Ah the old discussion….restoration or reconstruction ?

Fascinating to see the state of the airframe then compared to now. The team at Cosford have worked wonders. Areas of the skin around the cockpit area have totally lost the concretions and barnacles and appear as natural metal. The corrosion seems to have been arrested, and great progress is being made on the restoration and conservation of individual items. What’s interesting to consider is just how far the team will go with the process of restoration. If they leave ‘as is but stabilised’ for display the RAF Museum will have, including Copping’s P40, five wrecks on show.

Looks great back on its wheels. I notice its unarmed. And I hope it stays where it is !

Are Rolls Royce interested in any of this activity ? I believe they signed off any product liability for Derwents in 1977. Or are jets a different matter?

A wonderful photograph, and one of special interest to me, since my Grandfather was on sentry duty at RAF Hawarden when the Spitfires of 7 OTU were scrambled, and my Father was ordered off the shed roof by his irate elder brother to get a better view of the Heinkel coming down !

Handley Page looks to be a good match though I had originally thought Caudron as nearby Sealand was a Training facility during the Great War. Interesting to think of 0/400 ‘s being broken up at Sealand though the parts could be crash salvage.