A fascinating thread this.

Meanwhile, as a Minor diversion, can anyone shed any light on the story befind these ‘wings in a barn’?

These are two of my photos taken during the recovery of this pair of wings by the Midland Aircraft Preservation Society from a farm near Edinburgh around 1969. Bob Ogden and I (Chairman and Secretary of MAPS) had found them on an earlier “tour” of Scotland and thought them to be from prototype Luton Minor G-AEPD – last heard of at Macmerry, Edinburgh (Jackson I think). The farmer/owner said that the fuselage/tail had been destroyed when a car had reversed into it many years before and was happy for us to come and take the wings away.
So, a few weeks later, I drove the MAPS’ Morris J4 van equiped with several members and camping gear. The moustachioed chap prominent in both pictures is Jim Titford – for many years MAPS ‘chief engineer’. We certainly got dusty getting them down from the barn roof.
We never proved the link with G-AEPD but took the opportunity a while later to take out the registration G-BAPC as it was a long-term hope to rebuild to flight. The Midland AM sold the wings quite a long time back but I believe they still exist.

Roger Smith.

Have you tried Canadian immigration records? I think they’re available on the ‘net.

Roger Smith.

Not Science Museum but IWM, South Lambeth. 🙂

Roger Smith.

I thought I remembered that the Convair 880 (maybe the 990) was the fastest subsonic airliner priot to the introduction of SSTs.

Roger Smith.

Surely there has to be one that ditched somewhere in freshwater that is salvageable??

I think/hope the same thoughts for a Whitley.

Roger Smith.

I wondered, before posting, if someone would jump on me 🙁

JDK my answer to Mike was more to encourage dialogue with his father about the incident than falling prey to my laziness.

Roger Smith.

I wonder if Classic Flight at Coventry have some???

I may be up there on Sunday, if I am (and if I remember!) I’ll ask…

unless AlanL is listening……

Roger Smith.

I think it should be added that, moratoriums (ia???) aside, any attempt to export a jet combat aircraft outside of the USA will be instantly vetoed by the Department of Homeland Security.

So no point in dreaming.

I did – you’ve shattered them 😀 (I don’t partake in the Lottery so I know I aint gonna win it though)

There can’t be a veto on ALL jet combat aircraft (eg F-80 to F-18) I realise the DoHS would clamp down on “current” or “recent” jet combat types but I wonder if there is a line or a list?

Roger Smith.