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FiltonFlyer

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July 27, 2006 at 9:41 pm in reply to: Bolingbroke 9048 arrives at Filton #1275586

FiltonFlyer
Participant

Very exciting news.

I can understand why a restoration to flying condition is ruled out. But how about to groundrunning standard? That would at least give some life instead of gathering dust as a static exhibit.

Cees

Cees, a restoration to ground-running hasn’t been ruled out, but there are lots of considerations. In favour, it will be on an active airfield, either at the BAC’s hangar at Kemble, or in the future aviation museum at Filton, which could in theory have some airworthy exhibits. The team members would love to rebuild it to ‘live’ condition. Against are the obvious ones, like cost, manpower, and timing. We will see what the full inspection turns up. A lot would depend on what state the two Bristol Mercury engines are in.

Andy

July 25, 2006 at 11:37 pm in reply to: Bolingbroke 9048 arrives at Filton #1278422

FiltonFlyer
Participant

Congratulations on receiving the Bolingbroke safely! This aircraft saw service on the west coast of canada correct?

Peter,
Unlike most Bolingbrokes, 9048 did see Squadron service in defending Canada. When it was delivered to 8 (BR) Squadron, they were based at Sydney, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. After Pearl Harbor, 8BR relocated to Sea Island, BC on the west coast, so its unusual in that it has performed operations against both German and Japanese forces. In mid 1942 it moved to Alaska as part of a joint U.S.-Canadian defence force. When 8BR re-equipped with Venturas in 1943, it went to the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, and was based at Brandon, Manitoba.

Andy

July 25, 2006 at 11:26 pm in reply to: Bolingbroke 9048 arrives at Filton #1278441

FiltonFlyer
Participant

forgive the ignorance, restoration to flying condition?

‘fraid not, just to static. The intention is for it to be restored and painted in 8 (BR) Squadron RCAF colours, and go on display either at the Bristol Aero Collections current home at Kemble, or the future museum planned for Filton, which would incorporate the BAC when it opens.

Andy

July 13, 2006 at 10:07 pm in reply to: World War One replicas?? #1295579

FiltonFlyer
Participant

The bygone times one was sold on. All they can tell me now is they have something with 2 wings there. I spent a good 30 mins on the phone to them trying to determine what they have now but no one knew.

Thanks Ollie, I got the same response from them a couple of years ago. According to the latest W&R, they had a Noralpha, but it hasn’t been seen since 2004.

Andy

July 12, 2006 at 8:50 pm in reply to: World War One replicas?? #1297380

FiltonFlyer
Participant

Bristol M1C

Speaking of WW1 replicas, does anyone have any idea what happened to these two Bristol M1C monoplane replicas?
1) The Thorpe Park replica, build by FEM Displays in 1976, and painted as C4912. It fetched £4,800 at the Christies auction on 1st October 1987, and has not been seen since. A lot of the collection went stateside, but most of them have reappeared (e.g. a couple of racers at Chino).
2) The Bygone Times replica, painted as C4940 and on display at Bygone Times Antique Warehouse at Eccleston from around 1993 to 1997. Could even have been the same aircraft as above.

Both the Shuttleworth and Hendon M1Cs are replicas, the only surviving original is in Australia.

Andy

June 11, 2006 at 10:44 pm in reply to: Bristol Concept Monoplane #1335779

FiltonFlyer
Participant

Sounds to me like the Bristol Type 72 Racer. It was indeed a revolutionary aircraft, but unfortunately had some problems on the initial test flights. On the second flight, the spinner came off an ripped the fabric off the port wing. Subsequent flights were without a spinner, but this caused excessive drag. 7 flights were made in all, and it was abandoned because of the effort required to fix the spinner problem. It was an exceptional aircraft, ahead of its time.

Click here for a picture of the Racer – http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/getsingleobject.php?rnum=G1126

Andy A.

