New Aircraft In BBMF Hangar????

Those four spoke 10 1/4″ wheels, introduced on early Mk IX’s, are actually correct for the Mk 21. LA255 was so fitted for all its time at Cardington.

CAACU 21’s seem to favour the three spoke 12″ wheel and brake but most other users of the type seem to be fitted with the smaller units.

Even the mighty Seafire 47 reduced from 13″ back to the 10 1/4″ post production. Too many pecked propellers I suspect.

Mark

The exhaust stacks can be blamed on Dick Melton who used to come on raiding parties. Also the Mk V wheels. I delivered our three spoke 12″ wheels to Coltishall and Dick gave me the Mk.V units in exchange. LA255 was kept in the hangar over winter and spent most of the summer out in front of the hangar. It’s first restoration was due to (then Flt Lt) Mike Shaw (The author of Twice Vertical).

John

As for flying -the Mk.21 wasn’t the best of the bunch by any means

To begin with, I think the Mk.21 was a bit much for the average service pilot, but Supermarine managed to iron out the bugs eventually.

Inspecting her in the early 1990’s I brought out a handfull of corrosion from one of the wheel wells – she looks ok on the outside but in reality she isnt great. As for flying -the Mk.21 wasn’t the best of the bunch by any means and she would need serious cash spending on her.

To my certain knowledge the possibility of LA255 going on loan was discussed with one organisation 😉 and I believe possibly a second!

Sadly it wasn’t to be!! 🙁

A friends brother in the R.A.F recently helped with the move of this aircraft from cottesmore to Coningsby. He did say that the plan is to eventually get her flying as they realised (Finally) that there are no mk XX.. flying and that they had better look after her. 1 Sqdn owning her? No idea, but according to a guy who helped move her the BBMF should be getting her flying.

I know that that will probably mean one of the XIX’s leaving the flight which would be a shame, But if the 21 flies I’m all for it

Exhaust stacks are fake, there’s a lot of replica stuff in LA255 the BBMF have already had many parts off it over the years

Looking at the various pics, it appears some exhaust stack shuffling has been going one..

Looks great in the b & w picture – when was that taken and why the reversion back to high gloss etc with the current scheme? I believe she was usu sally kept indoors under the care of 1 Sqdn.

In the early 1980’s it was kept inside the station but outside the 1 Squadron hangar at Wittering.

This scheme faithfully replicated the ‘in service’ images from the 1940’s.

It was downhill from thereon.

Mark

John,

Now that is more like it.

Faultless.

Looks great in the b & w picture – when was that taken and why the reversion back to high gloss etc with the current scheme? I believe she was ususally kept indoors under the care of 1 Sqdn.

With all the RAFs cutbacks can you really see it being restored?

There are cutbacks?!? I’m sure all the Air ranks will be OK retiring on full pay, but those poor group captains will be twitching now. Erm, thinking about it, I believe the RAF has 3 groups at the moment, does that mean there are 3 group captains?:diablo:

RAF=FUBAR,SNAFU!

Spit 21 pic from back in the day John, fantastic! Come on Herr Blackah, get your paintbrush out!

John,

Now that is more like it.

Faultless.

Mark

Been trying to find out what had happened to her. Here she is when I looked after her.

John

I am appalled that this genuine high-gloss scheme has been spoilt by the absence of the most essential detail marking of such a ’70’s retro-good-old-days polyurethane attempt. To be “authentic”, it really should be marked with “Confederate Air Force” beneath the tailplane…:rolleyes:

I though CAF stood for “Cash-strapped Air Force”

What does it need in terms of restoration, I know appearances can be deceiving but it looks to be in nice condition in the pics.

Tut, Tut…

I am appalled that this genuine high-gloss scheme has been spoilt by the absence of the most essential detail marking of such a ’70’s retro-good-old-days polyurethane attempt. To be “authentic”, it really should be marked with “Confederate Air Force” beneath the tailplane…:rolleyes:

Surely thats JX-U with the codes in an unauthodox way. What’s on the other side.

It is JX-U, its former code, on the port side.

If you want the squadron digits forward of the roundel on the starboard side it should have been applied thus:- U-JX.

…and in black!!

Mark

…and still with the XU 7 Squadron Bomber Command code. 🙁

Mark

Surely thats JX-U with the codes in an unauthodox way. What’s on the other side.

Hasn’t it been moved due to the imminent closure of cottesmore and just to find it a home whilst things are sorted out, thought it was just in their care.

I still see it belonging to 1 Squadron Association so maybe she will rejoin the Squadron if it reforms on a new type. From the last time I sat in her she would benefit from some sympathetic restoration work.