Sad for all really, as a kid I remember the VC-10’s plying this route from RINGWAY.

Wessex Instrument Panel

Merkle attached are some pictures of my Wessex instrument panel XS523 ex Falklands war vet. I hope this helps you in acquiring the instruments. I note your comments regarding that you hope you could find a bundle of instruments in one go. For me the enjoys of restoring instrument panels was researching what instrument went where and then hunting down the said instruments (always a challenge for any instrument panel). The great grand finale was finding that last elusive instrument to fit into your panel similar to inserting the last piece of the puzzle into a jigsaw! Some panels I have had in my collection have been obtained complete with wiring looms still attached at the back, this Wessex is one example. However I never got the same satisifaction from acquiring a complete panel as I did from building one up from scratch. I hope these pictures help you, the instruments are out there, it wil obviously take some time but I can guarantee there will be a wry smile on your face when you place the last and final instrument into that panel. Beware the Wessex panel takes two men to lift when complete, very heavy! The very best of luck!

The story of the “Malabar Princess” (Air India Constellation) on Mont Blanc has always fascinated me even more so when a few years later Air India wrapped another aircraft around the same mountain virtually in the same place this time a Boeing 707. Both aircraft being on approach to Geneva. The Constellation crashed into a Glacier and slowly over the last 50 years the downward flow of the glacier has taken pieces of the Constellation to the bottom of the mountain where bits and pieces have turned up near the local village. Looking at the latest news buletins on this it looks like the engine has been airlifted off the mountain by a helicopter. Hope this link works.. Does any one know much about this chap Daniel Roche who is described as an aviation restorer.

http://www.linternaute.com/actualite/depeche/afp/26/565404/mont-blanc_un_moteur_de_l_avion_malabar_princess_helitreuille_a_chamonix_58_ans_apres.shtml

Merkle, yes the Javelin panels do exist, I sold one earlier this year front and rear panels, have seen 2 for sale on ebay on the last 4-5 years. They are about but rare, good luck with your current Wessex project.

Well spill the beans on the Sabena 707 then!

I have a short story of a Sabena 737 landing at Woodford aerodrome instead of its intended destination of Manchester Airport 6 miles away! (Thats my story, sorry forgot the year!)

I spoke to Hanningfield metals the other day regarding a seperate matter, the Viscount Cockpit is up for sale (so to speak), the proprietor stated that the sale had been promised to someone and he is just waiting for the person to get back to him.

I hope the museum is sucessful, great venue for an aerojumble

You all must read the book he wrote before he died, very interesting read and comforting to know that despite his morbid profession he tried to bring some dignity and compassion into his work. At the end of hanging hundreds of people he concludes that hanging achieves nothing other than vengence. I am against the death penalty but this makes an interesting read, most of the secrets of the last minutes of the condemed have been taken with him to his grave, a true professional gentleman (despite me being against what he did) The death penalty serves nothing, we should now put the prisoners to good use and get some aircraft restored (tongue in cheek)