Did anybody see the piece of furniture made from the front end of a Gnat?

perhaps these guys can help you

http://www.russiantruck.co.uk/for-sale.php

they obviously have the contacts for Eastern Bloc surplus

Edit – incidentally, the aircraft shown in the photo is quite a famous Gladiator, L7619. It’s illustrated in the Osprey book on Gladiator Aces, but I have’t got that to see the profiles in there

The text/plate descriptions in the Gladiator Aces book from Osprey suggests that it is in a temporary “desert camouflage scheme”

I guess it could be possible that the light earth from the shadow compensating scheme was just used as a top half colour as well – that would save repainting the bottom half. But in the desert who knows – somebody could have just as easily mixed some insignia yellow with the light earth to get a sandy colour equivalent to mid stone…………

Replicas are:

Sopwith Pup
Vichers Vimy
Vickers FB5 Gunbus
Bristol M1C
Sopwith Tabloid
Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter.
BE2

The Bristol Fighter is a partial replica based around one of the Weston on the Green frames.

The rest are originals. Mostly ex RAeS Nash Collection, purchased subsequently by the RAFM.

The Hanriot HD1 is ex Richard Shuttleworth. I think it’s a shame the RAFM didn’t loan it to Old Warden when the LVG was returned. Seems the right place for it.

What about the long discussed rumour about the dumping of G-AGOI (and other twin engined single seater Westland types) on the Westland Aerodrome at Yeovil following some fire training. The Pergrines were used for other purposes around the factory IIRC

Has anybody actually followed it up – or is it another of those aeroplane urban myths – like the Bristol Bombay in east Africa?

Any pics of the Hampden restoration, or is that part closed off to the public?

Cees

Cees – the Hampden was dead centre in the hangar on view for everybody to see, along with the Dolphin, LVG, Battle, Prentice and a big boat.

It was difficult to see progress from the previous open day – although presumably progress there must have been. It was very illuminating speaking to people about the half and half restoration though………….

The Battle was also still underway. i can’t imagine that it has taken nearly a year to repair the damage caused by the careless transport. So what else are they doing to it………