Hi Guys

Some very very usefull stuff coming through.AP’s,drawings loads of detailed pictures all brilliant stuff .Not had chance to go through it all yet but if this is a sign of whats available I dont think having enough information is going to be a problem but we shall see.

One thing I did spot and was facinated by was a photograph I assume taken in France of a Whirlwind that had been apparantly shot down by the Germans and is pictures on the ground having done it seems a wheels up and is surrounded by German airforce personnel.Anyone know any info on this one ?.

Hi Mr BlueSky that stuff has not some through would you mind giving it a nother go.
Ta very muchly !!!!

Anyone happen to be in Malta on Holiday go to the aviation museum at Taqali next to the national football stadium and they have a fully functional link trainer.

I have been doing some backtracking on th eleads kindly supplied so far and I have found reference to a lot of research done by Mr BlueSky I have tried to PM him but got no answer does anyone know if he is still on the forum ?.

dont get too carried away, first you have to locate the whirlwinds and i dont think anyone has actually found them otherwise there would have been a recovery attempted long ago. I know approximatly where they are but dont fancy the idea of walking accross a very soft peat bog

Secondly if you find them, dont be suprised if after all the efforts of a recovery from the bog that the raf wish to have them back, after all they are likely to be the only examples know to survive.

I heard rumour just today that one may be being unearthed down south very shortly so we shall wait and see.They might like it back but do they seriously have the time and resources to do anything with it ?. I doubt it and would they be more likely to let a group of enthusiasts build one and perhaps offer it to them or similar emporium on loan for future display I think more likely.

Just to follow up on an earlier comment sorry cant recall who made it.

Yes the structure appears to be fairly straight forward.At least in the cockpit area in fact in some respects the frames and structure appears a lot simpler than a Spitfire,that is if the drawings and photo’s in the pilots notes and profiles etc are acurate.

One question I have always wondered is How do the Model companies get all the relevant detail to produce their kits ?.Surely they must have some reasonably detailed stuff to work with to create a product that is accurate.After all they claim 1/72 or 1/48th scale and fully detailed.So where is all this info they use ?.

I know its diverging a bit but I remember many moons ago one of the Japanese makers being involved with a Mig that was ferried accross a border by a defecting pilot.The aircraft was returned I think about 10 days later after obviously the US government had dismantled it and put it back togther again and about a month later a fully detailed kit of the aircraft appeared on the market.I think they must have had more than 3 tourists with Kodak Brownies poking through a fence to make it !!!!

If anyone knows of a Large scale Whirlwind please let me know I have found a 1/48th scale but 1/24 would be nice and perhaps helpfull even just to confirm some of the profiles and general detail.

Still looking for drawings and AP’s.

Does anyone know what happened to Shed Mans archives,drawings and even his cockpit perhaps to use as a pattern if we can have access to it.

Thanks for all the help so far please keep it coming.

Any volunteers for the possible Digs ?.

Perhaps we can set up a seperate site for the Whirlwind project any volunteers to help with as I must admit to being a bit computer iliterate as this side of things goes.

Mike

It’s a thought. We know where they are, there are sufficient numbers of experienced aviation archaeologists (and preservationists / conservationists) on here, there’s a clear purpose to the dig (the static) and I’m sure its not beyond us to get a licence. Not to mention a chance for an outing to the West Country, with lashings of ginger beer…

For the uninitiated, we just need to know enough to fill in one (or more likely two) of these… http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2318DD7B-2DDC-41E0-8D35-7AD12333A1C4/0/POMRACTBOOKLET_Jun09.pdf

Sounds good to me and could provide some invaluable material.I can supply camping gear,Caravan base.Trailers etc.And somewhere to put the stuff when it comes up.

Sounds like a bit of nice weather job. So you came up with the idea Bear Mat do you fancy co-ordinating it as you are nearer .I am sure there are lots of guys on hear who would possibly be willing in getting involved and helping out,I am well out of date and rusty of excavations and licensing these days but we must have the current officianados on here ?.