The RAFM official Collecting Statement (accessible via their website) includes the following definition of the purpose:

THE PURPOSE OF THE COLLECTION

10. To build a material record of the objects used, worn or operated by the personnel of the organisations stated in the policy aim outlined above. The military forces and other bodies covered by that statement to receive priority as below:

a) The Royal Air Force including the WRAF 1918-20, WAAF 1939-1949 and the WRAF 1949-1994, Princess Mary’s RAF Nursing Service, allied air and reserve forces operating within the RAF 1939-1945, the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.

b) The Royal Engineers Air Battalion, the Royal Observer Corps, the Air Training Corps, the Air Defence Cadet Corps and other British air cadet organisations.

c) The Air Transport Auxiliary and the Civil Air Guard.

d) The British Emergency, Civil Defence and Auxiliary Services for periods when their activities run closely in parallel with those of the armed services.

e) The air forces of the United States of America.

f) The Imperial German air forces and the Luftwaffe 1933-1945.

g) The Imperial Japanese air forces 1939-1945.

h) Other allied air forces (focusing primarily on NATO).

i) Other enemy air forces.

j) The Army Air Corps and other British Army air forces, the Fleet Air Arm post 1938.

k) Other civilian organisations associated with the RAF.

So glad that all of your efforts over the last many cold weeks have paid off and been rewarded. What excellent news.

Tim

Too sad, the Jaguar pictures made me wince. . . does anyone know what happened to the Dakota that used to reside at Ipswich Aerodrome?

Now preserved and being restored for static display at Doncaster.

Tim

Ben

The material has been moved to a site near to Stratford – not Stafford. May be worth amending the threat title?

The news report implies its the only Wellington (remains) in private ownership – not so of course.

Tim

Looking forward to batch 3 – thanks for sharing these Gordon – brings back happy memories!

Tim

Image 40 is of a Cessna JRC-1 – better known as the “Bobcat” and depending on the configuration and military operator alternatively designated variously as AT-8 / AT-17 / T-50 / UC-78.

Tim

I assume that you mean EI-ALY. That one was the ‘I’ve got an aeroplane on me hotel roof’ Proctor! The fuselage was on the roof of the Crofton Airport Hotel, Whitehall, by 1974. It was still there in 1976. But by 1978 the hotel was being redeveloped and the Proctor was gone. W&R then said that the IAM was interested in it. The Air Britain Percival survey seems to record it as being with a Mr Bedford in 2003. Can anyone add to this?

G-AHWO is in Eire, dismantled in secure storage at a location I can’t specify, but is relatively complete and will be statically restored in due course. I visited the owner earlier this year and saw the very well preserved rudder which has recently been reunited with the aeroplane after years in separate ownership.

Tom E’s site linked in post 5 , was a useful guide to survivors but looks not to have been updated with more recent intelligence available for some years. So far as I know only minor components of EI-ACV may survive.

Tim