Steve Vizard's Westland Whirlwind

No problem Andy, it’s awhile ago I know.

Perhaps somebody who knows Steve has, or would be able to take, some snaps of the bits and pieces.

By the way, how much was recovered, just a few fragments or a sizable amount of the aircraft?

Tangmere, any snaps of the dig which you could possibly post here?

I’m sure I’m not the only one who would be interested in seeing how much and what sort of condition the retrieved parts were in.

I am sure I have some old snaps somewhere but it will take me a while to dig them out and I honestly dont think they are very good quality or show very much. Andy

crashes

Well i can say than steve and the other older diggers could not find the sites then, otherwise he woul have dug them.

the sites that are lest have no houses for miles so unless you are lucky enough to stumble on one they wont be found, i have tried too withot any luck. No only than all the sites where they lie are in goverment owned area so a recovery would be unlikly even if they could be found

Hi
Just because steve and other diggers didn’t find the sites doesn’t mean they hadn’t been found.
I was with a group in the 70’s and we identified three whirlwinds, which until a year ago I know haven’t been dug, only preliminary researched by that group. ( I emigrated a year ago)
Finding any aircraft site was easier in the 70’s, (records were closed) but there were plenty of witnesses, most of whom were able to walk to the crash sites to show us the remote locations.
We also identified two other whirlwinds, one of which had been removed in the late 70’s for building work and the metal found was scrapped.
And found out about an engine nacelle & undercarriage section that had been recovered and was in a private collection.
cheers
Jerry

IIRC correctly without digging out my files from the loft, at least 4 came down in the general area of the Channel Islands, all of them in the sea, and of those four only Woodward’s aircraft made a controlled landing. However knowing the construction of these aircraft, I doubt that much remains of any of them after 60+ years submerged in salt water.

Well i can say than steve and the other older diggers could not find the sites then, otherwise he woul have dug them.

the sites that are lest have no houses for miles so unless you are lucky enough to stumble on one they wont be found, i have tried too withot any luck. No only than all the sites where they lie are in goverment owned area so a recovery would be unlikly even if they could be found

Just spoke to steve and he still has everything stored & locked safely away:diablo: perhaps he has his own whirly project in mind at airframe asseblies to add to the bulding carbon footprint:D

I think that dig must have been the most complete whirlwind ever likley to be recovered, ok there are a handfull of others but either they were cleared away or lost in history and cannot be located, of which i can only think of only 4 sites if found that could yeald the rare baby merlin

Hi
I would much like steve’s whirlwind re built,
but being honest how long has it been in storage ……..
and why loan an engine now after all these years.

True the only big whirlwind dig done, I agree at least four UK sites, each of which could yield sufficient for a re build.

I personally disagree with the ‘lost in history’, The 70’s researchers got a lot of info when it was around, I believe the locations are known, but it just needs a really serious project to get going, there have been to many non -starters ….
a few went down in france, most seem to have been almost belly landings, but often wonder if anything is there anything worthwhile on the other sites.
and there is always the slim chance of a scrapyard nr pensecola or rechlin.
Cheers
Jerry

Anybody have pics of the bits and bobs of a Whirly what Steve Vizard recovered in the 70s?

Also, does he still have these or have they moved on?

Just spoke to steve and he still has everything stored & locked safely away:diablo: perhaps he has his own whirly project in mind at airframe asseblies to add to the bulding carbon footprint:D

I think that dig must have been the most complete whirlwind ever likley to be recovered, ok there are a handfull of others but either they were cleared away or lost in history and cannot be located, of which i can only think of only 4 sites if found that could yeald the rare baby merlin

Tangmere, any snaps of the dig which you could possibly post here?

I’m sure I’m not the only one who would be interested in seeing how much and what sort of condition the retrieved parts were in.

Hope you don’t mind…

you have PM 🙂

Yes! The Sabre went to a Typhoon project. Unfortunately the museum scrapped the centre section, u/c legs and assorted other items.

fao Tangmere (A little off the original subject)

Tangmere,
Just a quick query….do you have any association with the museum that had the Typhoon parts recovered from Pagham harbour? Feel free to PM me if you are 🙂

Dave

One engine is on display with the Rolls Royce Heritage Trust..

Yes, but still owned by Steve as far as I know.

One engine is on display with the Rolls Royce Heritage Trust..

The engines etc were at Tangmere for a while, but Steve still has all the recovered items. I was on the “dig”….was it REALLY that long ago???

I asked him about 3 months ago, and he still had them.

Last I heard, which was when someone asked him (about 3 or 4 years ago) is that he still had them