Think of the Spitfire and you think of Alex Henshaw

Could there be a better epitaph?

the Camel was refurbed by Skysport before it was hung in the new IWM atrium. They reintroduced many of the specific 2F1 Camel features lost in previous refurbs – like metal struts but i don’t think they were allowed to replicate the light blue finish originally found on the undersides of this particular Camel. That light blue was actually still present on parts of the airframe under several coats of paint. This is despite what Lt. Culley had himself said in confimation of the light blue finish

I think the BE was refurbed at Dx some time ago – i remember it in the Superhangar

sorry – couldn’t resist………..

I think the QM is still round the back somewhere at Newark Air Museum, which is where IIRC the combination was originally displayed

Was this the one that was displayed, dismantled, as a load on a Taskers Queen Mary trailer for a number of years?

I have added some more aircraft to the Blériot list – must admit that I had no idea that there were so many around. I think that this is now about as good as I can get it – so any suggestions for additions or deletions would be gratefully received. In particular I am not sure if the Munchen or Lucerne machines are “the real McCoy” or not…

There a Bleriot XI in the Powerhouse Museum in Australia

and ummm………….

Is the most famous Bleriot XI of all – the Cross Channel machine itself – listed? It was/is at the Conservatoire National de Arts et Metiers (CNAM) in Paris. Presumably this is c/n 1

Humph……………

Can’t even keep the whole (National) collection at Hendon viewable all day. (What would be said if you could only visit half of the IWM, V&A or Science Museum at a particular time?)

and then they trumpet when they manage to (gasp) regularly open the GW Hangar for half a day and the BoB Hall for the rest of the day, rather than keeping the GW Hangar locked for most of the time.

Somethings I’ve always found curious

1. Why are there never any adverse comments in the comics?

2. prior to it’s opening, I’m sure we were told that the Conservation Centre would be open for public viewing – hence the viewing gallery – and yet now it’s only open for pr-arranged groups of 20 or so – which presumably have full access to the shop floor without the need for a viewing gallery anyway

Waiting for the “well you do better” comments………….

Umm………

Doesn’t it have some sort of legitimate right to be in the Millstones of Flight Hall as the most produced combat aircraft – well it and the Il-10 added together anyway…………..

I must say that I am two minds whether we ought to include the FE2b or not, as it appears that the nacelle was never actually a part of a contemporary aircraft, but a “virgin blank”. However, if it retains the original material after restoration it has a greater claim to inclusion than some aircraft with a continuous history, and of course what other FE2b with any kind of claim to authenticity is likely to appear, as well representing an important ‘missing link’ in fighter design.

Don’t think theres any question of not regarding it as a legitimate survivor – especially when it’s finally completed and in the GW Hangar…..

It is of contemporary construction by an original manufacturer and presumably only a quirk of fate prevented it from sprouting wings and entering service – be that that the contact was terminated early or it was used as a pattern for series production. Whatever – it was built by the original workforce, using original materials, on original equipment, to original blueprints – that makes it more of a survivor than many of those listed

And if we say it’s not legitimate because it doesn’t have an military identity – neither does the Alcock & Brown Vimy. I also suspect there’s more original material than in the Dolphin………..
To also fill in some blanks

Junkers J7(D1) at Le Bourget is D5929/18
Army Museum in Vienna has Albatross B1 20.01
Swedish AF Museum have Albatross SK1 (licence built B.II)
Tech Museum in Vienna has Fokker DIII (ident unknown)
AWM Pfalz is 2600/18
The blue halberstadt CL.IV (Reg D-71) is now at Deutches Auto-Museum at Schloss Langenberg
Warsaw DFW C.V is C17077/17
Warsaw Roland D.VIb is D2225/18

Prague Tech museum has Hansa-Brandenburg D1 fuselage 28.68