The MB339 was used by Rolls Royce(?) at Filton as part of the system integration trials for the JPATS bid. NOt sure what happened to it after that, it was painted in a white/red scheme IIRC

Not sure if i get there before Moggy….

Cases normally refer to spent amunition – the empty case.

Otherwise its a cartridge.

if there was a fire, could they not be ‘spent cases’ from bullets ‘cooked’ in the fire.

I guess that was a tongue in cheek statement?

Not really. Duxford had a unique RAF exhibit. They repainted it to go in the American Air Museum. I always thought:

(a) leaving it in RAF colours would illustrate the bond between the countries, or

(b) the ex-US F-4S at East Fortune, on loan from FAA Museum, would be a more appropriate airframe.

Is the truth of the matter that he wishes to hang onto the MOD licence, knowing full well anyway that TIGHAR cannot and will not recover “Sand Ghost”, and merely sit on the licence to prevent its recovery? After all, he is vehemently anti recovery when it comes to high ground wrecks so I am puzzled as to why he should feel any differently about a wreck buried on the beach!

I think you may well have hit upon a grain of truth

The prototype YC-130 Hercules made its first flight in 1954, deliveries began in 1956. Unlike the Beverley it is still in service!

Indeed still in production.

PA-39 was a rebuild of the earlier PA-18 design (http://aerofiles.com/pit-pa18.jpg) exclusively for the RAF. I don’t think there is a kit that you can use for it, so you are down to scratchbuilding!

There is some mystery about the aircraft – the official UK reacords record a number as being lost at sea, however in an article in Aeroplane Monthly covering the restoration ofthat aircraft, Stephen Pitcairn claimed that these had infact been sabotaged by german agents.

Stephen was the son of the originator of Pitcairn Autogiros. he dided earlier this year

http://www.eaa.org/news/2008/2008-04-02_pitcairn.asp

Do you know what wartime films were produced by Sound City Films and whether any of these included fleets of Moths!

They used their special effects expertise to produce dummy aircraft and buildings and decoy airfields – I do recall a book on the subject a few years ago