It got me thinking were there other aircraft used,by the RAF that were one off’s.

As Graham says, lots! The RAF website even lists some of the impressed WW2 ones:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/CivilAircraftinWWIIService.cfm

and Foreign ones:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/ForeignMilitaryAircraftinWWIIService.cfm

Some, such as the Curtiss Condors, became instructional aircraft. Some lasted a few months (Fw200, Ford Trimotor) Others, such as the Boeing 247, had long and productive lives.

Pre-war, there were also a number of foreign types purchased for evaluation (usually by RAE or AAEE, but given RAF serials and markings (Breguet XIX, Heinkel He64, Dornier Komet, Dornier Delphin, Northrop 2E, Fokker FVII, Vought V66E, Junkers F13, Dewoitine D510 to name some of them)

Here’s a rarity – VG919, Morane Saulnier 500 (French Built Fi156)

http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/378-tpt-transport-air-aero-ww2-world-war-soldier-military-army-battle-fight-fighting-boscombe-down-south-demo-practice-demonstration-larkhill-salisbury-plain.html

http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/371-tpt-transport-air-aero-ww2-world-war-soldier-military-army-battle-fight-fighting-boscombe-down-south-demo-practice-demonstration-larkhill-salisbury-plain-fiesler-storsch.html

http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/372-tpt-transport-air-aero-ww2-world-war-soldier-military-army-battle-fight-fighting-boscombe-down-south-demo-practice-demonstration-larkhill-salisbury-plain-fiesler-storsch.html

http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/373-tpt-transport-air-aero-ww2-world-war-soldier-military-army-battle-fight-fighting-boscombe-down-south-demo-practice-demonstration-larkhill-salisbury-plain-fiesler-storsch.html

Its salvage could really only be useful/justifiable as the basis for a reconstruction project along the lines you suggest. The alternative is that it sits where it is and just rots away, gradually degrading with each season, each tide and each visitor. Or, it could be recovered on the basis that 43-2195 suggests. However, all the time that TIGHAR (presumably?) still sit on the PMR licence and do nothing, then nothing will happen.

Or someone else with money could apply for a PMR licence and test the system – I’ve been led to believe their is no exclusivity in them. I always suspected that the desire was for a rich American to come forth to ‘save’ the P-38

Has anyone ever investigated the rumour that the remains of 5 Barracudas were pushed into the Loch of Strathbeg? I can only find the following on the forum.

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?21882-Buried-Lancasters-%282004-thread%29&p=1003586#post1003586

Bearing in mind the sensitive nature (in different ways) of the nature reserve and the MOD installations at Rattray, recovery might be difficult, but worth investigating?

http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/post_ww2/Supermarine%20Spitfire%20XVI/Spitfire%20XVI%20TB900%20GE-D.html

Paul Lucas did a couple of further books, one in the Guidelines C&M series (No 5, RAF Fighters 1945 to 1950 Overseas Based) and another called ‘Britain Alone’, covering the mid 1940 to late 1941 period, for the now defunct Aviation Workshop. Both worth getting if the subject interests you. Unfortunately, his later writings are in magazine articles, which are harder to find.

The RAFM British Aviation Colours book is great for the chips, and the APs it contains, but they are not the whole story and recent researchers at Kew have filled in many of the gaps and busted a few myths surrounding colours.

Just to point out Night isn’t a black, but a very,very dark blue!