NAM Harvard, former RNLAF B-163

The entry from the 24th edition of W & R reads as follows:

“42-12417 NAA Harvard IIB 42 ex Earls Colne, Harrington, East Tilbury, Windsor, N Weald, Dutch AF B-163, RCAF FE930, 42-12417. Arrived 24-8-10”

I’d need more time to back track into previous issues, but I’m a bit busy at present.

Hi all,

Thanks for feedback.

Another question. What’s listed in the “Wrecks and Relics” books about this Harvard in the last 25 years?

Regards,

Benno

Sorry for the slow response time – been busy at NAM all day; successful Vulcan Story event & lots of open cockpits!

Very little detail of the history that is easy to hand, apart from this section in the NAM Guide Book:

“This particular Harvard is believed to have been built in America in 1942 and served with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Dutch Air Force as a pilot / aircrew training aircraft. The airframe is believed to have carried the serial number 42-12417 (Dutch AF B-163 and RCAF FE930) although there appears to be some discrepancy on this identification and research is being undertaken to re-validate the data plate on the airframe.

The aircraft was delivered to the museum on 24th August 2010 and it fills an important gap in the museum’s themed display of training aircraft. This particular aircraft requires a significant amount of restoration work by the museum volunteers before it is returned to full display standard and this work is now underway in the on-site workshop. The choice of colour scheme / markings still has to be made.”

I am not aware that the ‘identity’ issues have been fully resolved. There’s one photo in here showing the re-build http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/gallery – widely covered in the aviation press!

The undercarriage brace was made up at Bletchley Park.

Dave

Arrived at Newark 2010 – http://www.aviationclassics.co.uk/news/harvard-arrives-at-newark-air-museum

Hi Benno,

I think the boys at Newark – Howard especially – will give you the gen on its arrival but they didn’t buy it from Gordon, nor from Harrington – you missed a step! It was sold to the chaps at Earls Colne as a spares ship and moved from Harrington there – I don’t think they used much off it – then it was sold to Newark. Its a bit of a bitsa – the birdcage has a lot of heating pipe in it and the spars were a bit rough – GK used a undercart brace to link the legs together! He fancied the SNJ scheme and why not 🙂

Newark are doing good work, there was a lot of rot to deal with and a bit of fibreglass!

ATB

TT

Just a heads up, I think you will find its called ‘Coalhouse Fort’, I did see the Harvard while it was there, the rear fuselage had been cut in two, three wings, an engine and center section IIRC and you had to ask to see it. mind you I was thinking around 1992ish?

Just had a look in the few diary’s I have. Saturday 14th March 1998.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Thank you for information. Interesting. Now I do understand why this US Navy scheme, not in any way related to this particular Harvard, nor activities at Harrington.

Do you remember when al this was, that you picked it up at Coal House to have it moved to Bletchey Park?

regards,

Benno

Gordon King got it from North Weald in a exchange for a B25 nose. He had it a Coal House Fort, Essex. I went with him and a few others to Coal House fort to pick it up and we took it to Bletchley Park for a while. Later he was told to get it of site. It then went to Harrington. He ( Gordon ) had a deal with a paint company to use there paint and he chose the US Navy scheme. It was painted at Harrington. I only saw once at Harrington.

Dave