Lanc NX611 & Seafire VP441

Please ask them to put it onto a dvd ,as well as all the other stuff if they havent alreadym,many thanks:D

Originally posted by lauriebe
Hi Richard,

Just seen your post. I’ll work on those photos shortly and get some posted as you suggest. I’ll include a couple from Lavenham and Squires Gate. I think I have one for Hullavington as well.

For those who haven’t as yet seen the other thread, you can find it here:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19050

Regards,

Laurie

Thanks Laurie, I’ve seen your other thread and the photos you’ve posted there. I’m so glad they’re now available to a much wider ‘viewer’. The one I took at Hullavington should really bring back memories to fellow Forum member ’tilleydog’.

Kind Regards and continue to help the ‘threads’ stay alive.

Richard
(R. J. A.);)

Hi Richard,

Just seen your post. I’ll work on those photos shortly and get some posted as you suggest. I’ll include a couple from Lavenham and Squires Gate. I think I have one for Hullavington as well.

For those who haven’t as yet seen the other thread, you can find it here:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19050

Regards,

Laurie

Originally posted by drm075
Just thought I would post this pic of NX611. It is seen in the background of some Bristol University Air Squadron Chipmunks taken at Filton airfield at the 1964 Airshow. I believe Neil Williams flew it into the show. I did not take the photograph but was at the airshow aged eight.

Good photo, but just for the record NX611 (HA.P)(‘Guy Gibson’) made its appearance at Filton in 1967 (not 1964 – she was still ‘down under’ at that time – finally arriving in the UK at Biggin Hill on 13th May 1965).

Originally posted by Yak 11 Fan
Fascinating stuff about the Lavenham collection, having grown up close to Lavenham long after the aircraft had left however I have been trying over the years to find out more about what was there and what the plans were, I’d love to hear / see more about the collection.

Yes ‘Yak 11 Fan’, from your Profile you came into this world at about the time the ‘Reflectaire’ collection was languishing in the freezing weather conditions of the winter of 1969. Heavy snow on the airfield, ‘volunteers’ huddled up for warmth inside the old Lavenham Control Tower – yet spirits were never rock bottom despite all the setbacks !!

I have a personal collection of photos (mainly b&w) and 8mm cine film (colour) taken during those heady, yet totally memorable days as I’ve said before. I am very happy to share these moments with anyone who shares my passion but there are so many that I’m not sure how best to go about it.

I’ve just moved home and that is taking most of my efforts at present, but when I can find the time I will start to relay these memories on the Forum. My only real problem is that I do not possess a scanner and so have no way of posting the photographic records at this time.

I’ve been regularly communicating with Laurence (‘Lauriebe’) over the past few years in connection with the Seafire FR.47 VP441 and have supplied him with quite a few b&w photos of that aircraft taken at Lavenham, Hullavington and Squires Gate, Blackpool during period 1969 /1972. Maybe, if you’re reading this Laurence, you might be able to post some of those photos to the forum (to your new ‘thread’ on VP441 would probably be best )

Hope this will wet your appetite sufficiently to await my further postings on the Reflectaire collection (this also consisted of some interesting military & civilian vehicles, including a ‘Half-track’ which was often used to tow the Lanc. NX611, especially when it was taxied off the peri track and its port undercarriage sunk into the soft earth at Lavenham Airfield !! The ‘pilot’ on that memorable occasion was (the now late and lamented ) Leonard Cheshire VC, with his children on board also as I recall !!! Interesting Log Book entry !).

One final (well for now anyway) lasting memory of those days was the unhappy ‘recovery’ saga of the historic Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF, transported by road on the back of a flat-back lorry from Booker to Squires Gate in 1970, MINUS its outer wings !!! Anyone who knows of this aircraft’s history will know how disturbing it was to witness this sad ‘mutilation’ ( I have photos !!) and its ignominious arrival at Blackpool, where ‘she’ lay in the open with little protection from the elements for some while. It’s a long story but not a very happy one I’m afraid – I’m only too pleased that that piece of aviation history is now experiencing a very new and active life, despite having been subjected to the ‘ravages of the saw’ in its checkered past.

Enough for now !

R. J. A.:mad:

Fascinating stuff about the Lavenham collection, having grown up close to Lavenham long after the aircraft had left however I have been trying over the years to find out more about what was there and what the plans were, I’d love to hear / see more about the collection.

Originally posted by g6hyf
The old cine sounds really fascinating…..certainly hope someone can incorporate it in perhaps a prequel ….. a video before the 1st in the Pantons series…..Looks like several copies have sold already !!

Attached is a photo that I found at a toy collectors fair……Perhaps someone can fill in the …when it was taken and where etc, etc….??

Clive…

Just thought I would post this pic of NX611. It is seen in the background of some Bristol University Air Squadron Chipmunks taken at Filton airfield at the 1964 Airshow. I believe Neil Williams flew it into the show. I did not take the photograph but was at the airshow aged eight.

An interesting read on your background, RJ. It’s been helpful in understanding how you as an individual fitted in to the vintage aviation scene during those precious early preservation years.

I find it fascinating to think that when you lads and lasses were struggling in those days with little finance, organisation, and backing, that you could forsee the demise of so many historic airframes. I expect in the 1960s that aircraft preservation would not be too high up on the agenda in most peoples minds. I wonder if it was because the war was not that long ago, and perhaps many assumed that there ‘must be’ loads of old WWII aircraft littered around the place. Or perhaps it was just not fashionable when man’s current technological acheivements dominated the headlines (e.g. landing on the moon).

