An Unusual Restoration Project on E(vil)bay

I just remembered that i did pick some of the Dragon wings and a fuel tank up from Southend Museum. I went there with my ex wife and baby son after the auction in 1983. Mike Russell had wanted the Dragon G-ACIT, but was out bid. So he wanted to build one! We then got more wings and fin’ rudder and tailplane from EMK’s. One of the wings had G-ACIT on. Some of the wings where built in Austraila as was the fin, these had DH84A stamped on the plates. The fin was bule and white striped under the sliver dope. I also have a wing rib of a DH84A hanging on my workshop wall.

Dave

The wing from G-ADDI was advertised for sale in the early 1980’s by the Cliveden Collection . From memory there were some more Dragon parts with it which I think headed towards Ron Souch to form a project.

My father and myself picked up a few Dragon wings at least two wings with G-ADDI on from Watton at Stone (EMK) many years ago for Mike Russell of Russavia. We stored them at my father’s at Eaton Bray. This was for the Dragon project G-ACET. This was then sold on to Mike and Ron Souch. Mike picked them up, with other dragon parts. The Souch’s had a new Dragon fuselage built in Austraila. Then shipped to there workshop. But i haven’t heard anything of it in the last 10 years. I have the wing fabric with G-ADDI on it.
Dave

Thanks David. I have never been able to find anyone else that remembered the Dragon wing so it is nice to know that I didn’t dream it.

The wing from G-ADDI was advertised for sale in the early 1980’s by the Cliveden Collection . From memory there were some more Dragon parts with it which I think headed towards Ron Souch to form a project.

Just dug out my old Historic Aircraft Society newsletters again and thought th following may be of interest.
According to the newsletters Cornell C/N 53299 was built 1943 and allocated USAAF serial 43-4361. Used by RCAF as FH768 and sold post war to become NC9606H amd subsequently N9606H. Last flight was apparently October 1972 when she was ferried to New Jersey to be crated for shipping to Southend museum.
For some reason she doesn’t seem to have arrived at Southend until 17 April 1974. When the crate was opened it was found that the Cornell hadn’t been adequately secured and had sustained damage as had the replacement nose for B-25 N9089Z/HD368 which was also in the same crate.
It was decided to store the aircraft until time was available for repairs.

As far as I remember the managers idea of storage was to leave the aircraft outside in the shipping crate and the crate gradually filled with water causing further damage.. By the time Bill Gent was appointed manager the aircarft had deteriorated badly but work was started in the winter of 1981 to restore her for static display. I remember seeing one wing with parts of the structure repaired with just about any wood that was around (including bits of packing case simply because funds weren’t available to use better materials.
Stan and David Brett had done a lot of work at Southend during the earlier days of the museum including spending their holidays camped in a tent in the museum compound to be able to spend longer hours working on the Mitchell.
When Southend closed the Cornell went to Rebel Air Museum along with Pou Du Ciel G-ADXS and I never saw either aircraft again.
The photo posted by moondance brought back some memories and I believe the crate covered in plastic seen behind the Cornell fuselage is the original shipping crate or it may be the crate that contained Rapide G-AIUL? that never saw the light of day at Southend and moved on at some point. I have a vague memory of a Dragon mainplane as well with the registration G-ADDI on it but DDI went to the USA years before as N34DH so maybe this was an old mainplane.

Hi VX927…

Now that is generous…and surely an offer that I couldn’t refuse!! (not ever having flown in an historic either!!)…thank you:) It would also be a pleasure to see the aircraft again as it (along with the Rebel Air Museum) was a big part of my life for so many years.

Regarding the panel…if the aircraft is based in Lincolnshire, then it can’t be too far from where I am in Leicestershire…I’d be happy to deliver it in person when the chance arises.

It would just be nice to know it’s back where it belongs!

Regards;
Steve

Rochford,

I agree with TexanTomcat. It is a very generous offers, and regardless of weather I have a replacement panel or not, if you are happy to reunite the original panel with G-CEVL, then i would be more than happy to accept it. In return will be a trip for you in the Cornell once she’s finished!!!

It’s not a part that I’m going to need in the next week or so, but it would be good to get the panel… How’s the best way to do that?

Thank you once again.

S’alright mate – wasnt blowing smoke up your bottom :p – just thought it was a decent thing to do thats all!

ATB

TT

TT…

Stop it…you’re making me blush!! In all fairness though, that panel was never my property to sell anyway! As I mentioned, I brought it home to clean up years ago, but it got misplaced during a move…and then of course, the Rebel Air Museum closed and the Cornell disappered minus one instrument panel!

I’m not sure if VX927 will want it back…but I hope so, as it will make FH768 just that little bit more authentic won’t it?

