Enstone Bits And Pieces

Yes very interesting place Enstone, its one of the few places now where you can explore with relative freedom compared to other similar sites. Some interesting items are the old control tower, original rifle range beyond the new airfield boundary and two APC’s on Northside grass.

Very friendly bunch of lads at Oxfordshire Sports Flying also!

Yeah, I heard the Messenger was up for sale. Was still there in January and not looking like moving anytime soon (crammed in between cars, boats, bits and aircraft, on jacks, with many parts not attached yet as a result of the ongoing restoration). Have pictures somewhere, will try and look them up.

Few years ago there was a complete Anson in one of the hangars. Don’t know what happened to it. A friend of mine has a plane there.

That Anson was WD413/G-BFIR which was stored there for a while, before joining the Atlantique Classic Flight as G-VROE and is currently one of only two airworthy Ansons in the world.

I believe the messenger has left recently as it was offered to me for sale at the end of the last year. It was in the locked hangar before sale but I believe its just being re – registered.

FB

Anson

Yes, from my days at the gliding club I can remember the Anson in the hangers on the North side of the airfield. Last I recall of it being there was probably late 1990’s.
There was also a Vulcan nose/cockpit section there around the same time – though whether they were both there at the same time I can’t remember.

Enstone Anson ?

Few years ago there was a complete Anson in one of the hangars. Don’t know what happened to it. A friend of mine has a plane there.

G-AKBO

The Meteor is a bitza, but the front fuselage section, the wing centre section and undercart are from WM366. This was an NF 13 sold to the Israelis when we left the canal zone.
It is quite historic, being the only Meteor NF to score a kill when they shot down an Egyptian transport which they thought was carrying a senior Egyptian officer.

Missed the Messenger as well but one hangar was locked. Which one is it?

Thanks Thunderbird. It looked as though some rubbing down has been undertaken on the Meteor so hopefully it’s due for a repaint. I didn’t see any signs of anything other than the wings and engines/props of the Bristol Frightener.

Firghtener tailcone, vertical tail, stabilizer, both engines, both (bent) props, cowlings, undercarriage and nose doors are all in two seperate hangars at Enstone (one of them is locked most of the time). Flightdeck sits on the driveway of the owner nearby the airfield, under tarps. At least, that’s what the owner told me. Wings and (crushed) centre section of fuselage behind the open hangar.

I gather you missed the Messenger, Horizon and Cub undergoing long-term restoration then too (same hangar)… Interesting place, this Enstone. Spent some time there in January digging out our then newly acquired T.21.

Does anyone know what became of the flight deck and tail unit of the Freighter, I seem to remeber they were still around on the site about ten years ago.

The Meteor is WM366 previously at Lasham so I would guess the Hunter is E-423 from Lasham