4 New Merlins For A Secret Project??

All this talk of healthy Merlins reminds me of a story I heard at London Colney regarding the restoration of one of the Mosquitos to ground running status. Any more on this, chaps ?

The engines from the prototype were rebuilt by RRHT at Derby and one of these was test-run quite a few times before being returned to London Colney.
The museum did not have any intention of running this one again, but expressed an interest in restoring a later airframe to ground-running status. It was decided quite early on that this would not be practicable, so has not progressed any further.

Referring back to WJ244s earlier post, the Merlin test bed belongs to Retro Track & Air, not Retrotec, that`s Guy Blacks operation!

Pete

That’s a complete assumption on my part that they’d be BBMF (or ex-BBMF!), but given that 3 out of 4 of the current pilots who taxi NX611 are current or ex-BBMF, it seems likely they would be chosen to fly.

My understanding is the limitation is that the BBMF crew need to have a face to face briefing with the civillian crew. As NX611 would likely be crewed by current or ex-BBMF crew, I don’t see that there would be any issues with a formation display.

Ahh I didn’t know that about the BBMF crews, but thats my point, with NX611 formation displays would be a whole lot easyer the way I understand it to be.

My understanding is the limitation is that the BBMF crew need to have a face to face briefing with the civillian crew. As NX611 would likely be crewed by current or ex-BBMF crew, I don’t see that there would be any issues with a formation display.

It formated with a certain vulcan last year at Waddington

I know that, but it wasn’t the tightest ‘formation’ ever from what I have seen? I thought it might have been to do with this issue, although clearly there have been one or two exceptions in recent times for this, but not a great deal.

Not True,it formatted with the Bf 109’s at North Weald in the nineties

I’m talking about the current day, not the 90s;)

Cheers, Huw:)

The BBMF certainly do charge for appearances. What you have to do is enter a bid for the display charge. They will then look at the income vs the expenditure, hours, transit time, etc. They will then select which events to attend with the aircraft available. Hence we haven’t seen the Lanc display at Sunderland airshow for 2 years. I hasten to add that the BBMF are by far the cheapest option for getting a WW2 warbird to a display.

The RAF have a set charging scheme for all their A/C, including the BBMF A/C.
You have to make a request for what you want to the RAF Events Team and they will let you know if you are going to get it or not. They are however very reasonable rates:)

I know a small note, but isn’t the PA474 not authorised to take formations with aircraft other than those of the RAF. So with NX611 in civillian hands, the likelyhood of her being allowed to formate with other civillian run aircraft on a more regular basis?

Cheers, Huw:)

Not True,it formatted with the Bf 109’s at North Weald in the nineties

I read on an old KP thread relating to KB976 that PA474 is fitted with Avro York wing outers?? if this is true does someone know the background? and of course that would make it Yorkaster?

smiles

Mark Pilkington

No it would still be a Lancaster as the York used Lancaster Wings, Tail feathers and Undercarriage. the onlynew thing was the square section fuselage.

I know a small note, but isn’t the PA474 not authorised to take formations with aircraft other than those of the RAF.
Cheers, Huw:)

It formated with a certain vulcan last year at Waddington

The BBMF certainly do charge for appearances. What you have to do is enter a bid for the display charge. They will then look at the income vs the expenditure, hours, transit time, etc. They will then select which events to attend with the aircraft available. Hence we haven’t seen the Lanc display at Sunderland airshow for 2 years. I hasten to add that the BBMF are by far the cheapest option for getting a WW2 warbird to a display.

On a serious note the Panton Brothers have done a fantastic job with Just Jane and I appreciate the atmosphere and attraction of the taxy runs but it would be great to see her in the air again. The only reservation i have is a concern that there may not be sufficient demand for a 2nd Lancaster on the UK / European display work to provide any kind of income to help maintain her in flying condition.
I understood that the BBMF makes no charge for display appearances. Although they carefully select the displays they attend they do seem to cover most of the larger events which are likely to have the kind of budget to pay for a Lanc to appear. If I am right in thinking that the BBMF do not charge are there enough organisers out there who can’t get PA474 and will pay a viable rate (I know that the charges for a warbird display never covers the true operating costs) to have NX611 instead.

