Second Wildcat is just visible behind the second Barracuda on the right hand side – prop, top of cowling and one wing only to be seen.
I assume that the Fulmar is the aircraft at top left though I can’t get a lot of detail even enhancing the photo.

I can see the second Wildcat now, is that a second Hurri in the nearest of the two LH hangars with the Fulmer in the next one.

I see a book was published in 2003 called Fledglings: The Story of HMS Fledgling by G Bebbington, does anyone have a copy because none seem to be for sale anywhere.

Richard

I found this picture taken at HMS Fledgeling http://www.cairdpublications.com/scrap/seafire/seafire.htm (its the third image down) of a group of WAAFS having removed the 8 guns from a Hurricane, it would seem to be a fair assumption that after refitting them they would then test fire them using the butts as Wellington285 suggests.
Presumably in the original image that started all this it is possible to see the other aircraft mentioned, I am unable to see the Fulmers or the second Wildcat.
Lots here about shooting in butts http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?4995-Machinegun-Testing-Butts
Richard

As with anything that someone wants to sell, link it in some way to the Spitfire and your chance of success is almost certainly increased. Although in this case I wonder if the target customer will be so influenced, after all a pair of powerful diesel engines could give you the same performance with redundancy, better reliabilty, cheaper and easier fuel availability, better range and a much reduced fire risk. But thats me being far too sensible and I am not a target customer(no spare millions).
The design does look incredible I must admit.

Richard

In Salisbury yesterday as I went into a second hand/old furniture shop in the doorway stood a Hunter nose cone. It had ‘NASA’ in large letters and in small ‘Hunter GA11’ but the glass window ports made it look more like one from a FR10.
Got home and googled and it is obviously the one removed from XF375 which now sports a proper F6 nose and looks superb.

Richard

The question that comes to mind is how would they have got it off.

Just what I was wondering, the result of peeling it off would have seriously damaged the finish and if a solvent was used that would have also caused damage. Perhaps the panel was from a fabric covered part of the airframe a rudder for example. Are their any fabric covered, frame only hatches on a Lanc?

Richard

They could fly it into Cosford, paint it grey and white and pretend it is a VC10

You could do that on one side and on the other just paint it white with a row of windows and call it Concorde, who would know!

Richard

In the late 60’s some metal parts still survived in the grass after the airframes had been burned years previously, things like undercariage legs and a canopy frame I remember. Some other aircraft parts were also there including bits of Proctor and an instrument panel, minus instruments, with engraved ident plates for switches still in place, one of which said ‘wing tip flares’. Always wondered what that was from.

Richard

Ross
From ‘Learn to Test,Test to Learn’ History of the ETPS.
A K. A. Butler, RAF was killed in a accident in 1950 while flying a Spitfire, he had been a member of ETPS course No 4 in 1946.
Squadron Leader C.L.T Sawle, RCAF was killed while flying EE568 during ETPS course No 7 in 1948, ETPS by then had moved from Boscombe to Farnborough .

Richard