A Guppy still flying in Europe would help transport problems for a lot of museums its a shame they where decommissioned and I think broken up although there was I think last year still a CL 44 04 mini cargo guppy still in existence and flying. A bit like the old Carvairs at least one should have been preserved even if not in flying order but I am sure one could probably have paid for itself. Look what the Russians have done with their ex military transports back in the air and paying for themselves.

Nice pictures and very nice to see still in use when you think how old the basic aircraft it is built on is.

Mike E

Westlands at Yeovil hold a fair bit of stuff and also not generally known is that Westlands also hold Faireys stuff as they cleared faireys site and even transferred their wind tunnel.

We are slowly but surely within our group returning the Westland Whirlwind Fighter back into existence and the guys are working very hard at producing all new drawings and cad work as well as new production drawings so that an aircraft can be built.

We are also assisting Westlands archivists to sort out what they have where we can and we are also sending them copies of what we have obtained via other sources so that they have a complete set or as much as we have when finished and yes drawings are only available via Westlands with their approval that is part of our agreement.So sorry folks we wont be providing sets of drawings to build your own Whirlwind it wont be happening or not for a good while I would imagine

Mike E

Whirlwind Fighter project

Vampire Spares

Looking for the following suitable for Vampire T22 XG743

Cockpit access ladder

Aircraft Tow bar

Ground power supply cable with plugs.

Aircraft batteries

Suitable radio equipment

Ignitor plugs for Goblin engine

any Goblin engine spares

Wing fuel tanks for T22/T11/T55 wings

underwing drop tanks for T22

Spare main wheels and tyres

Spare brake bags and linings

Any consumables for vampire T11/T22

Trades available.

Mike E

http://www.Aircraftrestorationgroup.org

Hindenburg….

I do rather like the idea that whatever it is might be under a car park.

Given that recent car park excavations have proven somewhat fruitful and interesting you might yet be able to generate enthusiasm for digging there.

Don’t tell David Cundall. Every last car park space in Britain will be excavated otherwise.

Talking of car parks we have a Westland Whirlwind fighter alledged to be half under pub car park and half under pub bowling green not far from you.

There are a couple of deep mine shafts in West Yorkshire alledged to have had crated merlins,and lots of other aircraft related items dumped down them before the shafts where capped.

Also just off the east lancashire road there are some shafts alledged to have had B17 fuselage sections dumped down them from US storage depots closed at wars end.

Let’s just hope in future people don’t go looking for buried aircraft on disused Cumbrian airfields, might just be a lot of bull (and sheep and pigs….)

Or there was the story of the quarry near Carlisle ‘riddled’ with aircraft parts, and asbestoc IIRC

Dear boy are you thinking of the quarry at Aspatria ???. there where in fact six aircraft in there including two tiger moth frames and some ww2 stuff.

Not much of a rumour been there got stuff out went home happy thank you very much.