As you have written, It must be something to know that without the work of those such as yourself, that present and future generations would not have these aircraft to look at. I’m not too familiar with the Reflectaire story, but I am aware that the efforts made to save aircraft in those times, however bumpy the ride on the way, cannot be measured in terms of worth. Thank goodness so many aircraft were rescued.

It’s a pleasure having you on the forum – you’ll probably see some ‘heated debates’, measured contributions, and a good dose of humour. Not to mention the varied backgrounds and interests from our contributers. Welcome aboard.

The old cine sounds really fascinating…..certainly hope someone can incorporate it in perhaps a prequel ….. a video before the 1st in the Pantons series…..Looks like several copies have sold already !!

Attached is a photo that I found at a toy collectors fair……Perhaps someone can fill in the …when it was taken and where etc, etc….??

Clive…

Maybe not useful, but my earliest aviation memory is sitting in NX611’s rear turret one summer’s day at Lavenham (was either ’69 or ’70) and the control tower being stuffed full of model aeroplanes – it certainly fired an eight year old’s enthusiasm and probably led to my unhealthy obsession with aeroplanes!

Of course we would all LOVE to see the footage of ‘611, however, I can’t really imagine what Primetime would fill a fourth hour long video about the Lanc with otherwise?

Definately!!!!!

Originally posted by Mark V
I am sure everyone on this forum would agree that your film of NX611 in the late 1960’s is a very precious historic record. I would would love to see it and if the video producers have any sense whatsoever they will recognise this and wish to include it on their next edition

Seconded……..

I am sure everyone on this forum would agree that your film of NX611 in the late 1960’s is a very precious historic record. I would would love to see it and if the video producers have any sense whatsoever they will recognise this and wish to include it on their next edition

Hi there Seafuryfan,

I join Laurie in thanking you for your kind words. The thread which started off by commemorating Neil Williams has developed in an interesting way. My very personal memories of the HAPS / Reflectaire era are as vivid now as they ever were.

I have many a story to recall from those early days of the British Aviation Preservation scene. from becoming a member of the Historic Aircraft Preservation Society (HAPS) in 1965 as a rather young, but enthusiastic, aircraft enthusiast, through the upheavals of the late 60s that resulted in the formation of the company Reflectaire Ltd.

Lancaster NX611 was my strong favourite amongst all the aircraft that HAPS & later Reflectaire had in their collection. This aircraft was the reason that I threw in my ‘desk job’ (Inland Revenue !!!! – Booooooo!) and became one of a very small band of full time “employees” of Reflectaire Ltd. The real behind the scenes story of the “Reflectaire Saga” as it has sadly become titled (in many a Forum thread) over the years has never to my knowledge ever been aired (in public forum that is, anyway!).

The unsung (and largely volunteer) people who dedicated themselves to the task of trying to preserve some irreplacable examples of our wonderful and rich aviation heritage have never been properly recognised for their efforts in my opinion. Often in extreme conditions, such as the bitter winter of 1969 at Lavenham airfield in Suffolk, young lads (and lasses) from differing parts of the southeast of England joined in with ‘locals’ in an often unthankful task of looking after those aircraft. Very limited resources were available in those days to assist them with the task of preserving the precious airframes in their ‘care’ so it is no wonder that things were tough and often mistakes happened, with resulting recriminations being aired, often too much in public !! Many mistaken decisions were made and personal differences amongst those “in charge” of the proposed museum venture appeared to take precedence over the primary objective, that of securing these valuable and historic items of our heritage for generations to come !!!

To some extent the efforts of this ‘unsung’ band did, in no small part, help to keep a number of these aircraft from being consigned to history. Without them I am almost sure that certain aircraft (NX611 and VP441 in particular) may not have been around today in their current condition.

These utterings may indeed provoke some different response(s) from contributors to this Forum, but I will risk that ! I, for one, am unashamedly proud of my personal contribution (no matter how small or apparently insignificant others may view this) towards the ultimate preservation of aircraft that used to grace the HAPS / Reflectaire collection.

Every time I re-aquaint myself with NX611 at East Kirkby I never fail to feel an overwhelming sense of pride that I not only played a small part in ‘her’ life history but I also ‘shared the skies of England’ with her; those majestic Merlins throbbing in my ears as we flew from Biggin Hill to Lavenham in Suffolk in 1969.

I have taken quite a bit of 8mm cine film footage of the escapades that I’ve tried to portray in this Forum theme. This includes film taken at Lavenham (including on-board footage of the ferry flight from Biggin Hill), Hullavington and of the ‘final’ (to date !) flight of NX611 to ‘Squires Gate’ Airport, Blackpool, taken from the accompanying ‘chase plane’.

I have not, as yet, had the opportunity to have this unique footage copied on to a more modern media, but I have spoken briefly with both the Panton brothers at East Kirkby and ‘Primetime Videos’ in Boston, Lincs. and suggested that they might like to incorporate this archive footage in their next video venture. I believe that they would be interested in this offer, but I await their formal approach before I go any further at this point in time. What do you, or other fellow enthusiasts, feel about this proposal ? Would this footage be a valuable contribution towards a 4th video, in what could easily be an ongoing series ? I’d really be pleased to get some feedback before I take this much further.

Finally, I’ve been trying to establish renewed contact with any of the people who were associated with the HAPS / Reflectaire museum venture during the 1960s / 1970s. If any of you are out there reading this, how about making yourself known. I feel that it would be great to arrange some form of reunion at some stage in the future. How about it !!!!

I’d love to hear from any of you, but enough for now.

Best Wishes

Hi Seafuryfan,

Thanks for the kind words. Only to happy to talk about VP441. Hope that my small amount of knowledge helps in some way.

Regards,

Laurie.