FirebexIn a similar vein, I know of a dedicated set of volunteers who’d be delighted if anyone could turn up a set of drawings for a General Aircraft Monospar ST12 – even with a well restored set of parts the challenge of refitting them in a functioning manner is enormous!
Progress is being made thanks to their ingenuity and some photographic input from a co-operative museum curator in Denmark!! 🙂
PM please with their contact details as we may have some stuff in archive not sure how detailed or how usefull.
Mike E:cool:
FirebexCanberra PR.9 XH136 cockpit (again)
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When the Hunter was complete it was salvageable but not when you cut it in half.I would have thought he would get more interest and better offers if he had put it up for sale as a complete item .I would think he would have got more money for it as the wings looked complete.??
Sorry nothing against the cockpit guys but why butcher a complete aircraft if you don’t have to to make a cockpit section ??
if a cockpit is all that’s left and salvaged out of a yard etc fine no problem but how many collections would love a full Hunter regardless of how much work it needs ??. I could have found a home for one I am sure without to much trouble.
With regard to the Canberra cockpit it looks nice but I think its a sign of the times there is not much money about at the moment and there are rather a glut of Canberra cockpits knocking about and they ain’t exactly the easiest of beast to hook up behind your average pride and joy.
Mike E
FirebexSkeeter flying ??
Sadly the likely hood of a Skeeter taking to the air again is very unlikely.
This is because of the nature of construction of the main rotors and the fact
they are not in the least conjusive to inspection and routine maintenance.
Basically they are from memory a steel tube with wooden formers and fabric
covering.I know of at least one organisation who has made inquiries re trying to
get around this problem without there being an approved or acceptable
alternative solution.I used to own G-BDNS so I know some of the problems,
and a friend of mine used to house a ground running G-APOI and
another couple of running airframes in sheds at Blackpool airport for many
years.
Mike E
FirebexI used to work at CFS and can confirm the company was set up by three men. They were, Mike Collet, ‘someone who escapes me’ Foden and Martin Slater, hence CFS. I hope things are not as bad as they seem!
Same here Phil it was yours truly who did most of the Prentice rebuild and had the pleasure of doing the Twin pin strip before being made redundant.They seem to make a habit of it there sadly. I might therefore have worked with you ?? ( 1990 to 1994)
But I digress. Martin Slater, Jame Foden, Mike Collet also previously known also as Air Atlantique and a few other hats.CFS was originally operated in Malta at Luqa airport and undertook the Engine and prop side of things then it was closed down and everything shipped back to Coventry including the Port wing I think it was for the BBMF DC3 we had in the shop for overhaul prior to going to them.The engines and props where then done in house at Coventry. I do not know what became of Jimbob as he used to be affectionately known but he was getting on ,all the DC3 spares and Twin pioneer stuff etc was stored in barns at his farm (think he planned to turn it into a golf course or driving range ??). Martin was director in charge of engineering and Mike Collet was over all supremo.
Then they appear to have expanded again and the CFS name got a rebirth but to be honest things seem to change at Coventry as often as Mike Collet changes his underwear so anything could be fact or not.But would not surprise a lot of us who know the place and organisation.
Mike E
FirebexI see the Swift is now down to £50k. It’s like an auction in reverse…
If it gets to £25k watch a queue start to form for the next drop in price !!!!!
9 offers of what I wonder as I understand she is like cooking foil in a lot of places.
Mike E
Firebexa cautionary tale
There was an engine over last weekend on a certain auction site up for only a short period.It being of the Merlin Breedhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/spitfire-engine-ww2-merlin-225-/130607144805?…
My Mate says I need one of those has it been sold ?? So email sent and reply received no its not gone.
It immaculate honest guv !!!! Perfect inside and out and complete.looks like its never been used even got a brand new carb for it.Asking £20k but willing to consider an offer.you wont be dissapointed.
So trailer in tow on the off chance first half of 480 mile round trip met up with War bird engine engineer.From 15 feet looked fair .But as we approached it became apparant it was neither New or Unused but in fact very Abused.
