………..the aircraft is near turkey

A Fry’s Turkish (de)light bomber perhaps? 😀

………………..
No one asked the people of PNG if they’d like W.W.II to be fought over them. The support the Papuans and others gave us was excellent. However, since W.W.II we’ve done relatively little for them and it’s easy to see (from a PNG point of view) as a lot of take and little give. A lot of their people died in a war that didn’t make a lot of difference to their quality of life. Had the Japanese won, it would have been worse; but it’s hardly better than it was pre-war – not a great achievement by the Allies, I’m afraid. They live in the world as it is, and it’s tough – telling them it’s better than it might have been is a short conversation. ………………
Cultural imperialism is a nasty problem.

JDK you make valid and interesting points here which, from a moral standpoint, aren’t solely pertinent to wreck recovery. Similar arguements can be applied re the effects of trading with repressive regimes to release valuable warbirds. Rare examples have been purchased en mass,by or on behalf of western collectors, for restoration to airworthy status. If that meant funds were paid to representatives of such military regimes, how can that be defended if such aircraft weren’t in physical jeopardy (which was an arguement re PNG). It sends out the message that trading with such regimes is OK ? Surely this has adverse knock-on effects for the local population as it helps sustain the regime’s legitimacy? I have mixed feelings – I feel hypocritical as I welcome the fact such airframes may fly again but do the benefits outweigh the consequences of the trade?

Thanks Mike – good to see it’s more accessible than when I took my shot – I can’t recall but believe it’s one of the ex-Berlin machines which became parted from their wings in transit.

Hants & Sussex Aviation were reported to have built to contract not one but three examples of the Antoinette for the film; two to airworthy status. By 1972 one was at Fairoaks whilst another of them was undergoing rebuild in Geneva, Switzerland.

In the US, in addition to the replica with the Owls Head organisation – it was reported that in the early 1990s an Antoinette replica was held in store under rebuild by the naissant Nevada Air & Military Museum which at that time expected to set up near Minden, Nevada USA. Perhaps it is one of the H&S examples – the machine may remain stored in that area?

Hope this might help.

Its the Hirsch Maerch 100 built in France and was involved in gust absorption experiments.

Dave,

Sorry to go off-topic but having flown up front in Consul G-AIKR during its time with the Rapid Flying Group at Baginton UK, I was delighted to see it’s still safe as depicted in the background to your shot. I became reacquainted with it only a few years ago when I photographed it in store at Ottawa. I’ve looked at the Wigram link from your own excellent website but what progress can you report on its restoration to Oxford status – the Wigram site only illustrates the wing centre-section?

Regards
Tim