Blackburn Ripon is under restoration

I just returned from Vesivehmaa, what a great plane! Unfortunately Ripon was only indoor (and no sun in sight) so only dark photos for now.

Martti

Grendel.Many thanks have responded by PM.

Updated a bit again.

P.S. Any chance of tracking down Lauli Manonen retd. from your Air Force.? He was an IL -28 Pilot of note and an old course mate from the early 70’s . Do contact me off line if so.

25deg, maybe “Lauri Manonen”? With r?
Course mate in 70s where, what course?
I could ask around, if you pass a bit more info.

Ok, found more information about the plane from my archives.
This specific plane, RI-140, is from the II-series built in Finland, and passed to squadron 12.11.1931. It was removed from inventory on 20.9.1943 and the plane has in total 1261h 30 min flight time.

The article will be updated in the evening, with more information both in Finnish and English.

Martii,
I admit it ‘looks’ quite big, but maybe you are just quite small. I can swing a Tiger Moth, and a Ripon can’t be much different.

Yeah, go for it Propstrike! :diablo:

Greetings,

I have updated the article with longer English language description and a few more photographs.

http://www.virtualpilots.fi/feature/photoreports/ripon/

There will be more information next week after the museum opening, when I and Martti have had the chance to make a thorough walkaround on the plane, if weather permits. The plan is to pull the plane outside the hangar.

The Ripon is quite an amazing plane. The old wartime pilots of FiAF have all numerous stories about it. Its ability to carry huge loads was rather legendary. One of the local veterans has mentioned a case, when four men were packed into the fuselage playing cards, while a fifth chap was flying to plane. Quite roomy. On another flight they had a Brewster engine, a crate of fresh moose meat, skis and at least two men as cargo.

Best regards,
Jukka O. Kauppinen

lots and lots of Bollys Rob – the problem is that Mercury’s dont exactly grow on trees and most of the fuselages are stripped internally…

TT

Yep, and there’s still quite a few lying around in Canada, maybe one day when i’ve got the money i’ll bring one back…. I can dream!

Some interesting other survivors in Finland here http://www.preservedaxisaircraft.com/Finland/finnish.htm including the only complete Blenheim IV in the world, and a lovely Bristol Bulldog IV

The remaining “Blenheim”s being Bolingbrokes, I presume?

ADrian

Some interesting other survivors in Finland here http://www.preservedaxisaircraft.com/Finland/finnish.htm including the only complete Blenheim IV in the world, and a lovely Bristol Bulldog IV

We await, salivating… 😀

Adrian

It would make an amazing thread…

Great idea! I shall look the darkest corners of my local museums and then report back here, shouldn’t take more than a week. :rolleyes:

I think the correct phrase here is “Bloody hell!”.

Martti,

It is obvious that Finland has a shedload of amazing aircraft lying around that most of us here in the UK are completely unaware of. You ought to do some investigating and find what museums do have of interest to us here in the UK (ie things we scrapped the last of years ago – like Ripons, Buffaloes…), and those that are just of interest like the ones you mentioned earlier.

It would make an amazing thread…

Adrian

Brilliant Pics – news to me – thanks for posting – looks like one of those ‘dream’ barn finds

TT

I admit it ‘looks’ quite big, but maybe you are just quite small. I can swing a Tiger Moth, and a Ripon can’t be much different.

Tell you what, why don’t you practice on the intermediate Hawker Hind, and then we’ll see… 😉

More seriously: Great news. Good luck!

,
I admit it ‘looks’ quite big, but maybe you are just quite small. I can swing a Tiger Moth, and a Ripon can’t be much different.

Tiger Moth:

Length: 23 ft 11 in (7.34 m)
Wingspan: 29 ft 4 in (8.94 m)
Height: 8 ft 9 in (2.68 m)

Blackburn Ripon IIF:

Length: 37 ft 8 in (11,5 m)
Wingspan: 44 ft 11 in (13,7 m)
Height: 13 ft 9 in (4,2 m)

Absolutely incredible. The photos on the link are an enthusiasts dream! It looks as it if it’s been simply stored away after use and is then rediscovered with 70 odd years of dust on it.

Fantastic! All the best for the restoration.

Martii,
I admit it ‘looks’ quite big, but maybe you are just quite small. I can swing a Tiger Moth, and a Ripon can’t be much different.

Great news. Are there other treasures awaiting overhaul?

Hi Alex!

Yes, absolutely! For instance there are many great aircrafts at Vesivehmaa (where the Ripon is), Caudron C.714, VL Kotka and Aero A-32 (Jupiter Aero).

Martti