Comet Response

Ok Ian,sent you a private message with my contact details. 🙂

lyneham comet

hi ant:
Got permission to-day to take some pics,so do that tomorrow if the weathers fine,I need to know how to contact you via e-mailso if you could let me knowI would be grateful.just a passing thought are you intersted in stuff with merlins attached to them.

ian

Hi Ian,
I’d be very,very,very interested to see pics of the Lyneham Comet!A few general shots are always nice,but the really useful ones will be close ups if you can get any,especially somewhere like the undercarriage bays where corrosion tends to be most evident.I’ve not heard anything on the Comet’s condition,so any pics you can take will be very useful in assessing how saveable the aircraft is.
My theory is that having inherited the Cosford Comet1,the RAFM now have less interest in this awkwardly placed Comet2 and so would rather do away with it than organise a recovery and restoration for an aircraft they have another example of,rather than the aircraft actually being beyond redemption or unsafe.
Thanks again Ian,it would be much appreciated!

lyneham comet

hi ant:
I saw your message to phillo about the comet as I’m currently fitting new carpets at the Sgt’s mess which is opposite the airframe I’ll ask in the guard room if I can take a few pic’s.There’s also a Dak on “B site entrance,but here’s the problem I do’nt know how to upload the pics on the forum but can e-mail them to you so that you can if your interested.

Thank you Alastair 🙂 I hope to make it up sometime this year, so fingers crossed!

Ashley

If you do manage up here Ashley drop me a mail and I’ll meet you through there . Bar lunch at the Glen Golf Club is on me.

Originally posted by DOUGHNUT
While not wishing to prejudge the new ‘Direction of Collections’ she is unlikely to be a aviation person and will be more concerned about the general public’s opinion of the whole museum. This is more likely to be the state of the toilets and than the condition of the aircraft.

Doughnut…you might be surprised actually…:)

It looks as though the Comet is safe though fortunately…and one day I WILL get up to East Fortune to see things for myself.

Ashley

The Museum has been busy on the last two weekend when I’ve been through , the restoration hangar is looking good , hopefully I’ll meet Mr Leyden when I’m through on Saturday – I’ve been trying to get a decent photo of the two Spits together , but my photographic skills are 5hit – this is my last attempt !!!

Well that’s a good positive sign for the future. I know the MoF has had some bad press in the last few years, for whatever reasons, but at the end of the day it’s primary responsibility is the care and preservation of the airframes and artifacts in it’s possession – sounds like Mr Layden and his crew have got that priority uppermost in their minds. 🙂

Ant ,
It was me who was told by a MoF Volunteer on Sat 19th that the Comet was going to be scrapped , I mistakenly thought that it was Mr Leyden I had spoken to , I have apologised to Mr Leyden for the mistaken identity , attached is the return Email from Mr Leyden.

Dear Alaister

Thankyou for the Email.

If you can give me a description of the member of staff who told you that
the comet was to be scrapped, I will quite happily hang them from the comets
tail. The comet is not being scrapped and we are presently preparing a
conservation plan for the aircraft. At some point your kind offer may be
taken up!!!!!

I have passed your tug inquiry to the curator who will be in touch with you.

On a more general note, the MOF will be going through a period of
significant change over the next few months and we will be resolving who
willbe giving talks. the web site and other such tasks over the next few
months. If you have a requirement for any information etc then please
address all correpsondence to me here at the MOF.

I am very keen to meet all supporters of the musuem, so if I am around the
next time you are in just ask to see me at the desk and I will pop down.

Robert Layden
General Manager
Musuem of Flight

Hi folks,
Just to let you know that I’ve recieved conformation that the East Fortune Comet will NOT be scrapped!This information comes from the MoF management directly.Phew!
It’s unclear how the rumour came about,but there seems to have been some misunderstanding between museum management and volounteers,aswell as some outside speculation.
Before we sigh and start wondering if it was all worthwhile,I’d say yes it was!It’s important that we get involved when an important airframe comes under threat,and if it proves to be a rumour,as in this case,it gives the museum a chance to ‘clear thier name’ and make sure that the rumour is quashed once and for all.No matter how things turn out,we also learn something from every experience anyway,so it’s never a wasted effort.There will be other cases like this in the future I’m sure,so this is good practise!
Thanks to everyone who wrote to the Museum and/or gave thier support,it’s greatly appreciated by many.Here’s to more happy outcomes to our emailing campaigns! 🙂

Problem is that when the current hangar was built, it was the perfect size. Unfortunately things have grown since then, so it is now too small.

Plans are afoot for more covered space in due course – primarily to get the prototype Mossie out of its current hangar, which is less than ideal. Hopefully, we can house the Comet 1 at the same time.

All the best

Bruce

Thanks for the update on the Comet 1. Shame it will never be complete, but at least it’s ‘safe’.

What you guys have always needed is a decent hangar.

Willow

The Comet 1 and Comet 4 are very different aeroplanes, so the wing would not fit the Comet 1.

In any case, IF there is a corrosion problem with the 4 at E Fortune, it will be due to deterioration of the wing spars, so it would be a no-go.

In any case, the Comet 1 fuselage at Salisbury Hall is not in good enough condition to take a wing without a lot of work. We are looking carefully at her future at the moment, but it really needs a hangar before much can be done.

Kind regards

Bruce

It looks like the Comet is staying , I just got a reply from the new General Manager – will post it here as soon as I have time (tonight )

If it was to go, would the wings and tail feathers be of any use to the Mosquito Air Museum at Salisbury Hall. They have a Comet 1 fuselage on display. Theres probably some differences, but it would make it into a complete aeroplane.

Willow

While not wishing to prejudge the new ‘Direction of Collections’ she is unlikely to be a aviation person and will be more concerned about the general public’s opinion of the whole museum. This is more likely to be the state of the toilets and than the condition of the aircraft.

DOUGHNUT

Thanks for putting a word in Ashley,nice one! 🙂 It should be very helpful to have someone aviation minded in a position of influence up there,especially when they know how many folks are keeping an eye on ’em 😉 .

Originally posted by Ashley
Well…the IWM’s Director of Collections is leaving the Museum this week to take up a new position with the Museums of Scotland as their Director of Collections…at her leaving do yesterday I mentioned the Comet to her, and said I would be keeping an eye on what happens to it 🙂 So I will try and keep in contact with her and see what lies ahead for the Comet…

Ashley

Thanks Ashley that is a bit of good news for a change , what is her name ??? , me and some of the other Scottish enthusiasts ( Uncle Keith , Merlin and hopefully Der ) are going to try to reschedule our meet-up at East Fortune , this was cancelled as the builders were still working on the place, it would be nice to see you and some of the other FF regulars up here , we even have two Spitfires within polishing range of each other . I will look through the airshow schedule then post a poll so people can vote which weekend to use. Many thanks .

Originally posted by Ant Harrington
Hmmmmmmmmm,interesting Alastair,and more than a bit worrying.If one part of the Museum doesn’t know what the otehr half is doing there’s sure to be problems afoot. ::rolleyes:

My sentiments exactly Ant , I thought this would all change for the better when Dawn left but it I fear not .