XG 325 Lightning cockpit for sale

At least I can say I’ve sat in it 😉

I would like that cockpit! Or any cut down Lightning!!

Thanks, it would be nice to know more.

I mean, it’s not exactly top secret is it.

Apparently, she is with a new owner in Thetford…

XG325

I think we need to forget about all this Nonsense and concentrate on finding the new owner of XG325, I know us Lightning boys are desperate to find out. So if you could come forward and reveal your self that would be great.

Hi Alan,
Such items are much better protected when donated to a museum because they are not allowed to dispose of items/assets

I think you really ought to read some of the previous discussions about that subject on this forum. All museums release exhibits at some stage, and some just put them in the skip, literally.
There is also an argument that the items may not necessarily be on public display as museums store quite a lot due to space constraints.
I’m not anti-museums, quite the opposite, I’ve belonged to quite a few.

Pete

Peter

If I may revive this thread from last year

I wonder if anyone knows where the Cockpit and propeller ended up ?

Regarding the propeller I had donated and the claim that they couldn’t get
funding to mount it, I have since learnt that this was not true.

Apparently it had at one time been mounted, then at a later date
taken down again

There was also a question as to the legality of actually selling the cockpit.
As technically, it would still have been the property of the RAF.
Although this argument could be a little ambiguous.

I still find all this very sad, and not something 1476 SQDN Rayleigh ATC should be proud of.

LIGHTNING MYSTERY BUYER..

Absolutely correct David.

WHERE ARE YOU?
Has anyone heard who the British buyer for the Lightning cockpit is? Like many others I thought the lucky chap would have popped up by now.

Unless the Aga Khan has suddenly taken a fancy to development cockpits and appointed a UK representative to front it for him then I thought someone would have been suggested by now at the least, or some juicy rumours circulated.

I know some collectors prefer to be secretive and if this is the case, then maybe if the buyer is Irish he might wish to just confirm that this is the case..:D

If the moderators will give gingerboy permission to disclose the information on this forum, where and when is the propellor to be sold?

If the moderators will give gingerboy permission to disclose the information on this forum, where and when is the propellor to be sold?

Thank you for the explanation David.

From speaking to my father, I understand that my mother’s father had 10 of these propellers in his cellar.
I’d love to know what happened to the others. They were beautiful items, lovely polished laminated timber,
with brass leading edges (I seem to remember)

Thank you for the explanation David.

From speaking to my father, I understand that my mother’s father had 10 of these propellers in his cellar.
I’d love to know what happened to the others. They were beautiful items, lovely polished laminated timber,
with brass leading edges (I seem to remember)

Proppellor

Hi Alan

I actually am the OC of 1476, I inherited the sqn back in Aug last year, with very little handover from the previous OC as he had no handover from his predessor (and so on and so on).

I want to be very clear, the prop, was stored very badly by someone, who i am sure will never be known, it sat in the stores for many years, someone then made a mount for it, when we had our extension built some 2 years ago it sat in a classroom on a table. It is not a matter of funds for mounting it. It is that the RAFCA wont fix it. They will only undertake essential repairs to buildings. No other work can be undertaken, and for mounting a very heavy piece of kit like the prop, it would need huge fixing prep and mounting, I only have stud walls.

So given the unknown history and with no prospect of ever having it mounted, the sqn decidied to put it to the only use we could think of and that was to sell it.

regards

David

Proppellor

Hi Alan

I actually am the OC of 1476, I inherited the sqn back in Aug last year, with very little handover from the previous OC as he had no handover from his predessor (and so on and so on).

I want to be very clear, the prop, was stored very badly by someone, who i am sure will never be known, it sat in the stores for many years, someone then made a mount for it, when we had our extension built some 2 years ago it sat in a classroom on a table. It is not a matter of funds for mounting it. It is that the RAFCA wont fix it. They will only undertake essential repairs to buildings. No other work can be undertaken, and for mounting a very heavy piece of kit like the prop, it would need huge fixing prep and mounting, I only have stud walls.

So given the unknown history and with no prospect of ever having it mounted, the sqn decidied to put it to the only use we could think of and that was to sell it.

regards

David

I fear it is too late for that, but a nice thought and gesture anyway.
Anyway, with the money made on the cockpit sale, getting it mounted
on the wall wouldn’t have been a problem. Not that it would cost a lot to do
anyway.

If they are going to sell it off, so be it. I would rather it belonged to someone
who would actually look after it, and appreciate it’s workmanship.
I dread to think of the condition it’s in now, after being stored for over 40yrs. 🙁

Hi Alan

now RAFCA wont budget us for attaching it to the wall, as it is non-essentail work. so it has become a white elephant.

I would love to have that beautiful peiece of aviation history retained in the sqn, but have no room to store it.

David

So what you are saying is that you would like to keep it, displayed as per the original donators wishes but don’t have the money to attach it to the wall??

What I propose then is this, you pull the auction of this item, I will donate 20 pounds to your squadron, hopefully some other forum members will do likewise, and this will give you the funds to attach it to the wall properly thereby preserving some history at your squadron.

Maybe Alan can chip in a bit as well.

Forum members – what do you think?? It can’t cost that much to hang a bit of wood on a wall, anyone care to drop 5 or 10 pounds into the hat?

Regards
Paul (Australia)

Hi Alan

I am glad you have stepped forward

the propellor is a complete mystery within the sqn.

no one quite knows where and when it originated (donated) it has sat in the stores container for many years (unloved).

now RAFCA wont budget us for attaching it to the wall, as it is non-essentail work. so it has become a white elephant.

I would love to have that beautiful peiece of aviation history retained in the sqn, but have no room to store it.

David

I can’t pretend not to be disappointed that it was never used for it’s intended purpose. Or that it’s taken this long for it’s value to be appreciated.
It’s a shame that I wasn’t a member of the squadron for longer, otherwise I would have fixed it to the wall myself.
Still, it’s no use crying over spilt milk, I hope it eventually gets to someone who appreciates it’s beauty.

Alan

Hi Alan, Once an item is donated, however, it becomes the property of the receiving body.

Cheers

I appreciate that, and I didn’t want it back.

I was just disappointed that they should be selling it.

PROPELLER DISPOSAL

I should add, that I gave that lovely laminated wooden propeller to the
squadron. With a view to it being mounted on the wall, with a clock put
in it’s centre.
It belonged to my mother’s father who had it, and a couple more in his cellar
in East London. My father drove me up to London to rescue it from being
burnt on his fire. Which had already been the fate of at least one.
I believe it was of pre-war vintage ?

I would not be at all happy to find that the Rayleigh squadron has disposed of
this, or is thinking of selling it. 😡

Hi Alan,

I am informed that you could write to the CO of the 1476 Squadron ATC, Connaught Road, Rayleigh, Essex, or the Essex Wing HQ at Carver Barracks, Saffron Walden, CB10 2YA, for peace of mind.

Once an item is donated, however, it becomes the property of the receiving body. Such items are much better protected when donated to a museum because they are not allowed to dispose of items/assets once entered into their collection. More people get to see them and the donor is permanently recorded.

Cheers

…..and….?