Hi Elmdon Boy,

I will add more detail (and pictures) this evening, but a brief overview of where The Aeroplane Collection are up to with the two projects –

Gemini G-AKHZ – presently stored waiting it’s turn. Parts are being acquired as and when they appear.

Messenger G-AHUI –

Full time restoration started about a year ago. The hold up prior to that had largely been getting suitable workshop space ready. So far the following has been achieved – Tailplane has been rebuilt, engine cowls and u/c refurbished, nearly all control surfaces restored (just a flap left to remake) and the front fuselage is on target to be finished later this summer. The latter section being the most impressive given what the group had to start with.

If you google Miles Messenger G-AHUI in the meantime, you should find various images of progress dotted around the internet.

Jon

Bill,

The two big struts are Dragon Rapide oleos.

As such, and purely as an educated guess, the third item will likely also be from the same type.

Jon

It is from a single seat Venom/Vampire – mounts just under the blind flying panel.

Though I cannot make my mind up if it is Swiss or British…. Most of it looks British, but the instrument bottom centre looks Swiss!

Jon

Without going out to the garage and checking, an AH8400 from memory.

Jon

Repairable or terminally wounded?

Jon

The two Griffin Trust had/have are not of this type.

Jon

Indeed, but the details of this example (mk2 style head box, lack of armrests and the back bucket is for a back type not a horse shoe parachute pack) point to it being from a Vampire 🙂

Jon

What happened at Staverton to cause the damage?

Quoting from http://www.mossie.org/TA719.htm –

“The plan was to keep this aircraft airworthy, but it was badly damaged in a deadstick landing at Staverton on 27th July 1964 in which the port wing outboard of the engine was severely damaged, along with the nacelles and fuselage underside.

Temporary repairs were carried out to the aircraft and a dummy wing attached and in 1968 it once again took part in filming, this time for Mosquito Squadron. Suffering even more, TA719 was used to simulate a crash landing during the filming and was damaged by fire in the process. Items from the aircraft, such as the cowlings, were stolen before the aircraft could be recovered to Staverton.

With the closure of the Skyfame Museum in 1978 the Mosquito was moved to Duxford and the task of restoring the aircraft was given to Ron W. Smouton. A new port wing, constructed to the original drawings was spliced on to replace the dummy wing, and the fuselage, tailplane and nacelles were also repaired.”

Jon