It would be sad to see the bus withdrawn although on a cost ground then in some sense I could agree, Maybe they should try an ‘on demand’ service rather than a scheduled service.
This could save on fuel cost/wear an tear, I hope that it is not withdrawn all together as I would not be able to take my disabled father and I’m sure it would put off a lot of elderly/disabled visitors if they knew this service was not available any more.
Regards
John
I have some high quality digital shots of Lightnings that are preserved in museums around the UK, What I do have that may interest you are some excellent cockpit shots of the F.6, F.53, F1 and also the very first P.1A.
The shots are generally 1.4MB to 2MB in size, Please PM me with any questions as I have around 2000+ Lightning photo’s and would be very honoured if they are used. 🙂
Regards
John
I am not an engineer of propeller blades but it has been common knowledge that in the early days of powered flight and almost certainly due to poor quality control, The propeller blade tips where wraped with fabric and ‘doped’ with resin to strengthen the tip.
This was to prevent the blade tip from ‘De-laminating’ and breaking appart at high speeds, Maybe not in the WW1 but certainly later on in the development of powered flight it was not uncommon for the propeller tips to go supersonic.
If any one else can add to this please step in!, A better explanation by a propeller expert may confirm or dispel my belief’s.
Regards
John
Neil Airey
Firstly I would like to thank you whole heartedly for saving XM172 from an uncertain future, I was on holiday down south at the back end of last year and toured the museums to see Lightnings and was very sad to see her slowly ebbing away with the undergrowth threatening to grow over her!.
Hopefully now a new home and more respectfull owners will see her once again in the manner she deserves.
I also managed to get to FAST and saw the front fuz in all her glory, Having heard that XS922 will be at Cockpitfest I am loosing sleep already!! (can’t wait).
It would be nice to see you at Cockpitfest if you are going to be there?
Regards
John.
Ahhhhh stale sarnies, The staple diet of a true enthusiast!!! 😀
Some very good shots, As you say, Pity about the lightning or lack of!!.
Regards
John.
Oh dear!!! 😉
I started out in my original statement with “Hoping not to put the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons” and it seems I have done just that!!!.
Let me clear up a few points……….Mr Pilkington, I said that I bow to your superior knowledge as a mark of respect!!, I am a young pup and still learning so when someone in the know points me in the right direction then I thank them, Your comments were taken as humourous and educative and nothing more.
To Fluffy and Guzziniel with regards to the rash comment on Lancs lasting better in Oz then maybe I was a bit quick with that one and I appologise whole heartedly, I have travelled to a large amount of museums in the UK and seen some airframes that have succumed to poor British weather and my initial thought was that an airframe in Australia would stand a better chance of longevity if stored outside.
I have nothing but swelling pride for all the great Lancasters that are preserved and understand that there is a very big preservation movement for these magnificent lady’s, Everytime I visit these gracefull creatures a donation is allways made and I hope very much one day to take my two young daughters to see ‘Just Jane’ on full song.
So to finish this off, Please, My comments were uneducated and meant no harm so have a little consideration when educating us ‘young-uns’, After all we must nurse the seeds of future preservation enthusiasts.
Regards to all,
John.
Mark
I bow to your superior knowledge on Lancasters, I had no Idea that four had made it to Oz and better still that three survive, Hopefully there condition may last better than in good old blighty!!.
So all in all it is not a bad thing that the control wheel was brought up in this forum as I have learnt something today!!!.
Regards,
John.
Hoping not to put the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons!, I think that it is a usefull tool to have people raise awareness of items for sale in a forum like this.
An item like the Lancaster control wheel will only ever come up for sale once in maybe 10-15 years so when it does then there will be a global interest, I think it would be nice to see it come home though, As for the starting price at the moment it is £470 at the current exchange rate.
Not bad I think considering a genuine Spitfire control grip (minus brake lever) has just sold on E-bay for £570, I am far from a leading authority on valuation of such rare items and sometimes feel that buyng on E-bay can be a dangerous game, On several occasions I have succumbed to the ‘last minute fever’ and probably paid too much!!.
