New Auster Restoration

The Hong Kong AOP.9 is reported to be now up in Yakima Washington State with a new owner so I very much doubt its heading this direction.

…meanwhile, SIX 😮 years later…do we have any news on the Austers at Eggesford? Still haven’t seen XP241 and is the Hong Kong AOP.9 any nearer coming home from the States?

Whilst most people were rushing around yesterday buying last minute Christmas presents, three of us spent the day in a cold (and it was) hangar at Eggesford placing the engine on XP241.

Will try and take a camera next time I’m up there (on New Year’s Day) to record the progress.

A belated Christmas greetings to all.

Best wishes as ever,

Martin

Consul,

Many thanks for posting that photo of XK421. PM duly sent to scrounge the original (and anymore) please.

Certainly an interesting scheme for an Auster – Martin do you reckon the owner would consider putting it back in that scheme?

Rob,

Why dont you ask ? But the answer is, no, i will certainly not !! 😮

It should look like this……..

Certainly an interesting scheme for an Auster – Martin do you reckon the owner would consider putting it back in that scheme? 😮

Here are the pics relevant to my last post:

Wow Consul you have brought back a memory of the strangest bit of aircraft spotting I ever had. We were being taken in a coach from Lancashire to St Mawgan for our Air Cadet camp and stopped in the middle of the night.Next to the coach illuminated by spotlights was that very Auster.

I have a slide of this machine I believe that I took after it was initially demobbed into private hands and still had its serial on the wings but a decidedly non military scheme on the fuselage – I’ll PM you when I find it.
Tim

Finally found the slide I was thinking of (first photo) but my memory was playing tricks – the strangely painted machine I photographed at a caravan park / nursery near Bristol all those years ago was XK421. I believe it was an ex GI machine and that after it finished as an orange coloured gate guard it acted as a spares source for another restoration and the frame went to Doncaster. I assume it’s one and the same as the frame I saw (ironically) at Eggesford last Autumn (photo 2), obtained from Doncaster.

Obviously capacity problems as they wont display- Martin please PM me your eMail address and I’ll post them to you personally as attachments.
Regards
Tim

Seems it all ended up in a large game of Chinese Whispers and upon visiting Eggesford the other day, shall we say I was put in the correct picture.

Will try and take some photos this weekend.

Thanks again,

Martin

I think I will have to more careful the next time I speak about new airframes. The internet at times can be a wonderful thing and then sometimes things or threads back fire on you. An example for me being the Hong Kong Auster 9. Perhaps I shouldnt have been so keen to write this thread – but then its regarding my favourite subject – will think twice before putting my fingers to the keyboard in the future.

It was discussed a number of times, but nothing has been ever made concrete about purchasing the airframe. We know that it is in Florida and is up for sale, but apart from going to see it, nothing has been done by any British based restorer/enthuisast as to buying her. Perhaps I too, like most people out there is keen to see it back, but as we all know money doesn’t grow on trees and I think we have enough to work on in the near future.

But you never know. I hereby apologise to all of those people out there that thought she was coming home, but as we speak, the airframe is staying in the States.

Work is still progressing well on the main subject of this thread and its now been registered as G-CEHR. Will try and keep you all informed of its progress and look forward to seeing photos of both her and the American based example in due course.

Best wishes,

Martin

Not to worry Martin, we all get carried away by enthusiasm sometimes and I’ve been known for a ‘beam me up Scottie’ moment, where enthusiasm rides over tact and diplomacy. We all do it! Keep up your Auster news though, as there are lots of us with great affection for the type.

But… you do mention Hong Kong 9s….well we might be getting one of those too and an original Radio Flight example will be coming home next year.

I think I will have to more careful the next time I speak about new airframes. The internet at times can be a wonderful thing and then sometimes things or threads back fire on you. An example for me being the Hong Kong Auster 9. Perhaps I shouldnt have been so keen to write this thread – but then its regarding my favourite subject – will think twice before putting my fingers to the keyboard in the future.

It was discussed a number of times, but nothing has been ever made concrete about purchasing the airframe. We know that it is in Florida and is up for sale, but apart from going to see it, nothing has been done by any British based restorer/enthuisast as to buying her. Perhaps I too, like most people out there is keen to see it back, but as we all know money doesn’t grow on trees and I think we have enough to work on in the near future.

But you never know. I hereby apologise to all of those people out there that thought she was coming home, but as we speak, the airframe is staying in the States.

Work is still progressing well on the main subject of this thread and its now been registered as G-CEHR. Will try and keep you all informed of its progress and look forward to seeing photos of both her and the American based example in due course.

Best wishes,

Martin

Albert – when I last saw her she was sat outside the back of the restoration shop. It looked almost as if it had been beamed down! Very odd place to see an Auster . As for getting her back to the U.K – how about flying her to New York state? She didn’t seem in that bad a way two and a bit years ago!

After reading all of these recent posts, even I have agreed that it is the same aeroplane (never was one for taking numbers, went to Cranfield once and gave up there and then). Aircraft is as we speak capable of engine running, but is not airworthy.

Best option at the moment is to road it to the other airframes, but and this is a big BUT, we or shall we say the powers that be havent precisely purchased the airframe from the owner, but are extremely interested in obtaining her. What with the way the pound is acting against the dollar, it looks a viable project to undertake.

The Radio Flight example will be staying in the States for at least another year, before it returns home, so please dont hold your breath as to the Hong Kong machine arriving here in early if and when purchased.

Best wishes to all,

Martin

Does anyone have a photo of XN408/N408XN/HKG-7 in any of it’s guises that they would care to delight us with?

I did take one at Lakeland many years back – if I can dig it out I’ll post.

I had a fair look around but obviously didn’t have my eyes open (not unusual these days)

She was tucked around the back of the air museum when I last saw her. Not really on public display.

Interesting, I didn’t see the Auster when I was at Lakeland a few weeks ago, I did see a very sad looking Lysander though.. But thats another story..

Does anyone have a photo of XN408/N408XN/HKG-7 in any of it’s guises that they would care to delight us with?

Albert – when I last saw her she was sat outside the back of the restoration shop. It looked almost as if it had been beamed down! Very odd place to see an Auster . As for getting her back to the U.K – how about flying her to New York state? She didn’t seem in that bad a way two and a bit years ago!

The Florida machine is on display at Lakeland but looks somewhat out of place !

Very similar thoughts to a Sunderland and Lysander at Kissimmee? I’m sure the Auster will be greatly appreciated here in UK, once Richard and all at Eggesford get their hands on it! Can’t wait! 😉

The Florida machine is on display at Lakeland but looks somewhat out of place !