Some of the circumstances are described here:http://www.vicair.net/memory.htm
If you search the NTSB site using the accident date and registration you will find the above is based on their report but also gives some details of probable cause.

How does this one square with both the ‘data plate special’ & ‘destruction of original material’ brigades…or does that only apply to Spitfires?

Mark

IMHO not a fair comparison. I seem to recall that at Langley some of the original material which could not be incorporated, because it had inadequate residual strength or was too heavy to be incorporated without the weight destroying other original material, was displayed alongside (e.g. engines).

In most restorations to airworthy condition (whatever the type of aircraft) the demands of safety, modern standards or regulations result in the “replacement” of elements that, if the aircraft were to remain static, would not be removed / replaced. The extent to which this is necessary depends on the condition of the source aircraft.

I often marvel at the degree to which provenance of a minute genuine element of some restorations forms the basis of an argument that the whole finished item inherits the historic significance of that component.

Such projects may be wonderful feats of recreation, but whatever argument is deployed the “new” material incorporated is just that, new. Certainly aircraft when in original service are subjected to replacement of certain items, upgrading, repair etc., but at that point in their history they are utilising materials, components, spares or repair schemes which were the subject of the original manufacturer’s, their contractor’s or operator’s efforts and not newly produced material.

If you visit most non-aviation museums you will find examples of replicas, take pottery. You don’t tend to find exhibited Roman drinking vessels rebuilt around just a handle and then touted as an original. Fragments may be glued together and missing elements are often replicated in plain materials to make it evident what elements are original; or a complete replica made to sit alongside the fragments to show what the original looked like. The replicas don’t purport to be the original and don’t usually incorporate original material – they make an educational point and have no massive intrinsic value.

The problem with high tech items such as historic cars and aircraft is that there is an understandable eagerness to see them in action and to achieve this the necessity to replace aspects to ensure structural integrity or compliance for re-use often “justifies” some original material being junked.

I can’t provide any supporting data but I suspect that most static restorations result in retention of a higher proportion of original material where it is available and where any corrosion can be inhibited.

I personally believe there is a place for both i.e.

a) well preserved static examples – where historians and future generations can experience the proximity of a real piece of history and research original materials and workmanship

and also

b) working examples that enable the shear magic of the machine to be demonstrated.

Problems arise because value is usually linked with provenance and provenance is adversely affected by technical demands that reduce the ability to incorporate sufficient original material on which provenance has to be based – a difficult circle to square. It must be a very difficult decision to know what to include / exclude to satisfy that balance.

Tim,

The nose you refer to is in fact F.1 WF145 as shown is previous posts. WV843 was the number merely hand painted on the seat, which is itself as interchangeable as a car stereo !!

I used to own that cockpit and the photograph’s above & below shows the dataplate clearly as a Mk 1 built by Hawkers and the fabled seat. I’d like to think that particular old wives tale is done & dusted now.

.

Ah …. thanks for putting me right ….sorry I hadn’t been in the loop on that.

Tim

Thats three writers lost in 2008? Chaz Bowyer, Ray Sturtivant and now Jerry Scutts – I can see copies of work by all of them from where I sit – another sad loss.

Four actually (at least), as Alan Hall himself passed away recently and as well as being a publisher he was also an author – for example he produced a work on the Avro Anson well before the better known (and more extensive) Air-Britain work was produced.

Tim

It’s on – hope you can join us

It’s a barren period for aircraft photographers through the winter but Air Atlantique’s Classic Flight is trying to add some cheer by running up several of its aircraft in the dark at an event on SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER, to enable you to get some unusual shots or simply to enjoy the sound and sight of classic aircraft in an unusual element.

We volunteers will be doing our best to ensure it goes well. As Dave said in his initial post: “tickets can be purchased in advance from the Classic Flight office on 08703 304747 or through our website on http://www.classicflight.com. “

Here’s a shot I took at the last such event …..just look at those flaming exhausts!

I noticed that a recent comment by an ex curator of Cosford’s collection reckoned that when he was there it was stored with the wings alongside. Other reports have stated that its outer wing panels don’t survive. Which is true?

James

I modified my input while you were answering it and messages got crossed – hope my edited message makes more sense – I don’t disagree with you and after reading their definition of publisher I can see what you mean.:)
Tim

It’s actually a legal requirement for copyright that a copy of every book published in the UK is lodged in the Libraries of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the National Library of Scotland, the Library of Trinity College Dublin and the National Library of Wales. I know this is being pedantic, but the actual British Library ‘depot’ is in Yorkshire, which means that the London Library – near Kings Cross as you say – would have to order a copy down for you – so you cannot just ‘turn up and see it’!

It’s a little misleading to say “It’s ….a legal requirement for copyright that a copy of every book published in the UK is lodged” with them. While this helps enable ISBNs and aids copyright enforcement, there are many UK self-published works not lodged in this way but their author’s copyright still exists in law.

Tim