Well done to the winners and everyone, some fantastic and varied photos.

Perhaps we should do something like this every month for a different aircraft? 😉

Don’t think he’s got enough ammo for that!

An interesting discussion!

I’m no expert on these things, but it seems like RX168 has more substantial remains than several Spitfires that have been restored to fly, and there are definite precedents to aircraft retaining identities despite the fuselage being replaced. A prime example of this is W4050, the Mosquito prototype that had the fuselage replaced with that of W4051 when the aircraft suffered a fractured fuselage.

It just seems (to me) to be a bit of a shame to take an aircraft which has substantial remains and disperse them. I believe this has happened in the past and has reduced the amount of original material available to restorations – an example would be EN224, where if I recall correctly the tail exists attached to ML225.

That said – it’s the owner’s decision, and I can definitely see the reasons for the concern over the ID.

I tend to agree with you , with regard to the amount of original material, to my untrained eyes there is a substantial amount of airframe parts (and engine) attributable to that particular A/C, but as has been said before there may be more of the A/C out there, and an identity challenge could take place; add to that, the fact that that engines are changed routinely and (to a lesser extent) empenage and wings also.

This “restoration” was originally planned as a Hurricane prototype replica, complete with 2 blade prop, so would presumably have had a fabric covered wing.

Whats worse, is he looks even older!!

This Mossie fuselage is an excellent project with a few flaws; “the man who never made a mistake, never made anything” no the canopy isn’t right , and no the first time I saw it, I didn’t notice either!

Not that my advice is actually needed (but when did that stop me) a large improvement could be made by (a) bringing the side glazing bars down a touch, and (b) raising the fuselage sides (in the same location) up slightly, neither jobs would be time consuming.

When building replicas, these problems are out there for all of us (as my scrap bin will bear testiment to) even manufacturers drawings don’t tell the whole story, and there is nothing like having a part to copy, but not that many Mossie canopies out there.

A very good friend of mine witnessed a complete Airspeed Oxford being buried at RAF Worksop circa late 1940’s early1950’s!!!

While Iam at it don’t forget that RR disposed of great numbers of Merlin engines down a number of mineshafts around Derbyshire.

And I almost forgot the cut up TSR 2’s and jigs in a S Yorks quarry.

And Merlins or something equally interesting down mineshafts in cornwall.

Its possible that the “cockpit green” was a primer in itself.