EON Olympia 2b

Well its not flown yet – what with the weather and then the waterlogged conditions at the airfield. Fingers crossed that will changeas the weather improves! More importantly completely accidentally met up with EricMunk of this forum and shared a few stories and a heck of a lot of beer. Nice to meet you chap – hope you all made it back to Holland in that van OK!

FB

Yep. Made it back by 2 am this morning, back at work now, our ‘new’ T.21b is safe and sound in dry storage awaiting the start of the restoration.

Oly at Turweston

Looks like this.

Oly at Turweston in Mick Allen’s spray shop is being finished as ETPS registration VV401 and not as stated, VV400. VV401 crashed at Farnborough and was written off in 1952. VV400 still exists and is under rebuild, therefore Turweston Oly is being finished as sister ship VV401.

I haven’t seen Richard Kilham for some time how is he? My family are of to the Vintage rally at Haddenham (Bucks) next friday to monday. I had hopped Chris Wills would be going, but he’s in hospital, not good. I dont know if any Oly’s are turning up, but would love to see some.

Dave

Oly 2 B

Superb pictures, would love to see more. CQG now finished resto and ready to fly thanks to Richard Kilham.

FB

I’ve really enjoyed reading after BJC’s restoration and this might be of interest. I’ve just discovered that another Olympia is being restored ready for 2012. It’s presently at Turweston airfield awaiting painting by Mick Allan and is reportedly going to be painted as VV400 once used by the Empire Test Pilots School. Should be quite a sight.

If it is indeed the same aircraft that makes it BGA1697 originally built in 1947 and used in record flights by Bill Bedford.

Simon

Looks like this.

The following pix taken at Redhill 20/21 Sept 1947 after a flight from Long Mynd. Pilots name was Grieg (that’s all that was on the neg envelope).

I do not know if this was the prototype or not.

That’s definitely my older brother as a 7 year old on the left.

VV400/ BGA1697

Quick update on VV400 / BGA1697. The restoration is ongoing but we have major problems with glue failure in the wings which is taking some time to sort out. Hopefully the wings will be repaired by August. The museum of Berkshire Aviation have been kind enough to give me a host of Oly spare parts which have been invaluable. The glider has a new trailer. There is a short article in the latest VGC magazine about the glider and its record flights piloted by Bill Bedford
regards
AJP

Yep – know all about that – the chap restoring it and I had a long chat some 5 or 6 months ago, not seen how he is progressing, but indeed it is the same aeroplane!

Will be good to see it out and about!

FB

Another Oly

FB

I’ve really enjoyed reading after BJC’s restoration and this might be of interest. I’ve just discovered that another Olympia is being restored ready for 2012. It’s presently at Turweston airfield awaiting painting by Mick Allan and is reportedly going to be painted as VV400 once used by the Empire Test Pilots School. Should be quite a sight.

If it is indeed the same aircraft that makes it BGA1697 originally built in 1947 and used in record flights by Bill Bedford.

Simon

FB

Just to let you know I have agreed to buy BLW from Bignose and she’ll be at Feshie permanently from end April. Pop up sometime if you fancy some flying on a decent sized ridge!

Dave

Well, the end of the year and the Oly has only managed some 50 hours, but at least its safe and flying where she belongs. Shes scheduled for a maintenance input in February and I’m having a meeting with the rest of the syndicate Wednesday to work out a recover plan!

We have registered her for the Olympic Olys meet, something that will hopefully coincide with the 2012 Olympics and will mark the dissappointing situation where we find that gliding is not an Olympic Sport (thanks to the war)!

So – a recovered and repainted Oly in 2011 – pictures to follow!

FB

Hi

Have just managed to find 8 good ones, but let me know by PM what your minimum order number and unit price is…

Rgds

FB

FB – you still looking for skid doughnuts? I’m getting some ordered.

Dave

Great! they are really lovely to fly. Makes the work worthwhile

Gorgeous day yesterday and was stuck in the Pawnee towing everyone into the good conditions. Took off in the evening in her – soared to 5400ft and ran up and down cloud streets between the club and Petersfield – lovely.

Landed after several hours at 7pm and the sky was still going up.

Better performance than I had expected – what a fantastic machine! Towing again today but thursday looks awesome!

Regards

FB[/QUOTE]

FB! Congratulations, and envy on my part. I knew you’d love the Oly. I deplore the lack of pictures – can we have some please?

Soggy

I FLEW THE OLY!!!!!

Gorgeous day yesterday and was stuck in the Pawnee towing everyone into the good conditions. Took off in the evening in her – soared to 5400ft and ran up and down cloud streets between the club and Petersfield – lovely.

Landed after several hours at 7pm and the sky was still going up.

Better performance than I had expected – what a fantastic machine! Towing again today but thursday looks awesome!

Regards

FB

Oly 2 b

I love flying her, she is very balanced. Always a releif though when C of A is done.

We hope to have her in the air again on Friday, rigging isnt bad at all, takes about 20 mins and is light weight compared with a Skylark 2

Not sure why it had the trigraph put on it. Its the same glider though, your picture includes the trailer, we are still using it!! Also it has the modified canopy you mentioned.
What are the dates of your flights, we do have the log book for the glider from 1964.

I will dig out the pictures of the resto and as soon as I have some of the new Oly I will post them.

We are still trying to decide if it will be best to get her wings sprayed ( we dont have the facility to do that and want the rear of the wings finished clear)
then do the rest and C of A her ourselves or to bite the bullet and get some one to do the rest for us so she will be in use as soon as possible.

Work that needs doing, so far as we are aware, is wing and tail plane sprayed, Check the brake box is OK on the port wing, looks to be standing a little proud so may need re doing. We have the birch ply.

Re assemble and replace skids. Doughnuts required We need a compass, I was out bid on the one on e-bay.

Instrument panel is in excellent order with wiring for logger and radio should we want to put them in. Should then be ready for C of A.

Hello Jackie

Have just dug out my old gliding log book and I last flew the Oly in August 83 at Chetwynd, flight was 1hr 43 minutes with maximum height during the flight of 4300ft from a 1000ft aerotow.The tow plane was a Chippie and during the launch you had to have the stick right forward in the Oly to stay in position as the slowest tow speed of the chippie was still faster than the Oly liked. Seem to remember it was no problem though. The longest flight I had in her was 2hrs 37 mins when I did my silver distance from Chetwynd down to Pershore. Great times and lots of fun.

Ken

I did notice a few last weekend when I was in the Bicester hangar – would have been nice if someone had shown me how to shut the hangar doors though! Can you PM off list with his contact details – need a main wheel braking system for a Crapston…..

FB