Albemarle scrap!

Doesn’t a substantial amount of remains for the forward fuselages of a couple of these guys still exist somewhere? I’m sure I have read that on these pages before. Does anyone have photographs of these remains, or at least a detailed description of what they are?

Cheers, R.

The now defunct Pennine Aviation Museum took a large amount of Albemarle remains recovered from the quarry, already mentioned in the scrapyard photos thread, by the RAF – the parts were in store at Hendon I believe & with the loss of storage space at the time were in danger of being scrapped. The parts consisted of two artic trailer loads of tubular steel airframe remains- mainly wingspar, which were then stored in the open at a commercial garage premises belonging to one of PAM’s members. The cockpit sections were stainless steel tubing (to stop compass deviation?) so were easily seperated from the pile & two cockpit frames were reassembled – don’t get too exited – the Albemrle was built around a basic tubular frame then encased in a aluminium shell – these a/c were burnt before being bulldozed into the quarry – so only the inner frame was left.

When PAM folded, the collection was sold off or donated & no one seemed interested in the Albemarle bits – the wing spar sections were huge & taking up valuable room at a site that was trying to run a commercial business – the result I believe was that they ended up scrapped 🙁 The cockpit section went to the former chairman Mr Stansfield & I believe he still has them (or at least on of them) in storage, though now again dissassembled – I have seen wanted ads from time to time for parts posted by him, but cannot confirm that any progress has been made towards restoration.

AW41 Albemarle

Could soon be a few more bits preserved!

Test pit for one of this years proposed digs 😀

Scrapyard memories

It seems many years since I made a couple of scrapyard forays – well certainly more than I care to count – somewhere I do have some photos, but I didnt even own a camera at the time & borrowed my Dads! He always seems to have used slide film in those days so even if I find them I guess they will be in that format 🙁

Two yards I recall were at Siddal near Halifax and Stone in Staffs. – Do they still exist I wonder – the Staffs one had loads of searchlights and I always fancied one & even scraped together the £20 he wanted – but transport and dissaproving parents put an end to this scheme and a plan to joint buy with a friend a complete Bristol Hercules for £40 from Siddal!

I understand that a renewed recovery attempt on the Albermarle remains in the quarry mentioned are underway at present.

Regards – Nick – Lancashire UK

“Ex tenebris Lux”

LAIT Website: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait
Bond Website: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/nick.wotherspoon/site

From the latest issue of RAF News.

“Research from an ATC Squadron eventually saw Time Team take on the rescue roll.”

“Day two saw the team concetrate on the fuselage where a 0.5 inch Browning heavy machine gun was discovered. F/S Bolger and Cpl Fry had to X-ray the gun to confirm it was unloaded.
Two more machine guns were discovered, still mounted in a turret. Both had to be taken to a nearby range where they were made safe.”

Couple of points I have to pick up on: 1.The research by the local ATC group was undertaken over 20+ years ago and they were in no way involved in the project – It was instigated by the Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team after a direct request from Time Team researchers to find a suitable site for them.

2. Yes one gun was X-rayed on site and declared clear – two others were still in their turret which meant that X-ray was not practical on site – However after all three had been declared clear they were then all inexplicably taken to a range, as quoted and “made safe”, by blowing them to pieces – the bits were then delivered to the RAF Millom museum in a sack!!! 🙁

The programme is due to be aired on 16th January 2005 at 6.30pm. I can promise you it will be worth well worth watching (IMO! 😀 ). For a brief taster page on the project see:

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait/site/Time Team Brief Article.htm

Regards – Nick – Lancashire UK

“Ex tenebris Lux”

LAIT Website: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lait
Bond Website: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/nick.wotherspoon/site