I remember once when a ‘Hangar Rat’ for Intrepid Aviation, one day an aircraft flew into North Weald, the hangar doors were quickly opened and in it taxiied, the doors closed and the engine shut down. We were allowed in, but weren’t allowed to talk about it. Aircraft was a Grumman Hellcat.

Martin

Mention has been made of using Shuttleworth’s Lysander, I would guess that filming schedules would mean that guaranteeing the Shuttleworth aircraft being available could have been an issue, especially in February.

Question for Martin. Can you explain the method of power for the replica, having seen the film I had assumed it had a small motor to turn the propeller and was simply towed across the grass. It sounds a lot more complex.
Also assume as a film prop it was designed from the start to be easily transportable, but how durable is the structure and its outer covering, I am thinking about its long term reuse or preservation ?

Sorry for so many questions.

No problem at all. Have been and spoken to the engineers involved (as it was before my time) and the airframe was made to be transported in three parts. Everything was built as close as it could be to the real thing, with panels and items borrowed from ARC. All wings and fuselage structures were built to the original specifications with work farmed out to various general aviation companies for the wings and fuselages to be covered. In all instances it was built to replicate a Lysander and that is what it did. It is believed that someone from the film company bought the airframe after the completion of filming.

As to the power that was run using a small electric motor and was just meant for static shots. I believe that the airframe was incapable of moving under its own power.

Martin

That is an impressive replica, although the main wheels look too small to me. I wonder why they did not use the one at Shuttleworth?

Steve

The airframe was built using drawings, plans and countless photos and with wonderful assistance from ARC at Duxford. The wheels were the closest that could be find in size to the real thing, otherwise they wouldn’t have fitted the spats. The Lysander had to be taxiied over a ploughed field at 30mph and it was believe I deemed too much of a risk to use such a valuable machine as the airworthy example. Even though the replica cost a considerable amount of money (as all do), it was thought to be the safer option.

Martin

BAPC.68 is currently down with Gateguards at Newquay.

Martin

Used to fly in G-KURK when it was G-BJTO.

Martin