But thank you for the kind words…I feel all glowy now!!

Regards
Steve

P.S. Cor…I would have loved to have picked up that Southend Historic Aircraft Museum guide off of Ebay (buy it now) for a £1.00!! That was a bargain. One came up for auction a few weeks ago and finished at £26.00. I see some called p51dmustangjanie nipped in and bought it rather sharpish….wonder who that could have been???:diablo:

On the other hand…I have a copy of the auction programme…$300!!!:eek:

Anyhoo….If you would like the panel for the restoration, just let me know! (By the way..it is pretty much just the panel, with only one instrument and only one mounting bracket…that’s how it came!)

Regards;
Steve

If I can just say, what a kind offer – reuniting an original component with an airframe and (unusually in this day and age) not asking for any cash for it.

Well done Steve!

TT

Now appears to have been delisted. I’ve seen that photo before so it is likely to have been mentioned before on this forum. Do a search on the various reggies and see if you get a match.

Keep up BR, this thread dates from July!

Thanks to VX927 for the kind words about the work done to date!

I checked to see if I had any pictures stored on the system, but it looks like I binned them shortly after it was sold!

Bruce

Found the 80’s Southend thread, but there’s no mention of the PT26 and I don’t remember it at all…?

Now appears to have been delisted. I’ve seen that photo before so it is likely to have been mentioned before on this forum. Do a search on the various reggies and see if you get a match.

Any idea how long she was at Southend? I have no recollection of her ever being on display there.

Moondance – I’d be interested to know if you have any more pictures from the Southend Museum form that trip? Fairly sure Old Fart would be keen to see them too…

Hi VX927…

I suppose that JME might have replaced the missing panel…but if not, you are more than welcome to the one I have. After all, it is the panel that FH768 left the factory with, and it would be nice to re-unite it with the airframe!

I spent many years with the RAM, and spent a bit of time doing a bit of work on her (in a half-arsed fashion – we only had about five regular volunteers then…so we were spread a bit thin!) I had taken the panel home to clean up in 1993…and it’s still in my shed! It’s so nice to hear that the old girl is finally getting the tlc she deserves.

The photo of FH768 taken at Southend is interesting…compared to when I last saw her at Earls Colne, she looks positively pristine:dev2:

Anyhoo….If you would like the panel for the restoration, just let me know! (By the way..it is pretty much just the panel, with only one instrument and only one mounting bracket…that’s how it came!)

Regards;
Steve

Rochford… I’m pretty sure that we have both instrument panels, but if we don’t, I might have to come begging!!!!

Old fart – I’ll sort out some photo’s for you, although the airframe isn’t easy to photograph in it’s current location… It might take a couple of weeks before I can get some… But I will post some on here soon!

Fantastic!!!! I’ve just stumbled across this thread after trying to find some photo’s of FH768.

I was the lucky winner when this aircraft was re listed in e-bay. She’s been bought buy a group of 4 and is based in Lincolnshire. Her new registration is G-CEVL.

Does anyone have any more photographs of her from her earlier days?

Moondance, is that how she arrived in the UK? I see MerlinPete says is was hoped that she would fly here, but she looks a long way off being airworthy in that photograph!

I have to say, the quality of the work carried out by JME is outstanding… Second to none.

Bruce, I didn’t realize that you were the same ‘Bruce’ we met when we came to collect her.

Anyway, The restoration continues and with a bit of luck, and lot of hard work, she’ll be flying again in the not too distant future (relatively speaking).

Well done that man any chance of some photos of her as she is at present,
been researching the museum for what feels like a million years!

FH768….

VX927…

Does your Cornell have two instrument panels? If not, it might be because I currently have one of the original panels from FH768 in my shed…

Regards;
Steve

Fantastic!!!! I’ve just stumbled across this thread after trying to find some photo’s of FH768.

I was the lucky winner when this aircraft was re listed in e-bay. She’s been bought buy a group of 4 and is based in Lincolnshire. Her new registration is G-CEVL.

Does anyone have any more photographs of her from her earlier days?

Moondance, is that how she arrived in the UK? I see MerlinPete says is was hoped that she would fly here, but she looks a long way off being airworthy in that photograph!

I have to say, the quality of the work carried out by JME is outstanding… Second to none.

Bruce, I didn’t realize that you were the same ‘Bruce’ we met when we came to collect her.

Anyway, The restoration continues and with a bit of luck, and lot of hard work, she’ll be flying again in the not too distant future (relatively speaking).

N9606H. Ex Earls Colne, Andrewsfield, Southend, USA, FH768, 42-14361

Pictured at Southend in 1974