John.
Some fantastic shots for someone using a new camera, Well done.
Just a shame there is no sound or ‘scratch and sniff’ feature!!, The smell of burnt Avtur alway gets me going. :p
What camera are you using?
Regards,
John.
Thanks for all this wealth of info, I have just got back from a short break in London so only just got chance to read this thread.
There seem to be a good debate as to Raw or JPEG, From what I can see if you are commercial proffesional then RAW, But for normal amatures like me then I think I will try JPEG for a little bit longer.
I have only done about 3000 static shots so far and the airshow season is fast aproaching so I will see how the year pans out.
Once again, Thanks for th input!!
Regards,
John.
Dear all
I have read the last few pages of this thread and I am thoroughly enriched by the amount of enthusiasm shown when such a large collection of airliners are threatened, If only all this was not roumer and hearsay then we shall all know what is happening for sure, only time will tell……….
My interest at this time is not on the airliners (I am far too young and unintelligent enought to comment!) but on the Valiant, The last time I visited Cosford the Valiant was in a very large number of bits (sadly my pics are too big to post), What I would like to know is if the undercarriage is load bearing at this stage or will there be need for support when it comes to it’s final resting place.
Also will the Valiant receive a fresh lick of paint before display?, When I saw it at Hendon last year it was quite impressive but not forgetting I am not built like a giraffe so I have no idea what condition the topside is in.
I for one am drooling at the prospect of seeing all the all the ‘V’ force under one roof and look forward to the opening date…..any hints?
Regards
John.
Would it be too early to hint at a delivery date for Newark, I was thinking of visiting in the next week or two but would put it off for a while until the Viggen arrived.
John.
We have made equiries into this issue for 53-671 at Gatwick. The responce we got was. We can go ahead and display in Saudi Colours, but are not allowed to display any markings with religeous content, ie Fin flash is fine but the refrences to the Coran cannot be displayed. Hence We have all the original Saudi Warning markings, and are having all but the Coran refrences on the Fin flash. We are going for best of both worlds, one side Saudi Markings and the other in return flight RAF markings. Saudis have softened a fair bit in recent years on this issue. It was a big no no 5-6 years ago, to display any markings at all.
MJR
Mjr
I have looked through the GA website and I am very impressed with what is being done to 53-671, By the looks of things it is almost a return to flight style restoration, What are the plans for this airframe?.
Regards
John.
Try these links a friend sent me – i havent been able to open them as Media Player has exploded on my PC but am told they are pretty good!
http://www.break.com/index/abirdhitsplane.html
http://www.break.com/index/closeplane.html
http://www.break.com/index/onewheellanding.html
http://www.break.com/index/concreteplane.html
http://www.break.com/index/planestunt.html
http://view.break.com/75385
http://view.break.com/76477
http://view.break.com/74818
http://www.break.com/index/iraqfootage.html
http://www.break.com/movies/tbirdcrash11.htmlTT
JJEESSUUSS!!!!!!!, All links worked and I now have coffee in my lap!!!
The Mirage 2000 low flying video is a must.
John.
Whose colours is this Lightning in, then (Midland Air Museum, Baginton)?
The arrangement when the Saudi Lghtnings were returned was for them not to be displayed in Saudi colours, Fortunatly some were kept in deep storage and now see the light of day in the same state as they returned from the RSAF, North East Aircraft Museum in Sunderland has a fine example but my pics are too large to attatch!.
Only later on did the Saudi’s hint that we may preserve some in RSAF colours and the one in Baginton was only painted recently and is in very good condition.
This fine example is the only complete T.55 preserved in RSAF colours, First Flight 16/11/67 by R.P. Beamont and was delivered to the RSAF by plot A. Love 11/7/69 along with three other’s, It went on to serv with the LCU, 6 Squadron, 13 Squardon and 2 Squadron and returned to Warton as ZF594 on the 22/01/86.
John.