…… Let’s just say my stay in the U.K. isn’t exactly temporary…..

If you have lots of time then you ought to get the latest edition of “Wrecks and Relics” by Ken Ellis. This not only includes all of the UK’s air museums but gate guards, civil (and the odd military) airfields with a high count of historic aeroplanes (such as North Weald), private collections, etc. Arranged alphabetically in county then town/village location it has good indices for both locations and aircraft type.

Roger Smith.

Looks very impressive and pleasing to see the mix of equipment from the various fighting services.

We in Britain, in our military museums, tend to separate almost completely the equipment of the three principal fighting services. RAFM Cosford’s ‘Cold War Building’ has gone partway towards a mix but the exhibits aren’t really set up in context they are just there as, well, museum exhibits.

For some time I’ve thought that the IWM has the opportunity at Duxford to mix the land forces and air forces into time zones – a hangar full of WW1 field guns/artillery, aeroplanes, tanks, replica trenches, etc. WW2 would need, perhaps, the superhangar with a greater choice of exhibits and wider geographical representation to contend with.

Ah well I dream on…..

Roger Smith (would-be museum designer!)

EE531

Memory not 100% but here goes…

Tipped off by Alan W. Hall via Gordon Riley that this aircraft was sitting in a hangar at Lasham it is probably the first aircraft acquisition ‘targetted’ (proactive rather than reactive) by the Midland Aircraft Preservation Society (forerunner of MAM). Not having the £175 price asked for by Mr Kenworthy, Dept. F6t, MoD Harrowgate (a lot of money 40-odd years ago) we had just about raised the required sum (in loans) from MAPS members when a sponsor was found in Ford dealer Meteor Ford Ltd of Edgbaston, Birmingham. Members (mainly amateurs and without the use of manuals) dismantled, transported and re-assembled the aircraft on Meteor Ford’s courtyard to be on display for a few weeks. It then took up the nomadic life of the MAPS by travelling around the Midlands to such places as Weston Park, Shropshire; Bentham, Glos. (where it was built); Coventry Airport (pre Museum); BBC Pebble Mill, Birmingham (where it appeared with three other MAPS aeroplanes on “Pebble Mill at One”) – we used to joke that it probably did more miles by road than it had flown. We ‘amateurs’ got the moves down to a fine art – with the use of an Iron Fairy mobile crane at each end we could dismantle, transport (on a single 40ft. artic.) and re-assemble all in one day. After a spell of external display at the newly-created MAM it was restored by a Manpower Services Commission team in Coventry and became one of the first exhibits inside the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre where she remains to this day.

Note: most of the ‘accepted’ written (official?) histories of Meteor EE531 say that she was used in folding-wing trials to explore possible use off ‘carriers. We got to know the airframe fairly well with all those moves and there was no evidence of structural modifications for this purpose – either the trials didn’t proceed or it happened to a different aircraft, are there any pictures out there?

Roger Smith.

That’s just about how we started the museum at Coventry – could, perhaps, do with a gateway off the road (or make the punters climb over the fence) :highly_amused:

Roger Smith.

[QUOTE=~Alan~;2177243……………..The difference being with Cosford, and also Duxford. Although they are both awkward to get to if you don’t drive,……..[/QUOTE]

Cosford has it’s own rail station – I don’t think the walk is more than that from Colindale station to Hendon – it would be ideal, though, if there was a direct service from Birmingham.

Roger Smith.

Perhaps someone with a entrepreneurial mind at RAFM might consider having some small tins made, fill them with the sand that came out of the aeroplane and sell them?? Could raise a few quid perhaps?

Roger Smith.

Sorry I was thinking F-101 – and whether it’s tail shakes as much in the air as when taxying!

Roger Smith.

Could be a hide (without it’s covering) for watching (or shooting) birds?

Roger Smith.