That Martlet at Portsmouth Station

I’m convinced

I agree with Moggy had one in 1963 in Henry Fords other colour(black) I paid £70 for it and I thought I looked the dogs danglers in it. Unfortuntely it developed an oil leak and I just kept topping it up with used oil scrounged from McAlpine Aviation at Luton. My and surrounding roads became covered in the stuff and the threat of violence from my father and a bill from the council ended that. Probably an easy fix but I did not think like that at 18!

What I find fascinating is the observation that the camouflage– or, at least the upper / lower colour demarcation around the wing– was applied when the wings were not on the aircraft. Or, in other words, in essentially the condition it is in here. Was this procedure the usual for Grumman? Was this scheme applied at a later time?

Have look through this thread on WIX about Grumman aircraft production, IIRC there are pics of part built RN Martlets at the factory, how far through the thread though I cant remember, so it might take some time to find them !
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13327

What I find fascinating is the observation that the camouflage– or, at least the upper / lower colour demarcation around the wing– was applied when the wings were not on the aircraft. Or, in other words, in essentially the condition it is in here. Was this procedure the usual for Grumman? Was this scheme applied at a later time?

What use did this airframe have in ‘civil defence training’ anyway? Cracking photo BTW. I remember reading in a early post war ‘Aeroplane Spotter’ magazine of a IIRC Westland Wallace being with a ATC? unit near Portsmouth station, unless this was the Martlets predecessor?

I’ve seen colour (and lots of b&w) photos of it before, but not this one. Nice! She was last seen atop a pile of other aircraft remnants in the “Sale Pound” at RNAY Fleetlands in late 1962, but had gone by the following January.

Martlet JV348

January 2010 Forum Posting

http://forum.keypublishing.com/archive/index.php?t-96843.html

THANKS So much for sharing that pic with us all.

I’m convinced

not totally convinced that’s a Ford V8 Pilot,,,,but I’m willing to listen to more knowledgable people, though..

Good Lord!

He wasn’t born until November that year yet he already had his own boxing gym?

Moggy