I know a small note, but isn’t the PA474 not authorised to take formations with aircraft other than those of the RAF. So with NX611 in civillian hands, the likelyhood of her being allowed to formate with other civillian run aircraft on a more regular basis?

Cheers, Huw:)

On a serious note the Panton Brothers have done a fantastic job with Just Jane and I appreciate the atmosphere and attraction of the taxy runs but it would be great to see her in the air again. The only reservation i have is a concern that there may not be sufficient demand for a 2nd Lancaster on the UK / European display work to provide any kind of income to help maintain her in flying condition.
I understood that the BBMF makes no charge for display appearances. Although they carefully select the displays they attend they do seem to cover most of the larger events which are likely to have the kind of budget to pay for a Lanc to appear. If I am right in thinking that the BBMF do not charge are there enough organisers out there who can’t get PA474 and will pay a viable rate (I know that the charges for a warbird display never covers the true operating costs) to have NX611 instead.

Got it – Get NX611 airworthy then exchange PA474 for the Chinese Stirling. We will still have an airworthy Lanc in the UK so no one will be the least bit worried.
Sounds like this trading idea is catching on but will the Stirling be airworthy or just a heap of bits to form the basis of a project.

Remember you saw it here first!

Chinese takeaway?

4 New Merlins For A Secret Project??

I can exclusivley reveal I am having a garden table made out of old aircraft bits and these will be used for the legs…

Got it – Get NX611 airworthy then exchange PA474 for the Chinese Stirling. We will still have an airworthy Lanc in the UK so no one will be the least bit worried.
Sounds like this trading idea is catching on but will the Stirling be airworthy or just a heap of bits to form the basis of a project.

Remember you saw it here first!

No – you have it all wrong, the chinese Stirling swap has fallen through due to the collapse in the Euro exchange rate.

Janey instead is to be restored to airworthy condition by the BBMF and used to replace PA474, which itself is being swapped to the Indian Air Force along with a hurricane mark II , for a restored airworthy hurricane mark I, and IAF’s B-24, which will then be put back into the air at the Indian’s cost and flown by the BBMF in RAF Colours!

smiles

Mark Pilkington

(note 1: all in jest and no disrespect intended to the BBMF or Panton Brothers, and their wonderful efforts)

(note 2: Aeroplane Monthly – please independantly check your sources before quoting this scoop – smiles)

About 5 years ago,whilst assisting the pyro crew at EK for there night time pyro exellence etc,i asked the flight crew about the possibility of putting jane in the air,and he said it did need substantial re-skinning…
Oh, i was stood behind it behind the crowd line..oh the prop wash,exhaust flames,smell..nice

I don’t want to spread rumors, but I saw a delivery car for a Chinese resturant parked outside.:eek:
A service call?
Delivering spare parts?
Doing a deal for a Stirling?

or just hungry engineers?…
Yeah, that’s what they WANT you to think.:rolleyes:

Got it – Get NX611 airworthy then exchange PA474 for the Chinese Stirling. We will still have an airworthy Lanc in the UK so no one will be the least bit worried.
Sounds like this trading idea is catching on but will the Stirling be airworthy or just a heap of bits to form the basis of a project.

Remember you saw it here first!

I read on an old KP thread relating to KB976 that PA474 is fitted with Avro York wing outers?? if this is true does someone know the background? and of course that would make it Yorkaster?

smiles

Mark Pilkington

Or a Lancork:p

PA474
PA474
PA474

It’s only a model…

SShhhh !:diablo:

I read on an old KP thread relating to KB976 that PA474 is fitted with Avro York wing outers?? if this is true does someone know the background? and of course that would make it Yorkaster?

smiles

Mark Pilkington

New spar…’new’ Merlins…random new skins…new electrics…new rivets…oh my God, PA474 is a fake!!! :eek::D;)

I don’t want to spread rumors, but I saw a delivery car for a Chinese resturant parked outside.:eek:
A service call?
Delivering spare parts?
Doing a deal for a Stirling?

or just hungry engineers?…
Yeah, that’s what they WANT you to think.:rolleyes: