As requested, here’s a walkaround of the Royal Air Force Museum’s Bristol F2b Fighter. It’s mostly a replica using some original parts, and interestingly the fabric has been left off one side so you can see the interior and construction, which works very well as you can easily see both sides of the aircraft. There’s also a ‘mystery item’ I can’t ID, if anyone can help? Some photos are a bit off balance, due to having to use a mini tripod balanced against walls/display boards etc
Observer position
Cockpit
Lewis gun in the Observer position
Forward firing Lewis gun field modification
Rear fuselage
Not quite sure what this is – it was to the right of the cockpit, so i’d imagine it was for the pilot to look at. Thought maybe it was for aircraft identification, reminding him to check the markings before opening fire?
The guard around the propeller is a bit of an annoyance
By: Turbi - 2nd December 2007 at 20:59
I think it was Fox Moth G-ACEJ used to have a sign in the cabin saying “Aeroplanes bite fools”.
I think it was Norman Jones at the Tiger Club who put this in many of the Club aircraft, as EJ served time with the Club it seems likely. Some of the Club Turbulents still have this in a prominent place on the panel.
By: G-ASEA - 2nd December 2007 at 20:07
I remember in the late 1960’s early 70’s on a air cadet vist to Old Warden a friend of mine swinging the prop of the E E Wren. Which then started and ran for a few seconds. Luckly it stopped and for us nobody was around to tell us off.
Dave ex 460 sqdn ATC
By: BSG-75 - 2nd December 2007 at 18:12
I dislike moaning about other peoples kids, I have two of my own – but some ferrell moron was swinging on the Fulmar rudder at Yeovillton last time I was there. 😡 😡 and Spurs have just lost again, my mood won’t improve much…
By: WJ244 - 2nd December 2007 at 18:03
Unfortunately the prop guard is probably a necessity simply because many members of the great British public will mess around with things that they don’t understand.
I remember that even 30 odd years ago when I worked in school holidays at the Southend museum virtually every idiot that walked into the display hall insisted on playing with the wind driven generator on our Messenger (which was on loan and still, in theory, flyable although I think it was beginning to suffer the effects of glue rot) and any request to leave it alone was usually met with a hail of abuse. Many also insisted on trying to swing the prop. I remember one particularly obnoxious individual who was extremely rude when asked to leave the prop and generator alone. He was in the curators office a few minutes later with a very nasty cut across the palm of his hand. The Messenger had got its own back and bitten him when he tried (yet again) to swing the prop after winding up the generator. His threats to sue us for having a dangerous aeroplane fell on deaf ears and the curator gave him directions to the nearest hospital to get his hand stitched and pointed him in the direction of the exit.
The other frequent complaint was that we should cut off all the pitot heads because the punters used to walk into them even when we put red flags on them.
I think it was Fox Moth G-ACEJ used to have a sign in the cabin saying “Aeroplanes bite fools”. It is a shame that many members of the public fail to heed this advice and force museums to take such steps to ensure safety.
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December 1, 2007 at 3:02 pm