Mark 12 – bit optimistic trying to shoot Spitfires down with bows and arrows aren’t you?

Given the previous target towing/facilities role of this and the other COGEA airframes – is the assumption that this camera housing might actually be part of that fit?

Colour Police…nee-nah, nee-nah

LOL, after ‘what colour is cockpit green?’, the worst question must be ‘what colour is Bluebird blue?’, but that’s a whole other area of interest!

closely followed by

what colours are RLM 81,82 and 83, as well as the sky colour referred to by some as RLM84 -although there appears to be no evidence for this and what others insist is just a manufacturing variation of RLM76, of which there were at least two shades – depending on the availability of some of the ingredients towards the end of the war……………(pause for breath)

oh – and what colour was the Spitfire prototype…………..

At least the wings are under cover and if willpower, manpower and financial resources are ever available, then at least there is someting to start with.

I would be more concerned about the tail section that used to fly in close formation with these wings.

IIRC it was/is on show outside at the Wellington Aviation Museum/Gallery in Moreton in the Marsh. Surely now is the time to offer it better protection – again in the hope that one day it might act as a seed for a more substantial restoration

pessimists are optimists with experience…………

The Fleet Air Arm Museum’s Corsair has got to be high up any list of original survivors. Read the recent book to show just how original it it is.

How about

a replica of an HP 0/400 or a V/1500
Westland Wapati (OK we got the fuselage of a Wallace)
Fairey Hendon
HP Harrow (restored in Sharkmouth markings)
Bristol Bombay (didn’t someone once say there was still one in East Africa somewhere)
Curtis Mohawk

sad thing is – if the RAFM had some (OK – a lot but read any) money for acquisitions, they could have relatively easily sourced

Boston
Vengeance
Buffalo
Mohawk
DH9
Fury
Demon
Audax
Hector

as well as perhaps

getting the Gloster Aircraft Collection to build another Gamecock for them

getting NAW to build them a “new production” Snipe (the RAF’s first new fighter)

giving Skysport the task of building a Siskin fuselage to go with the wings they already have

There is even the odd Vildebeeste/Vincent frame around in NZ which might act a seed for a rebuild

Cheers Davyboy

Anyone picked up a copy of the Corsair ‘time capsule’ book yet? Any good?- not seen one meself, was going to have a look see at legends

TT

Got a copy a few weeks ago via Amazon

I had wondered if a book about removing just some of the paint from a plane would be slightly dull, but it’s absolutely fascinating – forensic archeology at it’s best – The FAAM Restoration team should be known as CSI Yeovilton – Corsair Strippers & Investigators

Seriously in terms of Aircraft restoration, I put it in the pantheon with Black 6,Peter Vacher’s Hurri book and Robert Mikesh’s “Restoring Museum Aircraft”

Cosford F9/40

Don’t be fooled by the current colours – it was originally DG/OG when built rather than DG/DE – which was a restoration hiccup back in 65 when it was rescued from dereliction at Yatesbury and restored at Cosford

The port engine blew up in mid air in December 44 at which time it had 365 hours on the clock. It was rebuilt and flew to Abbotinch in August 45 where it was used for deck handling trials on the Pretoria Castle. This was presumably when the new wings were fitted as the spar splits to go around the engine

Incidentally nobody told the Tamiya designers of the later wings when they used the Cosford example as a pattern for their 1/48th F9/40 -Meteor F1. model. hence the early kit with the spurious airbrakes before the subsequent reissue without them. Worked right for the Meteor FIII they ultimately issued though

[QUOTE=Skyraider3D]O dear…

Is this the future Duxford after global warming???