Several years ago and not too far away from Duxford, whilst looking for a possible restoration project, a look was taken at a Chipmunk, which was stored in an old disused church…..

Does the photo below jog your memory ? Although the location is a barn near Halton, not a Church. Nor did WB556 serve with Liverpool UAS…….

Trouble is Dave there is only so may people that want to get off the keyboards and volunteer to do stuff. Also many volunteers also just want to play with the planes and not do the mundane day to day yet important tasks like cutting the grass.

I guess the other problem for Long Marston is that they have a couple of other museums not a million miles away. Midland Air Museum and also Wellesbourne are all within a stone throws distance.

Indeed, and therein lies the crux of the problem. How to generate helpful interest when even Stuart now dispairs and has “gone fishing” instead.

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As far as I am aware there are actually three different owners involved with the aircraft at Long Marston

The landowner owns the Shackleton, Canberra, Whirlwind Dove and Sea Prince

The Hunters and Venom are owned by Staurt and his father

The Meteor and at least one other aircraft are owned by another enthusiast.

The collection has struggled with limited support.

Like many collections it has also fallen victim to changes in family circumstances.

Like DaveT I have known Stuart for many years and can understand his desire not to part with the aircraft even though his can spend little time attending to them. It took Stuart many years to assemble what he has and I am sure that he is dissapointed that the collection has not progressed for a number of years.

I fail to understand the comment by Bennyboy refering to David B which I assume to be David Burke.

David (Burke) has done more than most to assist the movement of airframes into preservation. During my 25 years of involvement in aviation preservation (albeit the last six have been from my armchair) I have seen many groups have problems with lack of support.

Please do not criticise from the sidelines become active and help stop the rot

I too knew Stuart when he was collecting. A nicer chap you couldnt hope to meet.

Hear, hear chaps, couldn’t agree more.

Perhaps if some of the keyboard enthusiasts came and cut Long Marston’s grass once a month, it would be something positive ?

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If the owners don’t want to play ball – then move on, do what you can somewhere that it’s welcomed.

ok – common sense over – can we threaten to knee-cap the guy?

I think these sort of comments are a bit below the belt old chap (and Rebecca)

This is a public forum with lots of members, and some of us here know & count the people you refer to as friends, so you could end up being the one knee-capped !!

:dev2:

Which panel / aircraft type ?

… My biggest concern is that the aircraft are being used as a backdrop to the display of other items…….Also she was confused at the inclusion of the three cars (VW, Mini and Trabant), the odd unrelated tank, and what on earth are the Russian Dolls about.

DOUGHNUT

I was under the impression the exhibition was about the Cold War as a whole, bringing together under one roof different aspects from that era, including the social & political ones, not merely the aviation hardware involved (i.e. a museum for future/younger generations).

If they have failed woefully after the money spent, please let me know and i’ll not visit. As it stands, i’m very much looking forward to seeing ‘artifacts’ from my era when the Russkies were the bad guys not the Taliban.

HA HA HAAAAA, the problem I have is i am funding another project so the Gnat and MIG have to go so I can get my other up and running asap.

Thanks for the offer though, its a very kind thought:rolleyes:

How much is the Mig now ?

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3K can get you a nice Gnat cockpit to play with:rolleyes:

Swap ya a Hunter ‘pit on a trailer………:diablo:

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