Don’t the Victor and Shackleton belong to the IWM and the 1-11 and Ambassador, along with the rest of the airliners, do not.?

Brian

Yes the nine civil aircraft (five outside, four in AirSpace) are DAS and the rest of the stuff is IWM.

Is the Ambassador outside so its easier to put the wings on in a safe way?

No it was shifted outside because the IWM decided they needed the space in H5 to dismantle the Hind.

Of course there never was hangar space for her so a move outside was always on the cards but after 26 years of resto DAS would have appreciated just a little while longer to get it weatherproof.

But why there are aircraft that could really do with being inside – at least for a winter – like the 1-11 and Ambassador stood outside whilst the Victor and Shackleton have stood in AirSpace for years not being touched is a mystery to me. Doesn’t make any logical sense.

Re the 111.
I thought that is what the front section of Air and Space was for?
I suppose that the upside of putting the Ambassador outside is having the space to put its wings on. At least it is not stuck at the back of a hangar almost out of sight.
mmitch.

Yup I would have thought so too.

I’ll not comment more until I know the facts about the decision but seems mad to me. Also knocks morale of DAS volunteers (but I don’t think that concerns the IWM too much).

Wings and empennage to be attached to Ambassador on Monday 1st October – this is apparently set in stone. Until it changes…

BAC 1-11 has as it stands been denied hangar space by the IWM so faces the prospect of spending the winter outside in its primer coat. Very disappointing for those of us who’ve put in the hard work to get it to this point.:mad:

Duxford Friday 21st September:

Outside Hangar 3, there were signs that the new playground is attracting the wrong sort of people:

he looks as mad as a crazy woman’s custard.

I like the cut of his jib (if not his hair…):

PS it’s not actually one of ‘those two’, is it? Or is it just one of their Irish counterparts, Luke O’like?

Wings and empennage due to be attached to the Ambassador on Monday (24th) if anyone’s interested.

Overheard exchange between elderly man and woman, while having my post lunch bimble…

Woman, gesticulating towards the airliners outside, “I don’t know why they have those here…”
Man, “They’re not at all interesting…”

Sounds like they’re well suited to each other!

Some smart-alec American visiting on the USAF day said to his son ‘careful it doesn’t fall apart’ when the latter reached up to touch the wing of the BAC 1-11.

Having spent many back-breaking hours busting my hump with an orbital sander on that a/c, I was happy to tell him in looked in bad order due to being prepped for paint – and if he wanted to make it look better he could always volunteer.

An awkward – for him – silence ensued!

Just aswell I wasn’t there to be party to Mr. and Mrs. Mensa’s comments, LOL.

When Britain Ruled the Skies (attempting to be accurate)

1) When the Empire flying boat ‘Caledonia’ flew above Manhattan in 1937 for a LIFE photo-shoot (I’m serious)
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/94b0fc16af17afd5.html
2) Over UK airspace from the Battle of Britain till the V2s.
3) Over Germany at night 1943/1945
4) In the field of turbojet and turboprop engines from 1944-1956 (but most military airframes were inferior)…Britain Nene design flew on both sides of the Korean War
5) In the field of turbine airliners from 1952 to 1958 (if only the Comet and Britannia had been perfected alongside the Viscount!)
6) Possession of an Independent Nuclear Deterrent 1956?-???? (Valiant and subsequent, British made Warheads) could be said to be Ruling the Skies (as much as any other country)
7) World Speed Record (by a big margin) Fairey Delta 2 (1956?)
8) E.E. Lightning excelled but was it backed by adequate radar before AWACS arrived?
9) Harrier…had the field to itself

Don’t think it was a case of ‘perfecting’ the Britannia – it was a fine aeroplane but just eclipsed by the jets.

Not sure any amount of refinement of the Comet could have made it competitive with the 707 either, but I’m sure someone’ll be along in a minute to dispute that.

FD2 was the first ever aeroplane capable of 1000mph in level flight. I have a copy of the magazine ‘Outpacing the Sun’ published back then to celebrate the record and it’s personally signed by Peter Twiss. Treasured possession.