Stan and David Brett – are they still around?

Hi Pete,

If I remember correctly the farmer was Clive Harvey. He had the airstrip at Andrewsfield where Stan later set up the Rebel Air Museum. I wonder if the engine ever got into the museum itself or only just as far as the farmer’s part of the facility?
Yes, the second engine was ‘almost’ recovered by the East Easex Aviation Museum several years later, but it grounded on a sandbank during the process and before they could complete the operation someone else did it for them – straight to a scrap yard.

Geoff

Yes, I remember about that recovery now you mention it.

I can confirm that the Andrewsfield engine never made it into the museum. I wonder if it still at Andrewsfield?

Pete

Hi Pete,

If I remember correctly the farmer was Clive Harvey. He had the airstrip at Andrewsfield where Stan later set up the Rebel Air Museum. I wonder if the engine ever got into the museum itself or only just as far as the farmer’s part of the facility?
Yes, the second engine was ‘almost’ recovered by the East Easex Aviation Museum several years later, but it grounded on a sandbank during the process and before they could complete the operation someone else did it for them – straight to a scrap yard.

Geoff

Hi Steve,

From your connection with Andrewsfield, can you throw any light on what happened to a Stirling Hercules engine that was destined for the Essex Aviation Group in 1982 but was diverted to Andrewsfield? Later it didn’t appear to make the move to Earls Colne, where eventually things came to an end.

Geoff

Hi Geoff

One engine was with a farmer or landowner at Andrewsfield. I spoke to him once, but I can’t remember who it was. There was another engine from the same aircraft in a scrap metal yard by the river in Colchester, they didn’t break it up so I suppose it could still be there, if the yard still exists.

Pete

Thanks everyone.

I will try to find Bob Day, although a forum search keeps coming up with Battle of Britain Day!

Rebel Air Museum – Stirling Hercules

Hi;

I was with the Rebel Air Museum for many years…ending up as a Trustee. I knew David very well ……. I had only joined the museum shortly before at Andrewsfield. ……….. That was the turning point and beginning of the demise of the museum.

Hi Steve,

From your connection with Andrewsfield, can you throw any light on what happened to a Stirling Hercules engine that was destined for the Essex Aviation Group in 1982 but was diverted to Andrewsfield? Later it didn’t appear to make the move to Earls Colne, where eventually things came to an end.

Geoff

I knew Stan and David well. They did a lot to encourage me as a teenager at the Southend museum. Stan was the first person I met at Southend. He rode a BSA Bantam to get to work and not long after we met he had an accident which wrote off the bike. He promised me the wreck as I was building a trials Bantam with my dad and I desperately needed a rear wheel. Stan turned up one day with the wheel and explained that the insurance company gave him the wreck back and deducted a fiver from his insurance settlement. The wheel was free as he knew how much I needed one but he said rather apologetically that if I wanted the rest (including a good engine) he needed a fiver. My dad gladly gave him a fiver but the fact that he was generous enough to offer the wheel for free was typical of Stan. They worked tirelessly at Southend on the Mitchell N9089Z (which was very much their baby) even spending their holidays camped out in a small tent with a hole in the ground for a toilet before the building went up. It was a pleasure to have known them.
I know WhitleyProject had a reason for wanting to find Stan and David and the only other person I can think of who might be bale to help WhitleProject is Bob Day who was a helper at Southend and used to own a DKW Munga. If anyone can supply contact details for Bob perhaps they could pass them on.
I did make some enquiries about Stan and David’s photo collection but had no luck although I believe another forum member had been able to track it down.

I believe Stan and David had a large collection of photographs from the Southend museum. Does anyone have any contact with their families? They’d make an interesting and fitting tribute.

Hi Pete;

Don’t know why I had 43 in my mind…thanks for correcting me. Seems a long time ago now. We had some good times at that museum, and some good laughs too. Hard to believe it’s all gone really! Still remember being majorly impressed with the Walther rocket motor artwork you did!

Regards;
Steve

I knew them both at Duxford with the Essex Aviation Group, way back around 1972-ish? At the same time, I recall a very young and enthusiastic John Romain, who I think was also a member, rushing around making me cups of tea and asking me lots of questions about Spitfires. How times change!

Stan and Dave were a great couple of guys, and did lots of charity work for Muscular Dystrophy as I recall.

Steve

Dave was only 41. I can’t remember the year either, but I moved up here in 1994, so you are right about 93/94.
Still miss him.

Pete

Thanks Steve

I’ll send you a PM

Hi;

I was with the Rebel Air Museum for many years…ending up as a Trustee. I knew David very well and we were very good friends. Stan I knew for a while, but sadly he died in 1986. I had only joined the museum shortly before at Andrewsfield. David sadly died too, in 1994 (sorry…it was a long time ago, it may have been 93.) He died at a very young 43 years old after not surviving a triple heart bypass operation. I was a great blow and I still miss him now. That was the turning point and beginning of the demise of the museum.

PM me if I can be of any further help.

Regards;
Steve