Obviously out of a crash site great scar along the bottom no cooling system pump,pipes or anything.Super charger well abused and carb also damaged.Harness crushed on lower half car spark plugs (they are the ones from the factory honest !!)No upper harness (chopped off) lots of bits missing or crushed.40mm dia hole in A bank rocker cover with patch welded in it.
Engine was also well seized. Whats all this damage then ??? honestly the reply at first was “nothing that’s just Corrosion ??” the second was could it have been caused by dropping it ??. Yes in an aircraft from a dizzy height you con man !!! .
Obviously a crash site recovery with filler,weld and black paint applied with a trowel.
Anyone thinking of bidding on this engine at the February auction at Brooklands take advice from a doctor as to your state of mind !!!!!. If you want something to sit in a corner as a big door stop that you cant do much else with then fine .I suppose it could be a talking piece in your lounge.If you have that much money left after Christmas invest in something else.
But the guide price of £17k-£21k has got zero’s in a wrong place and the description is very inaccurate to say the least.
It just shows Dell boy is still alive and kicking in Essex but he has got rid of his Reliant robin van.
A few hundred quid poorer in costs but at least it could have been worse.
By heck my bum is still numb!!!!
Mike E:eek::eek::eek::eek:
FirebexWe have a brand new boxed undercarriage indicator 5C/1008 surplus we where going to advertise.If you want one PM me please.
Also I know someone who has a mk 4 gun sight as he offered it to me only at the beginning of this week.
Mike E
FirebexLove the way he interchanges Spitfire and Seafire throughout the description.
Richard
The stencil writing looks totaly naff and I don’t think having had originals in the past that the suggested markings for the gun camera are anything like.Where does the price come from seriously ???
FirebexTry asking some searching questions and you’ll get instantly blocked by this seller, I seem to remember a friend of his asking if there was anything strange about it in an earlier thread, a loaded question perhaps?
This is definitely one of those Buyer beware all is not what it seems. From past experience even when it is pointed out what it is not it is still stated a sbeing what it is !!!!!
Firebex..and what do you make of this? Currently on offer at £100, so very affordable!
As the question says in the auction from the local museum why does he not donate this strange beast to them ???. He says for reasons he has to sell must be getting near Christmas.
Why dont a few of us chip in with the museum give him his £100 or so and let the local museum have it for display ?.It will only end up otherwise in some Herberts front garden for an amusement over Christmas with fairy lights on it until it rots ?.
Mike E
FirebexThe metal parts of a four blade Spitfire prop with corrosion pits within tolerance for dressing out would be valued at..hold your breath….up to £40k.
5% of mark IX’s is still nearly 300 aircraft.
Mark
Cheap at half the price then ???
FirebexSo to go back to my original question does anyone know to a four blade prop assembly to go on the front of a Merlin in a Spit.Does not have to be metal can be whatever so long as they look right,they balance and will go round on the engine at low speed without flying off !!!. If no full assemblies the centre hub would be a nice start.
Ta very muchly.
Mike E
FirebexMike,
The Spit 4-bladers were Rotol with wooden blades so you won’t be finding a bent one:D
There are loose old Rotol wooden blades to be found which could be repaired for static use. There was a load of them to be found in use as fence posts south of Knutsford not too many years ago. The owner only wanted an ordinary fence post fitted as a replacement in exchange.
Anon.
I know I was the one selling them for about 3 years or did you forget that one ???
FirebexSpitfire Fuselage Fuel tank
Also looking for a upper fuselage fuel tank for a Spitfire the main tank just behind the firewall (frame 5).
Any condition either in good nick or just for patterns.
mike E
FirebexSounds like a great idea to me! 🙂
Don’t forget that the date has been set for 16th & 17th June 2012 as mentioned in here – I guess we need to try and get a Cockpit-Fest 2012 news item up and running on the Newark Air Museum website. 😉
Put us down for being there would like to bring our Whirlwind Project display stand plus a modern warbird with Kraguj 30131 please.Possibly if the owner agrees we may also be able to bring a Spitfire fuselage ?
Mike E
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