perception that in some way restoration work has to be exported abroad for it to be in any way viable !