Playground airframes

The only airframe that springs to mind was a Westland Whirlwind in a pub play area in Rettendon, Essex. The closed a few years ago, the chopper may have left even before then, but I haven’t a clue what happened to it.

Damn. Just for a moment there….

My contribution – Vampire as a climbing frame in the grounds of Standish Children’s Hospital, Gloucestershire, Mid-eighties. Mentioned it before on here, but can’t find it now.

Mothminor, thank you, that is it. I often wondered if it survived sitting outside our hangar, and it is as I remember it, with two empty holes in the panel, it was complete and the engine was inhibited, I think we had its blades folded but I remember topping up its tyres a few times when they started to look a tad flat… Made my day 🙂 it’s had another coat of paint since my day 🙂

About 15 years ago taking a stroll in the Portugese town of Loule ( just North of Faro) my wife and I came across a small public green public park with good (and much needed) sun shade. My memory tells me we walked past the side of the municipal bus station and up some grand stone memorial steps to reach the park entrance.

Off to one side was a fenced off area with childrens play equipment and that included a gutted but otherwise complete F86 sitting amongst the trees.

Is it still there, I wonder?

You probably did see a G-91… That was reported in Loule at a playground. According to European W&R 3rd edition it was gone by 2001.

About 15 years ago taking a stroll in the Portugese town of Loule ( just North of Faro) my wife and I came across a small public green public park with good (and much needed) sun shade. My memory tells me we walked past the side of the municipal bus station and up some grand stone memorial steps to reach the park entrance.

Off to one side was a fenced off area with childrens play equipment and that included a gutted but otherwise complete F86 sitting amongst the trees.

Is it still there, I wonder?

I often wonder what happened to ours, at RAF Odiham in about 77 we had a Sycamore on display outside the hangar, it was complete and the engine was inhibited, as all things they got military and the light grey RAF scheme was replaced by Camo, one of our older pilots used to fly it… Yuk. We also had a dragonfly in the shed.

Could that be XG502? See here –

http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=XG502&u=reg

I often wonder what happened to ours, at RAF Odiham in about 77 we had a Sycamore on display outside the hangar, it was complete and the engine was inhibited, as all things they got military and the light grey RAF scheme was replaced by Camo, one of our older pilots used to fly it… Yuk. We also had a dragonfly in the shed.

Fairly sure Sycamore WA576 was used this way at Strathallan in the 1970s hence it was never listed as an ‘exhibit’ in the guide books.

The museum of army flying at Middle Wallop used to have the ex-Argentine UH-1 outside for kids of all sizes to play in. It’s now a restored exhibit inside.

Dug out my old records…
It was/is Dragonfly WN499. It was at Cearnarfon Air World.
Don’t know if it is still there, I’ve seen it back in 1994…

The Caernafon Dragonfly eventually gravitated to the fire dump. However the Helicopter lads at Doncaster rescued it (swapping it for a Whirlwind hulk) and it is now in store pending a rebuild one day.

http://www.aeroventure.org.uk/mainnews2006.php#news-06-06-15

Jon

That does sound familiar. My brain is telling me Flambards Helston or Torbay aircraft museum? Probably wrong.

Rob

There was one at Dx for a while a long time ago to the south of the Superhangar, prob about 1989-90ish. Blue navy colours frrom memory. I don’t have a picture but I’m sure Duxman will have one. “Duxman to the forum, I say again Duxman to the forum…” 😀

There was a thread here ages ago that mentioned airframes being used as play things, tried searching for it and can’t locate it.

Does this help – http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=73851.

Dug out my old records…
It was/is Dragonfly WN499. It was at Cearnarfon Air World.
Don’t know if it is still there, I’ve seen it back in 1994…

There was a thread here ages ago that mentioned airframes being used as play things, tried searching for it and can’t locate it.
I remember the Dragonfly was mentioned but can’t remember where.
Flambards had the very similar Widgeon which you could sit & play in as
well as a Wasp later on – the latter wasn’t strictly a play thing.

Wasn’t there a Dragonfly at a UK museum wich was a playthingy for kids?
I’m sure I’ve seen it somewhere in the 90’s, but cannot recall the location…

That does sound familiar. My brain is telling me Flambards Helston or Torbay aircraft museum? Probably wrong.

Rob

A C-45 acting as a centerpiece at a mini-golf course at Daytona Beach, FL (2010).

Wasn’t there a Dragonfly at a UK museum wich was a playthingy for kids?
I’m sure I’ve seen it somewhere in the 90’s, but cannot recall the location…

The Prentice in the playground at Basildon was VS688 / G_AOPY. It was very close to the railway line just outside Laindon station and was clearly visible from passing trains. Not sure when it disappeared but was probably Late 1970’s.
The Whirlwind was at the Wheatsheaf pub at Rettendon on the old A130. I don’t know the identity but it most likely came via Hanningfield Metals and I think it was painted pink. The pub closed down and the Whirlwind and pink Morris Minor both disappeared. The road has since been bypassed and the pub may be a private house now.
Tried a websearch for G-AOPY to find a picture. No luck but I did find an old forum thread that said the Prentice was removed from the playground in 1975.

The only airframe that springs to mind was a Westland Whirlwind in a pub play area in Rettendon, Essex. The closed a few years ago, the chopper may have left even before then, but I haven’t a clue what happened to it.

You don’t see many “Pink” Whirlwinds 😀

Pub is still empty

Here’s one…. Lol, we were doing disaster relief at Wells Next to the Sea in the late 70’s, and at lunch time we would be picked up from the quarries, flown to the town then we would park the helicopters on the football pitch and wander up to the pub for lunch ( only place we could get a decent hot meal ) there would be about 5 helicopters on the footy pitch, we came back after lunch to find it full of 6-7 years olds who found they had a brand new set of playground rides and were happily playing pilots.. After that we had to put a guard on them.

Me too Charlie, and in a warped kind of way i sometimes prefer photos of wrecks rather than rebuilds.
But surely going back there must of been a time when h&s was not a big issue in the UK, as i do remember at least real tractors being used as playthings. Still high enough for little Jonny to slip off and land on poor Mary.

And i don’t recall many examples of playground aeroplanes in the UK, apart from maybe a Vampire T.11 in the grounds of a hospital somewhere.
But an interesting subject nevertheless.

Rob

I know what you mean. I certainly recall tractors and near my godparents two or three old US Chevvys or similar. No wheels but the rest of the car was a paradise for an 10 year old in the early 50s. I don’t remember any aircraft, though..

Thanks! Wonder about it’s future…?