June 8, 2006 at 8:31 pm in reply to: HAC Bristol Fighter Flying? #1252274

FiltonFlyer
Participant

re TFC’s Brisfit – there is an rumour that it will go to Peter Jackson, or that area of the world, but given past threads its probably wise not to speculate at the moment. It will be a great shame if it does go, but having two airworthy F2B’s in the UK is not bad.

For Norwich read Norfolk – my mistake. This project was indeed Bob Tricketts restoration, and comprised some significant original parts acquired from Guy Black. Although it included an original frame, it wasn’t a WOTG frame. Bob sold the project a year or so ago, to work on other things.

As I mentioned the serials of the six F2Bs purchased in 1919 are known (I think I had them, can’t find them at the mo), but there is no way of knowing which one is which. The serials for the HAC and TFC aircraft are from the aircraft that substantial parts have come from, not the frames themselves.

Thanks for the offer of the photos James – will be in touch.

cheers,
Andy A.

June 8, 2006 at 2:18 pm in reply to: HAC Bristol Fighter Flying? #1252770

FiltonFlyer
Participant

How many Brisfits and replicas are there?

Well, I’m glad you asked.

Airworthy:
G-AEPH/D8096 – original, Shuttleworth
G-AANM/D7889 – built from original parts, HAC
G-ACAA/D8084 – builf from original parts, TFC, grounded but due to fly again soon
ZK-JNU/B1112 – repro with Ranger engine, Peter Jackson, New Zealand

Under restoration/rebuild:
repro, VAHF, Texas – With 300hp Hispano-Suiza engine, to be painted up as 1922 Bristol demonstrator.
original frame, VAHF, Texas
original frame, Omaka, NZ, for Peter Jackson
original frame/parts, rebuild to static (used to be in Norwich, now believed to be in USA)

Static Display:
E2581 – original, IWM Duxford
B.21 – repro?, Cuatro Vientos, Madrid
N29HC – repro, Planes of Fame, Valle AZ
E2624/N34HC – repro, Planes of Fame, Chino CA
C4623/VH-UDR – repro, Oakey, Australia
B4 – original frame, Brussels, Belgium
E2466/BAPC.165 – original frame, Hendon

Stored:
components from 2 to 4 F2B reproductions, with Planes of Fame, Chino.

There were supposedly six Weston-on-the-Green frames. Serials for the six are documented, but there is no tie-up to the surviving frames.
E2624 at Hendon
G-AANM/D7889 – HAC (WOTG frame, substantial parts from D7889)
G-ACAA/D8084 – TFC (WOTG frame, parts from F4516)
B4 in Brussels
frame with VAHF, Texas
frame at Omaka, NZ

I think thats about right, my website is a little out of date at the moment, as I’ve been working on a new version and haven’t had the time to update the current site. I don’t know much about the one in Madrid – anyone know where it was built, and how much of it is original?
Andy
Bristol Aircraft Worldwide Survey
http://www.filton.flyer.co.uk

April 19, 2006 at 9:45 pm in reply to: finding some old special planes #1322061

FiltonFlyer
Participant

What do you need to know?
The Bristol Type 62 Ten-Seater was powered by one 450hp Napier Lion engine.
From various books:
G-EAWY registered May 1921; ‘ready for flight’ 21st June 1921; Flown to Croydon 8th July 1921 for experimental service; flown to Martlesham Heath in August 1921; sold to the Air Ministry in December 1921; performed demonstrations at Croydon on 6th Feb 1922; handed over to Instone’s in June 1922 to operate London-Paris service; later handed over to Handley Page Transport Ltd for London-Cologne service; withdrawn from use 10th February 1923.

Here are a couple of photos from the Aviation Archive website.

http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/getsingleobject.php?rnum=G1945

http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/getsingleobject.php?rnum=G3349
cheers,
Andy

April 9, 2006 at 5:58 pm in reply to: Wreckage in Bristol Channel? #1333434

FiltonFlyer
Participant

I don’t think this is the same aircraft, but there have been several sightings of a Blenheim (or sometimes reported as a Beaufighter) in the Severn, but this is higher up than Portishead. Closest accident I could find was a Mk.I Blenheim L6597, which crashed near Sharpness on 15/3/1940. The wreck has been slowly moving downstream since then, with occasional sightings. It was quoted as being ‘in remarkably good condition’ in the 1973 book “Bristol – An Aircraft Album”.

