Latest Withams sale – Comet Fuse ID?

Getting back to the Comet thread and possibly closing it, we now know, thanks to our Forum Sponsor, Flypast, that the fuselage has gone to a truck dealer in Nieuwerkerk aan Ijssel in the Netherlands.

these any help. geof.

What Puma hulk is that in the photograph?

My brother in law has a photograph of a Spitfire with the letters RA in front of the roundel and GJ after it. I told him it was evidently a senior officer as they were allowed to use their initials as codes. Has anyone any idea how I can trace who it was?

Ken

There is already an answer here
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28786&page=3

My brother in law has a photograph of a Spitfire with the letters RA in front of the roundel and GJ after it. I told him it was evidently a senior officer as they were allowed to use their initials as codes. Has anyone any idea how I can trace who it was?

Ken

Not quite sure what this is doing in this thread, but four character squadron codes were used postwar by Royal Auxiliary Air Force units when they were part of Reserve Command, RAG was used by 600 (City of London) Sqn R.Aux.A.F at Biggin Hill on its Spitfires between 1946 and 1949. See http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn600-604.htm

Aircraft codes.

My brother in law has a photograph of a Spitfire with the letters RA in front of the roundel and GJ after it. I told him it was evidently a senior officer as they were allowed to use their initials as codes. Has anyone any idea how I can trace who it was?

Ken

Does the Nimrod fuselage used as a mock up of the MR4 (XV?146?) still exist at Warton as some sources list it as scrapped and others as on the fire dump??

Sadly Nimrod XV147 fuse that was at Warton was broken up and scrapped in February 2003 when the hangar it was housed in was demolished. XV148 is now reduced to a nose section which is under restoration.

Martin

i dont think it would be a wise move. unless i could get three bedrooms a and a bathroom in it, would fit on my plot though. geof.

Good enough for a start Geof, welcome to the forum. Does that mean you are going to bid?:D

a few photos from witham tenders. got a few of the interior of the nimrod if interested, sorry about the quality they were take with my phone. geof.

Vicky Ten,
Thanks for that, LR Wolf, that was the one, I remember the original conversion course was 2 weeks coz they were a bit lively LoL I must be gettin old (I remember Bedford RL’s in service) if the DAFs are gettin the chop 😡 Ok back to aviation then, I look forward to any further info re the Comrod / Nimet fuselage. Sorry for the diversion folks. Bex

Alot of LHD vehicles have been disposed of since Eastern Europe became our best mates, though I am curious as to the desert colours?? Also dont forget that the Landy 90 & 110 series have also been displaced by newer design vehicles, I forget the MOD designation….. help out here Serving friends.. please? Im curious as to the Bedford MJ / MK replacement the DAF up for grabs & the Bedford TM’s too, driven the lot in my day (still got me old FMT600)….. soz gettin old LoL. Bex

The latest (from 1996) Landrovers are designated TUM (HS) or Truck Utility Medium (High Spec) or ‘LandRover Wolf’ to those who use them, Pinzgauers have also replaced them in some roles.

The Defenders are as you quite rightly say, variants of the older 90/110 Defender series of the ’80s although many remain in use

The Bedford / Leyland Daf replacement is a new MAN design which is due in service this year.

I am dealing with Withams at work at the moment, I will see what the Comet fuselage business is all about.

I wonder what’s up with the brand new Defender special ops vehicle. Why dispose of something brand new? :confused:

Alot of LHD vehicles have been disposed of since Eastern Europe became our best mates, though I am curious as to the desert colours?? Also dont forget that the Landy 90 & 110 series have also been displaced by newer design vehicles, I forget the MOD designation….. help out here Serving friends.. please? Im curious as to the Bedford MJ / MK replacement the DAF up for grabs & the Bedford TM’s too, driven the lot in my day (still got me old FMT600)….. soz gettin old LoL. Bex

I wonder what’s up with the brand new Defender special ops vehicle. Why dispose of something brand new? :confused:

Anybody know which Puma is in the sale?

EPF Nimrod

If anyone has any info or pictures on the Nimrod fuselage that was/is used by the RAF Exhibition Flight, i’d be keen to see it.

I worked on the Exhibition Flt trailers in the ’80s when they were based at EPF, RAF Henlow before they were contracted. In those days it was mounted on two 40ft trailers that had to be reversed together, giving, I guess, a 80ft walkthrough exhibit. I believe it was a Comet fuselage originally.

Cheers

As it stands, it would be an interesting exhibit kept the way it is. It is pretty representative of the Nimrod MR2. However, when an MR2 comes up for disposal, it would quickly become redundant..

This thing rather falls between two stools – in many ways, it would be better to use it for spares (such as they are), which makes the price way over the top.

The museum would be absolutely delighted if you all helped us with our current hangar plans – which do include getting F-BGNX under cover. I intend to begin a comprehensive restoration in the next 3-4 years, but for an airframe that is entirely stripped of every last piece, this will be a significant undertaking!

The price of the Comrod needs to be about £3-4K before it is worth acquiring I feel. There may be others who feel different!

Bruce

I’m sure Bruce would rather have us all chip in the £20K to put a roof over F-BGNX and do a thorough restoration? It’s not quantity of preserved Comets but Quality that counts?? Maybe the Cockpit would be worth saving but not at that price!! Only other use for it would be to keep it as a travelling exhibit sponsored by the BAPC or similar?

Just though I’d lob this one into the pot. One of these is G-ALYW, the other F-BGNX, but I’m not sure which is which. Martin Painter, who wrote the Air Britain Comet book, did tell me but I’ve forgotten. If I remember rightly, the chunk of fuselage at right is from the prototype – can anyone confirm?
Picture taken by my teenage self at Farnborouigh 1968.
I might have posted this previously – I can’t remember now, but apologies if anyone has a sense of deja vu.

William

Now here’s a thing, I travelled up north for Mothers Day and decided to call in and see a friend at Long Bennington, just north of Grantham.
As I reported on another thread, I was going round the roundabout on the A1 just where all the services are, north of Grantham, when I saw this thing linked to an artic heading south, obviously it was on it’s way to Colsterworth, which is just down the road, looked more like a Comet than a Nimrod to me and looking at their website, it’s the same piece of kit that I saw.
Looked immaculate, it must be saved.
The guide price is ridiculous, scrap value must be next to nothing in comparison.
I’ll be prepared to make a donation, not a lot, can’t afford it, but if everyone could chuck something in to save what looked like an historic airframe, lets all go for it, how many people contribute to this site, I’m sure Bruce would like it at Salisbury Hall.

Pete,
Like you I cant afford to put alot in the pot, but I agree with you on this one it does need saving. For the money their asking though I hope they also chuck in the tractor unit too. (If it helps I got an HGV Class1 LoL) Bex