Dear Sir,
One of these models was presented to 81 Squadron at RAF Seletar in 1954.
81 Squadron PR Unit flew ‘THE LAST!’ Spitfire PRXIX – PS888 on its last official sortie on 1st April 1954. Later it was sold to the Royal Thai Air Force with two others as Instructional Airframes, with spare R-R Griffon engines.
The whereabouts of the model is unknown
The ’81 Squardon Association’ formed in Sept 2005 is trying to locate it.
Web site for the association is: http://81squad.netfirms.com/.

Cheers
Brian Rose.
Archivist.
81 Squadron Association.

AVRO VULCAN XM575 at N.E.M.A. “AEROPARK”.

Other than XH558,XL426,XM655 and the one at Hendon, what is the current state of the vulcan fleet as far as condition and work being done on them photos are always welcome!. If I still lived in the UK I would hop in a car and do a tour of them all!

Hi Peter,
We have at the “AEROPARK” at Nottingham East Midlands Airport AVRO 698 VULCAN B2A in good condition. It is complete in working order and was flown in some years ago. It is XM575 (G-BLMC) Ex Strike Command 1 Group.

There iis a photo of it on web site:
http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/mus/uk/c-e/eastmidsaeropark.htm

Cheers
Brian Rose.
Aeropark Volunteers Assoc..

More than one Pioneer CC1 left.

Question: is it true that there is only one surviving Pioneer CC1 – displayed at Cosford? Incredible aircraft – one took off at Farnborough ACROSS the runway and not ALONG it.

No, there is one in the Malayan Air Museum in Kuala Lumpur.

I worked on assembly of the first Pioneer CC1 at RAF Seletar in Sept/Oct 1953. It was assembled in the A.R.S hangar.
Its first flight by Chief Test Pilot of Scottish Aviation Ltd was made across the runway. 7th Oct 1953.
Later it was flown by Flt Lt M.E.F.Hickmott and four other pilots trained by Scottish Aviation Ltd.
Flt Lt Hickmott was C/O of 1311 Transport Flight.

Brian Rose.
Aircraft finisher.
A.R.S. 390 MU.

VE -110 Sqn – Blenheims and Mosquitos.. Also Station Flight Kirton -in-Lindsey.
LG – 215 Sqn – Wellingtons. Became part of 11 OTU in May 1940. Also 13 Group Communications Flight.

B.G.Rose.

Spitfire PRXIX – PS915 at Woodville in 1947 was in post war colours. Silver.
It was repainted to represent PS888 of 81 Sqn PR Unit, and was THE LAST Spitfire to fly an Official sortie in the R.A.F. This took place at R.A.F. Seletar, Singapore on 1st April 1954. It was subsequently named ‘THE LAST!’. I took photgraphs before, during painting and after. Apparenty, the only person who did. I supplied the ground crew with some white paint and brush. PS888 was in wartime colours. PRU Blue and Med Sky Grey. Although it should have been in Silver, it was time expired, and sold with PS890 and PS836 to the Royal Thai Air Force as Instructional Airframes.
PS890 was sold to the U.S.A. and now flies in France fitted with a R-R Griffon and Conta – Rotating propeller from a Shackleton.