Very good–thanks for posting.
I enjoyed that.
Andy

Not a decision taken lightly but it’s like a swamp out there.
And it’s still raining here.
A.

That’s half scale???

No, full scale.

‘Winged Victory’ by Victor Yeates.
Yeates flew Sopwith Camels with 46 Sqn, on the Western Front and you won’t find a better book on flying in The Great War–in fact you’ll be hard pushed to find a better book full stop–in my ‘onest guv.
It’s written in the form of a novel but is clearly autobiographical, many of the characters in the book are based on real people in the squadron at that time. Yeates was dying from what was known as ‘Flying Sickness D’ when he wrote the book–we know it as Tuberculosis.
It has a slightly bitter tone (which is understandable) but is blessedly
far removed from false heroics of the type the film industry (in particular) seem so enamoured with.
Buy it–read it–marvel at what they did..!

Andy

Bruce.
Peter Jackson has also got a shed full of money.
His operation has pretty much grown up because of that, and he sort of started from scratch, but he’s assembled a team down there and uses a Worldwide network to get the work done, but of course you knew that.
I do sometimes wonder what might happen to that collection in years to come–after all, everyone is mortal.
However, the centre of gravity in Great War aviation has shifted away from places like Old Warden and Old Rhinebeck to New Zealand.

I used to visit the shed at Salisbury hall and quietly wish that a BE2 would fly.
All I nee d now is a ticket to NZ.

Actually I thought the 1 1/2 Strutter at Hendon was a replica.

My point was it is somewhat special to be able to follow the developments of a single manufacturer in one museum.
I think it’s rather wonderful.
Has anyone ever wondered (for instance) why the Dolphin is noticeably different to the Pup, Camel and Triplane..?
I’d love to see a TVAL Snipe added to the line-up.

The BE2F (or parts of it) is flying in NZ. In my opinion that’s a much better outcome than laying in a damp shed in Hertfordshire.

I think we all need to accept, that the axis of early aviation preservation (and flying) has shifted to the southern hemisphere.
Probably not a bad thing in my opinion.

The way I see it is this:-

Sopwith Tabloid
Sopwith 1 1/2 Struter
Sopwith Pup
Sopwith Triplane
Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Dolphin

and a Snipe.

The RAFM could offer this line up.
No bad thing if you ask me.

The Snipe is my second favourite aeroplane of all.
Two squadrons operated out of RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire in the very early 1920’s (23 & 43 Sqns.) and for that reason I’d love to see a Snipe at OW. Can’t see it ever happening though.
Andy.