Hi Alan

I am glad you have stepped forward

the propellor is a complete mystery within the sqn.

no one quite knows where and when it originated (donated) it has sat in the stores container for many years (unloved).

now RAFCA wont budget us for attaching it to the wall, as it is non-essentail work. so it has become a white elephant.

I would love to have that beautiful peiece of aviation history retained in the sqn, but have no room to store it.

David

I can’t pretend not to be disappointed that it was never used for it’s intended purpose. Or that it’s taken this long for it’s value to be appreciated.
It’s a shame that I wasn’t a member of the squadron for longer, otherwise I would have fixed it to the wall myself.
Still, it’s no use crying over spilt milk, I hope it eventually gets to someone who appreciates it’s beauty.

Alan

It’s been just one more thing that most of us have taken for granted over the
last few years.
It’s a shame that due to the orbits, we won’t get to see it overfly the UK.

Strewth 😮

To think that my Mother’s father also cut at least one up for firewood .

What would the approximate value of the aircraft be, in flying condition ?

I gave that propeller to the squadron in about 1969, to be hung on the wall,
and a clock mounted in it’s centre.
I would be extremely annoyed to find that it was being sold. It was purchased
by my mother’s late father, along with a a couple more like it along with a number
of struts. I think he picked them up at a London market, back in the 1930’s.

If it had to be disposed of, I would rather have seen it given to a museum or
organisation who would have appreciated it. Rather than sold off to the highest bidder.

As I posted elsewhere.

This was when I was a member of Rayleigh ATC 1476 Squadron.
I am sitting in the cockpit, and the officer is “Monty” Mountstephens.
This was shortly after we had received the cockpit. I believe it had been
rescued from Foulness and put on a wheeled trolley by RAF apprentices.
Some years after I’d left the ATC, I saw it on display at the long since defunct
Southend aviation museum. The last time I saw it was at Southend airport,
where it was on display during the seafront airshow. That must have been
about five or six years ago
It’s sad that it’s been sold, OK it might put something towards a minibus,
but in a few years time that will be worth nothing, and the squadron won’t have a
cockpit either.

Unfortunately the picture doesn’t show much of the actual cockpit. This must have been
circa 1968-9 (at a guess). I’m sure it also had a canopy, perhaps removed for the photo ?

Hi everyone,

My ATC sqn. is selling its Lightning P1B/F1 XG325 . c/n 95014.

built 26/2/59. EE & deHavilland for Firestreak trials, ‘A’ Sqd A&AEE, deHavillan Red Top trials, 60MU spares, PEE Foulness, 7/8/68. Rescued, owned and in a constant state of restoration by 1476 Rayleigh Sqn ATC.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=110118 🙂

I’ve only just read this thread. What a great shame that that my old ATC Squadron had to sell the cockpit. I’ll dig out and scan a picture of me sitting in it, when we first had it at our HQ.