Andy

April 6, 2006 at 3:55 pm in reply to: Bristol Freighter UK bound? #1335270

FiltonFlyer
Participant

As the project to return the Bristol Freighter to Filton has now be launched, more details can be made available. The Freighter has been acquired, by Graham Kilsby, who runs the Bristol Heritage Collection located at Howenwald near Nashville in Tennessee. He is also a founder of the Bristol Aero Collection. His aim is to return the aircraft to airworthy condition and fly it across the Atlantic to Filton, about 7,000 miles and 50-odd hours. This can only happen if enough money can be raised, and the £75,000 Bristol 170 appeal has been launched, on telephone number 0117 962 1105 in the UK. The names of sponsors who donate £500 or more will be painted on the plane’s clamshell nose doors.

Andy

April 6, 2006 at 3:37 pm in reply to: Bristol Freighter UK bound? #1335282

FiltonFlyer
Participant

Here we go again….spend oodles of spondoolies making a big aircraft airworthy, fly it all the way across the Atlantic for what…just to sit outside and rot in the British weather! 🙁 It really is so sad to see the Bristol Aero Collection struggling to keep the last airworthy Britannia up together at Kemble with no hangar, Concorde is rotting away at Filton and now we have a potential Bristol Freighter joining them. I just wish either the Government would help out or some lottery money could be applied for to save these last surviving icons of our British Aircraft Industry?

Just to clear up this earlier comment – there is no link between the Bristol Aero Collection and last airworthy Britannia at Kemble, which is maintained by the Bristol Britannia XM496 Preservation Society. Concorde at Filton is not rotting away, its well maintained at Filton despite comments to the contrary. The aim is still to get her under cover in a museum at Filton, and things are happening in this direction.

I should also add that XM496 is not rotting away either, the guys at Kemble are doing a great job restoring her!

Andy

March 28, 2006 at 8:02 pm in reply to: Blenheim into a MK1 #1336573

FiltonFlyer
Participant

Blenheim Anniversary

Next year is the 70th anniversary of the Blenheim, does anyone have any ideas how the anniversary can be recognised? I’ll pass on any ideas.

Actually, its this year, on 25th June. The first Blenheim (K7033) took to the air from Filton in 1936, in the hands of Cyril Uwins. Its been a little overshadowed by the Spitfire in the aviation press, bit of a shame really. It would be great to have something at Filton for the press, fingers crossed the Bristol Aero Collections Bolingbroke 9048 will be in the UK in time.

The Bolingbroke is not in the IWMs layout for AirSpace, so I presume it has been dropped, another great shame.

Andy

March 20, 2006 at 10:50 pm in reply to: Canberra WH665 #1341022

FiltonFlyer
Participant

… infact just checking the news page on their website (http://www.ndac.co.uk/News.htm) they have a photo of the Sea Devon, the Canberra, and the ex Air Madagascar 747 all from Filton. Apparently they are to get the nose section of the 747 for the quarry.

Andy

March 20, 2006 at 10:44 pm in reply to: Canberra WH665 #1341079

FiltonFlyer
Participant

The story passed to me is that WH665 is currently being stripped out at Filton, and will go to the National Diving Centre at nearby Chepstow soon. Sea Devon G-RNAS (formerly XK896) went there about 6 months ago, and is currently in the car park at Chepstow, ready to be submersed in the flooded quarry there. A sad end to two airframes that could have been preserved, on a par with scrapping really. The dump at Filton (known as Palm Beach) also had third airframe up until around mid-2004, a Beech Baron fuselage. Don’t know where that ended up.

Andy
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