Engine Life

Where does it say fifteen years?

Contract

Mr Vacher was the second person to take an interest. The first had a signed contract with the council before all this blew up…..

Yes Bruce. I was with the the individual at the time he entered into the first “sale” of this aircraft. I believe that the Museum had put the aircraft up for sale by advertising it as such. The UK buyer viewed the aircraft in depth and detail with the full cooperation and assistance of the Museum’s director and Museum personnel. I believe he is the one that provided the pictures you posted earlier, and sought advice from UK based Mosquito experts at the same time. He was told by the Museum’s director that the sale was approved by the Museum’s Board. The intention, at the time, he was told, was to raise badly needed funds, hopefully to construct some cover for the outside displays. He also discussed the Hurricane at the same time and was told that it had much more relevance to Canadian aviation heritage and would hopefully never have to be sold.
A deal was struck, he shook the hand of the Museum’s director, wrote a cheque for a ten percent deposit, which was soon cashed, and went on to figure out how to get it back to the UK. He left with and still today has the signed contract.
He returned to Calgary a week or so later, and with the help of Museum
personnel, approached a local oil service company with experience in moving
large equipment to aid in the transport. They were very helpful and designed a special rig to transport both the fuselage and one piece wing by road to the
east coast for sea shipment to the UK. All was set to go. Luckily they did not start building the rig immediately.
He returned to the UK, only to be told a few days later that the deal had been voided. Clearly disappointed, he decided to let the matter drop. He was advised that he likely had legal recourse but did not want to get into an ugly fight which this seems to have become. It appeared that the Museum acted illegally by entering into a contract for sale of an item it did not own.
Now, looking back at it from afar and with hindsight he now believes it the Museum’s u-turn was a blessing in disguise. Despite belief at the time that the airframe was restorable to flying condition that was always in doubt. Had he started to rebuild within six months of the “purchase” it would most likely still not be flying today. Though it could have been a fabulous journey, potentially one that might not see a reasonable end. As those that are involved with the restoration of vintage aircraft know, it is getting more difficult not easier.
He was never offered reimbursement for out of pocket expenses amounting to several thousand pounds, lost through no fault of his own. He was disappointed in how quickly the Museum seemed to forget who he was to the extent of not returning phone calls. He did maintain a correspondence with one of the Museum’s personnel with whom he struck up a friendship. This man hated to see the Mosquito go but wanted more to protect the Lancaster and others, and thus applauded the sale as a necessary step in the Museum’s role as curator of this history.
He wishes whomever ends up restoring this wonderful aeroplane the best of luck. The only thing that is certain is that it will take more time and money and hard work than anyone imagines or estimates from day one.

Pilots

John Beattie must be the highest time Seafire pilot in the world under the age of 80. I believe he went over the 100 hour mark last month and now must be over 110 hours. I think the man is having too much fun.

I wonder how many Seafire pilots are still around?

Seafire XV

Can someone direct me to the web site for the Mk XV, please?

Questions?

I have been asked to forward this by Tim Manna:

“Dear Mr. Hellman,

As a member of the public you are entitled to ask any question you want. What you may not expect or be legally entitled to is an answer. In wholly private an legal transactions, that do not involve a government or publicly sponsored entity (read between the lines here), there is no legal requirement to provide any information to an outside party.

As for “answers to the actual aviation questions,” if you asked an actual aviation question like, “How many Spitfires were manufactured?”, I assume you would have received an actual aviation answer. If someone asked you, “To whom did you sell your house, and for how much?”, I would not expect that person to get an answer, nor expect you to give one. Should that person then make inferences and accusations of impropriety simply because that person did not get the answer to his or her questions, I believe you would be right to feel impugned.

Whether the aircraft has been sold or not, is none of your business, politely said. You don’t have a right to that information. Certainly not on a public internet forum. When and if a sale gets put onto the public record you will have your answer.

As for the rest of the subjects being off bounds, the previous paragraphs apply. If it is a legal and private transaction (I am not sure that legal has anything to do with it or this forum) then you don’t have a right to an answer, and expecting one or more, then making oblique accusations when you don’t get what you want is certainly not on.

The Forum is the place to get actual answers. But to real and relevant questions, not those that pry into the private lives of others.

I repeat from my earlier reply, it is just this type of thread that keeps me from being a more regular contributor to the Forum (which I think, by the way, is an excellent tool when used properly. I enjoy it and often learn a lot.) I think that I might have a lot to say, hopefully some if not most of it relevant and accurate. But I keep my head down and hope that no real inaccuracies or untruths appear.

My apologies to you, Mr Hellman, if you thought my reply rude, or you think this one rude.

My apologies to members of the Forum for having subjected you to this unnecessary monologue.

My thanks to Bruce for his “moderation”.

My thanks to all the aviation enthusiasts in this and other countries without whom this passion would be less fun.

Respectfully,
Tim Manna”

Rebuttal

Thank you Bruce.

Venom Pix

Some photos by Jamie Hunter of Kennet’s Venom and Hunter together.