Jagan

Rare Aero have asked me if you would contact me with a PM sending me your e mail address. Hopefully, it will be possible to liase with you in order to take forward actions that might well result in this matter being resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned. Lets hope all can work together with this aim in sight.

Meanwhile, Rare Aero have also asked me to make known some of the efforts they have thus far taken with the Indian authorities, and individuals, to resolve matters. The following are some of the letters that have been sent by Rare Aero:

To Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, High Commissioner from Rare Aero, September 2006, asking for clarification on ownership and enclosing copies of defamatory news articles etc. No response.

March 2007 a chase up letter, again no response or acknowledgement.

Another letter was later sent (date not to hand!) to the same person. This time Rare Aero enclosed details of the man who had evidently made the initial complaint to Indian Police and Rare Aero passed on information as to how much this person had asked for “to clear the matter up”. The person concerned was one X.X.Xxxxx (an ex-minister of education) and he had asked for £5,000.00. Rare Aero also gave them details of another Indian who went to Jersey to seek out Rare Aero and who again, for a ‘small’ fee, could make the problem ‘disappear’. He was Mr. N***** P****, a councillor from South London. He also purported to act for a newspaper in India. Again, no response was received from the High Commission.

Rare Aero wish to make the point that they have been forthright, open and transparent with the Indian authorities in trying to resolve this. However, the matter always seems to stall with the only developments having been no official responses and various Indian nationals wanting sums of money to help finally to “resolve” matters. Meanwhile, the rumour mill with questions about Rare Aero’s actions grinds ever onwards – fed by internet discussions and the Indian press.

Might seem a daft Idea but its a bit like some dealings I had with some Arab gentlemen.I ended up going through the British trade department as it was then and being on a semi official level got responses as the people at the other end did not seem to think I was important enough to deserve a response but a government department was a different thing.Got results.
May be worth them trying unless they have already ?.

Ah, so she has been moved again… Hopefully someone will come along and rescue this bird before too long!

I was involved at one stage in making enquiries about her future and could she be saved.
She already has some nasty axe marks in the side of the cockpit both sides and is showing some nasty patches here and there.

The response I got was basicaly the are worried about giving her to a museum etc because of liability and there are concerns apparantly about the undercarriage.I felt it was so much crap but you cant argue with the man in charge.

I think to be blunt its very 50/50 either she will go to a museum or she will go out the gate like all the 24 Tornadoes being scrapped in bits in a scrap lorry.

The OC at Leeming is due to change very soon so when the new guy comes in he may be more amenable to helping secure the aircrafts future.But there again you never know !!!

Leeming Phantom

Thought you guys would like to see a couple of photo’s I took a couple of months ago.She is still parked on the end of the Northern amongst some trucks.

Hi do any of these help ??

This engine was recovered by a land owner from the wreck of two spitfires that midaired over Catterick. We where given the engine on semi permanent loan to restore and display(eighteen months ago).After three months he got a better offer and I now understand its COFFEE TABLES what we and many others could do with this engine.

There definately is no justice !!!!!!!!!! The man should have had his big ends removed without anasetic !!!!!!!.

But there is worse than that so I wont continue I know you will run out of paper hankies if I do !!!!!

Went to visit the man many years ago he is a legend,

He had some very interesting bits of kit and expreimental craft from memory he had one tucked away under wraps that appeared to be powered by a small turbojet. Well it didnt have a prop and it had a damn big blow lamp glued to if not. He has certainly contributed so much to aviation in his 94 years I hope we can all be able to salute him in another 6 years !!!!!!!

Definately a Legend in our time !!!!!!!

Spent yesterday afternoon re-arranging my workshop to fit the Merlin in, but still leave me enough room to get around it + get the trailer in too with the rest of KH838 still on it! I suppose I could have pushed one of the cars outside, but managed eventually.

Afraid I still need the lifting straps Alan, as due to the Oil and coolant pumps all being intact, it is impossible to keep it the right way up unless it is suspended – The roof beam and rolling hook are rated well above its weight, but I definitely need a new chain hoist!

Anyone on here got any tips on the best points to attach a dug Merlin to a frame? All but one of the original mountings have gone or are too damaged to use. I would like to be able to incorporate the sections of engine bearer back in their correct positions – but obviously not structurally! I need to get it mobile, as it needs power washing ASAP! Any design tips for a display frame or pointers to photos greatly appreciated.

Hi do any of these help ??