What surviving aircraft would be candidates for the RAF Museum

I’d like to see a vickers varsity. I know they’re well out of service. I’d just like to see one in Hendon.

Mike,
I agree with the Sea King – very fitting given the enormous contribution that the SAR force has made to the RAF and to the country. The Tucano? Well, despite fond memories of flying her (great fun, 1151 HP and a prop – all those Spitfire fantasies were lived out!) I don’t think it’s necessarily worth a place at Hendon – maybe Cosford. The Tutor’s the same (though not as much fun to fly…).

David – Chinook ZA718 must be the most significant aircraft on the RAFM’s list. Sadly, at least another 15-20yrs before she’s released….

In a perfect world, where the mega-rich Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Richard Branson and Sir Elton John and Sir Mick Jagger were willing to finance the RAF Museum’s every wish, I’d drool over a second Liberator, AL557, purchased from the Americans who are storing it outdoors in Colorado. Naturally, the deep-pockets guys would pay for a massive restoration, and an expansion of the RAF Museum to make room for two Libs and all the other aircraft on the wish list. AL557 tugs on my heartstrings like no other airframe, what with it’s RAF 159 Sqn heritage.

Not gonna happen, I know…

One thread on AL557 from late 2013: http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?127526-AL557-Fort-Collins-today

Cheers,

Matt

In a perfect world there would be no such thing as the RAF Museum.

Sea King
Tucano
Tutor

Chinook

Realistically what aircraft are potential candidates for inclusion in the RAFM for the short to long term future?

In a perfect world, where the mega-rich Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Richard Branson and Sir Elton John and Sir Mick Jagger were willing to finance the RAF Museum’s every wish, I’d drool over a second Liberator, AL557, purchased from the Americans who are storing it outdoors in Colorado. Naturally, the deep-pockets guys would pay for a massive restoration, and an expansion of the RAF Museum to make room for two Libs and all the other aircraft on the wish list. AL557 tugs on my heartstrings like no other airframe, what with it’s RAF 159 Sqn heritage.

Not gonna happen, I know…

One thread on AL557 from late 2013: http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?127526-AL557-Fort-Collins-today

Cheers,

Matt

Well the the P51 is in 4th FG colours, which was ofcourse the group formed from the three RAF Eagle Squadrons, so it represents RAF/US co-operation. The museum has a very active American Friends foundation, and keeping some aircraft in US markings is a good gesture of thanks.

I personally think it would be nice for the P-51 to be painted in more appropriate RAF colors than that of those its currently. I’m also interested as to if anyone knows as to what the status of the brigand fuselage purchased a few years ago is?

…and the current ‘Aeroplane’

A9 = Beaufort

Are we allowed to know what type?

if an airframe deserved to go to hendon……A9-13.(T9552)..a bristol supplied kit…maybe the morrabin museum would swap it for the composite one at hendon

Sea Otter cockpit section in Australia

In the latest Flypast June issue it mentions a Boeing Washington WF444 fuselage found on the Dugway Proving Ranges in Utah, not sure what condition it would be in though would make a great addition to the collection.

And why not a AOP9 in the WZ/XK serial range as these are ex RAF would complete a nice range of Auster types

Several years back wasn’t images of a Whitley lying in the Baltic Sea?

Weren’t there a number of Washington fuselages with NMIMT/NMT in Socorro? A few wrecks did make it out of there, so one never knows…

Sea Otter cockpit section in Australia

In the latest Flypast June issue it mentions a Boeing Washington WF444 fuselage found on the Dugway Proving Ranges in Utah, not sure what condition it would be in though would make a great addition to the collection.

And why not a AOP9 in the WZ/XK serial range as these are ex RAF would complete a nice range of Auster types

Several years back wasn’t images of a Whitley lying in the Baltic Sea?

The Bluebird appears to be the only example of this currently happening . I suspect the RAFM and numerous other restoration facilities will stick to rivets -new skin and repairs as necessary in accordance with manufacturer repair manuals and industry standards.

Erm -I didn’t comment on Mike’s post as it’s clearly tongue in cheek!

As to your ideas of welding- filling and patching . It depends what standard you want to work to !

Bluebird/Barracuda standards – only the best

Erm -I didn’t comment on Mike’s post as it’s clearly tongue in cheek!

As to your ideas of welding- filling and patching . It depends what standard you want to work to !

Jeepman -I was referring to this

‘You only have to look at the way that holes in the Hampden fuselage have been repaired – patches rivetted as per the official repair manual – an accomplished aluminium welder could probably have welded in a patch which could heve been dressed down and finished with a skim of body filler – and nobody would have been the wiser

Unless I am mistaken and you wern’t being serious.

Yes – you are mistaken and no, I wasn’t being particularly serious – read that post in the context of my intial comment re the Ventura which mentioned approved repair schemes to repair the spar rather than Mike’s – who I notice you chose not to reprimand – comment about angle iron and 4x2s.

Having said that, the patch, weld and dress approach has it’s place – both are valid approaches. Better to rework original metal where possible rather than simply using it as a pattern, particularly for a static restoration

There is a surviving ex-RAF C-54 as well N3054V (KL977)