Stringbag said on another thread . . .
“The Hunter concerned is still in existance today – WV381 which is based at Culham and used for lightning tests.
I have a scanned newspaper cutting from the Portsmuff news somewhere showing a photo of the jet being lifted out the water.
I’ll post it if and when I can find it on a new thread.
I think the last FAA aircraft to fly out of RNAS Lee-on-Solent was the RNHF Mk.II Swordfish, not exactly what you would expect”
You mean the last FAA aircraft. Actually very fitting since the Channel Dash Swordfii left from there, stopped off at Manston and then got shot down (as I am sure you are well aware with a Hampshire address and stringbag as a moniker!). Lots of other stuff since and the occasional visit by the dirty and dangerous mob.
My great grandad built the house that is out on the airfield as well as a lot of others around Lee. He went bust due to fast women and slow horses.
I did write to them ages ago about basing my aeroplane there but got no answer. It is a fair way off from home but I am determined to land there as I had my first and second flights from Lee, first in a 172 from the 1971 or 2 air day and secondly in the Slingsby Capstan when I was hanging around at the gliding club. In those days you could tell the guy on the gate you were going round to the gliding and off you could go without security checks.
Wish I had learned to fly then and not countless years later.
Melvyn Hiscock
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 12th February 2004 at 17:15
Those are excellent.
you should have popped in for a cuppa on your way home.
I was not quite two years old!
Melvyn
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:24
and finally Firefly 6
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:23
Firefly 5
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:22
Firefly 4
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:22
Firefly 3
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:21
Firefly 2
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:20
How strange.
It rejected all the Fireflies.
I will try again.
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:17
and finally.
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:16
.
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:10
.
By: Mark12 - 12th February 2004 at 11:10
Gosport/ Lee on Solent
Melvyn,
I have found the negs. I think these were taken post the the ‘Air Day’ at Lee in 1959.
I have scanned straight off the fairly low quality negs and racked them up a bit as we decided not to climb the wire – so quality of some could be a lot better.
Mark
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 11th February 2004 at 15:24
Incidentally also a big up for the Denny’s. Clive came down and gave me a quote for doing the wings and then the motor cost more than I thought (quelle surprise). I couldn’t take him up but he offered all sorts of advice and Linda was great on the phone too when I was stuck.
They are the sort of people that make this rebuilding lark bearable.
There are others of course that do the opposite but not on this forum eh?!
so instead:
Vintec – Brilliant
Vintage fabrics – Brilliant
Avionics Mobile – Brilliant
PFA -Brilliant
Steve Moon (cowlings) – a star
Fairchild Club – v helpful
Those are just a few.
Melvyn
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 11th February 2004 at 15:17
Originally posted by JDK
Glad to see you are making progess Melv. Hanging an engine is a good idea. Maybe Sir would like to consider……a Merlin? :p
Nah, a Reawin can use it’s own. It’s only Luftwaffe beasts that need Merlins fitted. They lost, din’t they? You can tell (so I’m told) by the way that all the Germans and Japanese are driving Rovers… And in Britain, they drive, big, silver, -um- German cars. Remind me – who won?:rolleyes: Fiat anybody?
I considered all sorts of things when I couldn’t find a round engine. at one point I worked out a Clerget rotary would be cheaper than a Warner (probably still is). This one ceased to be Ken-Royce powered in 1957 and has had various Warners since then. The previous motor is on the front of the ex-ARCO Avro 504.
A Merlin would have been fun though. Probably cheaper than the Warner I have now! (No disrespect to Vintec at all as they were excellent and have made a silk purse from a sow’s ear).
As for Rovers, the last one I had was Jap engined. Kept veering towards aircraft carriers. Got pinched. How I laughed, er, I mean cried.
Got a German one now (the one I stoofed into a bank on the way to Rob Rudhall’s funeral – I hope he was watching). Straight six and the nearest I will get to a Fokker DVII until we finished the Memorial Flight one in France.
Kiters, it is about time you got off that Buchon-esque bum of yours and came and saw it.
Melvyn
Now, a Merlin in my BMW . . . . . .
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 11th February 2004 at 15:10
Originally posted by Yak 11 Fan
Melvyn,Is yours the Rearwin that came in to the country via AJD?
That’s the one. Also the one that was for sale about four years ago without my knowledge! I managed to get that knocked on the head!
Was NC25403, then G-BVLK and then in a fit of naffness I changed it to EVLE. I told P**ot that it was because it was straight lines and easier to paint.
I have to say it was in a hell of a state. Not AJD’s fault at all and they know nothing of that but all previous rebuilds had been done by Stevie Wonder!
Loads and loads of work but I can now say that of all the red aeroplanes I have ever owned, this is one of the reddest.
MH
By: JDK - 11th February 2004 at 13:44
Glad to see you are making progess Melv. Hanging an engine is a good idea. Maybe Sir would like to consider…
…a Merlin? :p
Nah, a Reawin can use it’s own. It’s only Luftwaffe beasts that need Merlins fitted. They lost, din’t they? You can tell (so I’m told) by the way that all the Germans and Japanese are driving Rovers… And in Britain, they drive, big, silver, -um- German cars. Remind me – who won?:rolleyes: Fiat anybody?
By: Yak 11 Fan - 11th February 2004 at 10:48
Melvyn,
Is yours the Rearwin that came in to the country via AJD?
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 11th February 2004 at 10:44
Thanks,
As posted elsewhere I was down there yesterday and saw the Cat from Brune Lane (local knowledge see . . .) but weekends, and most weekdays, at the moment are spent on the expensive red thing. We should be getting the engine on soon and then I have to find somewhere to fly from.
May well come down and see the Cat though. However, I am a little wary of flying boats. After 36 hours in Kullusuk Greenland with a blown engine on the Albatross . . .
Melvyn
By: paulc - 11th February 2004 at 10:31
Melvyn,
yes – I am involved with the big winged thing 😉 and am always happy to show visitors (by air or car) round.
The other big winged thing in the hangar (in kit form) is still being worked on but as usual funds are always going to be a problem.
If you want a car visit then please let me know and I am sure a date can be arranged.
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 11th February 2004 at 10:18
Originally posted by paulc
Melvyn,in order to fly into Lee you need to have a reason to visit and proof of indemnity insurance sent to them in advance.
I can provide the reason to visit as I am involved in a restoration project on the airfield and have had 1 or 2 flying visitors in the past.
One of the others involved in the project was based at Lee at the time of its closure in 1996.
Thanks Paul, I had found that out but there is one thing you have missed, you also need an aeroplane! Mine is still a way off and there is no kudos factor in coming in on a rented aeroplane just to prove a point, I’ll wait until mine is done and then prove exactly the same point in an equally juvenile way!
I want to be able to cruise at circuit height over the parents gaff (Hiscock Acres, our impressive family seat to the north of the quaint, untouched, medieval village of Stubbington) and then go an get yet more egg and chips in the Bluebird – they do good egg and chips.
I presume you are working on the bloody great thing with the big wing that stops you getting wet when you are working on the undercart?!
Meanwhile, this is mine on Jan 4
Still a way to go but it does need to get out of that shed before th trees take over!
Melvyn Hiscock
By: paulc - 11th February 2004 at 07:09
Melvyn,
in order to fly into Lee you need to have a reason to visit and proof of indemnity insurance sent to them in advance.
I can provide the reason to visit as I am involved in a restoration project on the airfield and have had 1 or 2 flying visitors in the past.
One of the others involved in the project was based at Lee at the time of its closure in 1996.
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February 10, 2004 at 10:39 pm