Wyvernfan, just a point of information , the restoration hangars are at the eastern end, not the western.

AA, ironically I saw your first two references at a flea market in Lille last weekend for about 5 Euros each. I had a quick look (my interest is UK civil) and they weren’t too heavy for my schoolboy French.

AA, je crois que vous avez trop de temps parce que vous cherchez beaucoup des avions curieuses. Anyway the refernces in Arthur Ord-Hume’s new book seem to indicate that the Sprite project died along with the non-completion of the Nuffield Motors projected engine. There is also reference to the use of magnesium and that it was never completed. Triste!!

I suspect the Health and Safety mafia have views on getting inside these aircraft. However there is an inspection panel with a perspex front on the B-17 to allow a view of the interior and there is the Hunter cockpit in Airspace. Not much I agree.

That doesn’t quite answer the question. Is the intention to place other than aeronautical exhibits in Hangar 5? In other words are they expecting more boats, guns and tanks or is it just the FW190 and the Mustang etc?

Had a quick look at the space available in hangar 4 at Duxford this morning and with the Varsity gone there would be more than enough space for the Ju/Amiot and Storch. I would like to think that had been considered prior to the disposal.

With regard to the rear-mounted engines, I once got on a VC-10 at the newly opened airport at Mahe in the Seychelles bound for Colombo. We’d all just settled in our seats when the “hostie” asked us all to move forwards (the aircraft was only half full) as the captain says the “balance” isn’t correct. So I guess having all that weight at the back did have an effect. The Russian copy, the Il-62, used to have a prop under the tail when it was parked.