I don’t have access to Dunlop drawing numbers I’m afraid.

However the AHO… number is a sub assembly drawing. The actual number for the whole wheel will only have two prefix letters, ie AH…, AC…, AD..

I just thought if you could find that it might help identification.

Roger Smith.

I agree with Twin Otter. ‘Preserved’ aircraft cannot stay outdoors in the UK climate and survive long term.

Many people forget that it although it is one helluva an achievement for a museum such as Newark to build their hangar 2 it puts up their running costs because of extra rates/council tax, insurance, the building of a maintenance fund for the structure, etc. OK that is offset a little by less ‘annual’ expense on those aircraft newly housed in it.

The other ‘race against time’ for outdoor aircraft is the future availability of persons to look after them. I think it is acknowledged that the average age of volunteers working in museums/collections in the UK is quite old and there aren’t sufficient young persons coming in to replace them as they leave.

When our Vulcan arrived at Coventry in 1983 I remember saying it would need to be undercover in 10 years or it may end up being scrapped. Well, thankfully, it’s still around nearly 30 years later but I see much breast-beating ahead as more large (and some not-so-large) externally ‘preserved’ aircraft in museums have to be cut up because they have become unsafe or have gone past the point of viable restoration.

Roger Smith.

Halifax nuts – have you seen the thread recently posted by Scotavia with a link to “Sandy Air Corps”??
They have a section on a Halifax – one photo shows a sustantial rear end but I think the photo is B&W and may therefore be old. Go to
http://www.sandyair.com/index.php?page=halifax

Roger Smith.

I believe the prototype and several early production aircraft were built at Whitley Abbey.

Whitley Abbey is now a district of Coventry but the “Abbey” part is rarely used – except when referring to Whitley Abbey Comprehensive.School (built in the 1950/60s).

Originally built during WW1 as an Aircraft Acceptance Park to receive some of the thousands of aircraft built in Coventry’s factories. The main structures were 3 pairs of Belfast hangars. About 90% of the buildings have gone – with the possible exception of a 3 bay flight shed (late 1920s/early 30s) The site remained part of Hawker-Siddeley until the ”butchering’ at the time of TSR-2s demise ( the Baginton AWA factory at nearby Coventry Airport (where most of the AW Whitleys were built) also suffered clusure with the cancellation of the HS.681) and it is now part of the Jaguar/Land Rover company. The airfield itself was also home to The Coventry Aeroplane Club and the SE5a (which is now part of the Shuttleworth Collection) between the ‘Wars.

Roger Smith.

Thank you HP