Dear Atomic Sheep – Mate, I think you need a really strong dose of reality pills. The team behind the DH 88 was at the top of its game and these aircraft were some of the cutting edge technology of their day. You say you are going to recreate one of these aircraft, with a glass cockpit and a tv screen so you can see where you are going when landing. I suggest that if you want a DH 88 that badly, go and buy that one in the States, or have the bloke make one for you – it will be far cheaper than what your project is going to cost and will have a far better chance of coming to fruition.

Beau: CAA? Do tell us more.

Bruce: The de Havilland data is correct for the civil types quoted, believe me. However, perhaps you have identified a difference in drawing nomeclature used to distinguish a military type from a civil type – I have no knowledge of the military drawing sequence.

One slight correction – for civil types after 100, the last one or two digits were used in the drawing/part number, not the whole of the type number, eg:

4 – Dove
6 – Comet
14 – Heron
21 – Trident
25 – 125

Before everyone starts frothing at the mouth, check out Articles 11 and 12 (from memory) which regulate the way the CAA can issue a Permit to Fly to non-EASA and EASA aircraft types.

This thread has got me confused! The title of the thread and the newspaper report refer to the mast on Postland Road, Crowland, locally known as “Radar Corner”. This is the mast which has been demolished – but it is not the mast which is pictured in the first post on this thread. Anyone confirm where this location is?

Turning to the use of the Crowland mast, it was a telecommunications relay mast and not radar. It was built in the mid 50s I believe and was part of a microwave relay chain for the USAF. Other locations in Lincs with a similar role were at Kirton-in-Lindsey, Elsham Wolds and Spitalgate. The Spitalgate mast was still there last year but the Kirton-in-Lindsey mast was demolished appprox five years ago. Not sure about the Elsham mast.

After the USAF stopped using them their aerials were removed and 10-15 years ago the Crowland mast formed a small part of the Uniter/Boxer network. Presumably because of the retrenchment of the RAF the mast was no longer needed. As is happening on airfields, where there is something not being used and it is a risk to ‘elf & safety’ it is getting demolished.

That mast has been a landmark on my journeys from Lincolnshire to the south. Bye bye mast.

The problem here is that to dig up ‘new’ aggregate out of a quarry the (expletives dleted) Government impose a tax on every ton that is dug up – I think it might now be £10 or more per ton. Digging up and crushing concrete runways is seen as restoring ‘brownfield’ sites and does not attract this tax. Crushed concrete is therefore much cheaper than quarried gravel. Also, digging up the concrete paves the way (sorry for that) for lots of new houses to be built all over the site of an old airfield. In fact, the crushed concrete could be used on site in the construction of the new roads, houses etc, saving thousands of lorry loads being brought in – how green is that? At present the concrete crusher is quite quickly munching its way across West Raynham, although the intent here is to recover the land for agricultural use. We have to face it that with the way this country is going, old airfields will soon be as dead as the Dodo.

Come on VX, loosen up! At least you will now be able to sleep easy because you will be able to legally use parts from the usual sources that would immediately invalidate your current CofA if the CAA took any notice of them!

MOTHS AT BOSTON

Simon: The Hornet was G-ADKK, which Cliff bought as a flyer. Your Dad and the team maintained it and also rebuilt Leopard Moth G-ACUS from a heap of junk to flying condition. As this thread has shown, your Dad and the team were renowned for the fantastic condition of the Austers, which I remember winning several prizes over the years at the PFA Rally, Sywell. I also remember your Grandfather, Bill, who if I remember correctly, was the Operations Manager for Lincs Aerial. Will send you a PM.