M.A.P.S next project

even more curious is the half-and-half restoration of the Hampden – which wont even be delineated by a straight line down the fuselage centre line.

Smacks of penny-pinching to me

No, I am not bringing the subject of W1048 up again:p

Cees

Without wishing to mention “the war” and start an argument (will cost you $5 in anycase) I think it is an issue that would be revisited by the museum in the long term, even if only to reconfirm the current situation?

When W1048 was recovered it was the only original example of a Halifax surviving, and while the Yorkshire replica plays an important role in recreating the type for visitors its not authentic/accurate in all regards.

I imagine the arguments for leaving W1048 conserved rather than restored is its overall condition?, the potential loss of original material and its uniqueness as what was then the true sole survivor.

The recovery and restoration of the Trenton example changes the argument somewhat, but possibly in either direction?

In some ways it can support leaving W1048 unrestored as Trenton fills that role? leaving W1048 as authentic as possible in its “as is” state,

or

alternatively with a second complete example existing, the sole survivor role diminishes and the use of digital photos and preservation of delicate internal components seperately may allow W1048 to undergo a sympathetic restoration? without loss of too much original material, or authenticity?

I havent seen the aircraft up close to know the level of corrosion etc, I suspect the british habit of using magnesium rivets may be resulting in most of those needing replacing, does anyone have an intimate knowledge of its condition? or if a survey for restoration was ever undertaken?

Is it suffering deterioration of its integrity as it sits, ie will rivet deterioration eventually cause it to unbutton itself? or has conservation halted corrosion etc? I do wonder if at some stage if the risk of deterioration will cause a restoration to take priority over conservation “as is”?, rather than let the artifact be lost in stages?

I certainly think partial restoration looks odd, as per the fully restored turret in the nose, and if sections in the future deteriorate to the point that restoration is required to maintain structural integrity I would hope it results in the whole airframe being restored, not just each deteriorating part in succession being restored and creating a patch work quilt?

Partial wrecks, displayed un-restored can be interesting displays, but a bit like leaving them in the jungle, there is the risk they will be consumed over time in anycase?

When its the sole example in a National Collection, and its an important type to that nation’s history, it must be a difficult decision for museum management to grapple with?

I note the pending restoration of the Swoose B-17 in the NMUSAF, you could equally argue it should be left as is, simply re-assembled, but that would be a lesser outcome in my opinion?

All restorations remove some original material, and conservation tends to preserve it intact, but sometimes it does seem to go overboard?

In Australia the AWM have a complete Me262 preserved in a patchwork paint scheme in half rubbed back state, making it difficult to interpret visually, but preserving its original exposed german markings. It could be digitally photographed, sealed and painted over in a re-creation of its original markings? perhaps with an appropriate modern paint? without neccessarily destruction of the underlying authenticity, but improving its overall presentation? and interpretation?.

I heard recently that the cockpit although dirty was deemed not to be vaccummed out as it may contain grass and stones from the boots of german pilots?

Where as I and many others got to sit in it when it was on loan to Point Cook and those grass stems and stones may well be off my own 1970’s desert boots? and therefore wonder at the merit of leaving “dirt” inside the airframe?

I am sure this debate regarding the preservation of W1048 will rage on over time into the future, and must make for interesting discussions within the RAFM itself?

regards

Mark Pilkington

I guess two out of three is close enough! 😀

Very good… especially the tongue sticking out..:D

I hear metal prices are high at the minute, maybe they could weigh in the statue of five french fries outside Milestones to pay for it :diablo:

No, I am not bringing the subject of W1048 up again:p
Although it could use some ….. whoa! the evil left arm again,
it has a mind of it’s own…….

There are of course more aircraft that need some TLC at Hendon
since most of them are on display since the early seventies.
How about some lottery money to farm out more airframes to
several shops, that would speed up things.
Cheers

Cees

Good news, especially as it’s planned to refurbish the Battle of Britain hall. Maybe the Battle will end up in the spot vacated by the Defiant?

Incidentally – is anything happening to the East Fortune example – after that first splurge of publicity it’s all gone very quiet – is it the Concorde effect??

At the airshow this year chatting with the Bolingbrooke guys, I asked where the Beaufighter was being restored about.
The comment back from them wasn’t positive, very liitle had been done. The general impression was that there was “issues” though I’m not sure whether they were airframe, restoration space* or budget.

* I say restoration space because I was told that the largest of the Ministry of Transport buildings as you drive into the Museum was to be made available to the Museum as a restoration workshop, but this doesn’t seem to have happened.

the RAFM Beaufighter is also in dire need of a refurb – particularly the interior

Incidentally – is anything happening to the East Fortune example – after that first splurge of publicity it’s all gone very quiet – is it the Concorde effect??

Isn’t Hendons Wimpy overdue for some work? I can’t decide if the chunk of fabric missing off one wing is deliberate or accidental damage, either way as the original silver finish has been covered over (and hacked about to put the nose turret in) a recovering is long overdue.

Hendon does get some grief (from me as much as others) and this is good to see. If you had to list your top 5 5, 10 or even 20 RAF aircraft of the era to restore I doubt that the Defiant would rate high on many lists. As an off thread posting, the Crowood series book on Turret Fighters is a bit on an eye opener in terms of loss rates etc.

Will keep an eye out to see what plans they have, back to black, earth/green day colours etc.

So after finishing the Battle the next project is powered by a Merlin, a two-seater and it’s black…

Cheers

Cees

I guess two out of three is close enough! 😀