Any late-model Anson basket cases to be found in the UK?

Shame, there used to be plenty around – I enquired after the Midland Air Museum example some number of years ago, but felt it was a bit far gone for me at the time. Nowadays, I think I’d know what to do with it!

I also enquired after the Norwich example just after it had been scrapped. Typical!

Bruce

I did the same, in pursuit of late model metal Anson wings to support a long term / future static mark 1 Anson restoration here in Australia.

(The RNZAF Museum has a mark 1 on display on late model metal wings and of course the widely acclaimed airworthy Anson mark 1 in New Zealand flies on late model metal wings and did so for many years with Terry Brain in Australia, hence its as valid a compromise as Hasting wings on a Halifax reproduction or T6G wings on a Harvard II.)

I am the person who acquired the “cut” and badly corroded wings from the C19 prototype from Richard at Retro, I did this following advice from a fellow Anson collector in the UK that they were likely to be scrapped and may be available.

They are stored privately and undercover, here in Australia.

This aircraft floated around a number of private owners before being “parts recovered” and the comments above about it being deserving of preservation in the UK may be correct, but clearly no public or volunteer collection ever thought it deserving “enough” to acquire it on the many times it was openly advertised for sale.

Various private owners attempted to preserve it before exiting it off to someone else.

The same situation largely applied to the former Napier Avro Lincoln.

Both have been pursued and acquired into Australia, in the hope they will survive into preservation in some useful role here in Australia.

Clearly they therefore currently still survive for bonefide serious research of their own unique histories, ( and hopefully will do so ongoing) but beyond that, are duplicated by far better examples on public display in the UK for public examination and enjoyment of the type.

I am quite convinced the “cut” and corroded Anson wings would not still survive in the UK, had they not been exported from the UK, and past track record doesnt suggest the Lincoln faced a rosy future either.

Museums cannot “save” everything, and it seems clear that they all had ample opportunity to do so with the prototype Anson, – and did not.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

The South Wales example is at Carew airfield near Tenby.

Basketcase Ansons

Now dont ask me where exactly, but around four or five years ago i happened upon an Anson sitting under tarpaulins somewhere down in south wales in the Milford Haven area i would guess? , you know when you just take the missus out for a drive on a nice afternoon.Well that certainly looked restorable . Whats happening with that one?

I photographed the frame of G-AGWE when it was inside hanging from the roof of the VAC hangar at Titusville. Not seen a report since.

The first one is answered post at 10 and 12 -the example formerly at Bruntingthorpe went to Valiant Air Command at Titusville Florida and has since moved on location unknown.

Does anybody know what happened to the llanbedr airframe and the former Phoenix 19 at brunty back in the mid 1980’s when Nev martin owned it, over to you forumites

Shame, there used to be plenty around – I enquired after the Midland Air Museum example some number of years ago, but felt it was a bit far gone for me at the time. Nowadays, I think I’d know what to do with it!

I also enquired after the Norwich example just after it had been scrapped. Typical!

Bruce

Slight asid. e Some photos of the Strathallan Ansons.

At least most of them found homes again with other museums. Thanks for posting the photos.

Slight aside Some photos of the Strathallan Ansons.

Its not G-AGWE in the picture . The machine pictured was one of the last in RAF service -it headed out to the States in the early 1970’s.

Thanks. Good to know. Though from the last bit of info I heard she’s probably in a similar condition 🙁

Guess it’s VM351 then –

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Avro-652A-Anson/0020710/M/

Its not G-AGWE in the picture . The machine pictured was one of the last in RAF service -it headed out to the States in the early 1970’s.

Here is Simon’s machine in an earlier state of dereliction ! http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/Wrecks/Wrecks.html

There is on eunder rebuild at Elvington dont know the mark but they may have parts for trade ??

Mike E

Well of course your neighbourhood was an Anson hotbed for a while (Mid seventies) with no fewer than six I think with Sir W Roberts.

Absolutely correct, Propstrike. G-AHIC; G-AHKX; G-AYWA; G-APHV (airworthy as VM360); G-AWRS and G-AGWE. In fact that may be ‘GWE in your photo as it was last heard of in the States. Maybe Soko 121 can confirm this?
WD413 was also at Strathallan for a spell in the late 80s though I think it was still actually owned by G. Fraser of Arbroath. So yes, we were well and truly spoiled in this area.

That’s more or less how Aggie Paggie would have look were she assembled in her latter days.

Only difference with the cockpit/cabin area was the windows were gone but the aluminium roof skin remained – the opposite to the US example.

Anon.

Hello All,
well its not UK based, but my Dad has a basketcase Mk Nineteen project here in the US, in the Fort Worth Area, it is one of the planes from the last flyover London when the type was retired. i cannot remember the serial number at this point. i doubt that it will ever be put together again, and the wings and centersection were sitting outside for many years. The fuselage is completely orignal, cockpit also as far as i remember.
drop me a line if interested and i can pass on the contact info.
Simon

Here is a photo, borrowed from this thread on WIX

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=480099

Hello All,
well its not UK based, but my Dad has a basketcase Mk Nineteen project here in the US, in the Fort Worth Area, it is one of the planes from the last flyover London when the type was retired. i cannot remember the serial number at this point. i doubt that it will ever be put together again, and the wings and centersection were sitting outside for many years. The fuselage is completely orignal, cockpit also as far as i remember.
drop me a line if interested and i can pass on the contact info.
Simon

Ansons look quite robust though they are anything but.

With all that fabric covering and a steel tube fuselage it is a recipe for a corrosion disaster when stored outside, which almost all of them were.

Aggie Paggie’s main cockpit glazing must have leaked like a sieve, even when in service, which guaranteed plenty of water getting into where it shouldn’t. Of course, being a tailwheel aircraft if the water enters at the front glazing it then tracks all the way down the fuselage gradually destroying everything it touches, which is why Aggie Paggie’s lower longerons and flooring were either non-existent or just mush, sealing her eventual fate.

Further evidence, if it is needed, that Aggie Paggie’s cockpit glazing leaked from the word go is the copiously-applied black masking tape applied to it seen in a photo we have of her in ’72 within months of her being turfed out of the hangar at Southend.

All very sad for the old girl really – but hopefully not too late in this case as her cockpit is well on the road to recovery.

Thanks for responses so far. What’s the situation with the Carew Cheriton example, does anybody know? I have been told there has already been some spares recovery from the aircraft and the engines are elsewhere.

I think, if the price is right, we’d be prepared to purchase a whole aircraft, if it came to that.

Anon.

Poor old Annies haven’t been treated very well, have they? Guess they lack the glamour of other types despite all the years of dependable service.

Well of course your neighbourhood was an Anson hotbed for a while (Mid seventies) with no fewer than six I think with Sir W Roberts.

Poor old Annies haven’t been treated very well, have they? Guess they lack the glamour of other types despite all the years of dependable service.

Just noticed it here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanair/9601940846/

Time hasn’t been kind to her ! Why this didn’t end up with an appropriate museum in the U.K begers belief!