Hmmm…not by any means the first time that Military Trader UK has appeared on a forum linked to objects with, ooh, how should I put this, an “interesting” back story.

Anne

Isn’t it time that ebay were prosecuted under the European Proceeds of Crime legislation? They are knowingly selling items that are being intentionally misdescribed and not taking any action against the sellers.

Was wondering if there are any plans to restore this cockpit section? I seem to remember having read somewhere a restoration would start, but can’t find anything on Google.

The owner is registered on the forum, I’ve told him about the thread and suggested he comments.

I don’t fully agree with your post, Bunsen. May I comment? Even when military aircraft were kept to very high standards they still crashed due to critical component failure. I don’t think the CAA wants to risk this happening in civilian hands, even when similarly being maintained to high standards. The military necessity for the aircraft no longer exists, so the the risk of flying it is not justified. Also, I do agree that civilians can exercise the same skills, but those skills can get to be in short supply. Is there just one engineer now qualified to sign off a Centaurus in the UK? I’m sure I’ll be corrected, but I hope I make my point. It’s that old thing of having to re-learn stuff, preferably not by the hard way.

Very happy for you to comment.

I agree that components fail but when the military, or civil, necessity for the aircraft no longer exists there is still an educational requirement and, if you have deep enough pockets, a recreational requirement. By careful flying the risk to the public can be kept “as low as is reasonably possible”, to quote a senior person at the HSE. Shortage of skills is an issue and if they disappear then it follows that the aircraft has to be grounded unless or until someone relearns them, the safe way.

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So as David posted – not an easy aircraft to operate in private hands – and one does need a lot of expertise to even contemplate doing so !

I never said it was easy but I have an issue with the automatic assumption that private hands can’t do clever things. None of the technology in the proper Harriers made of aluminium is new and all aircraft components and systems have to be maintained to exacting standards.

Where these standards aren’t met there tends to be incidents but these are far from limited to private hands, it’s just much more difficult to hide them when it’s not government or large corporations not meeting standards or cost cutting.

And that’s probably another thread.:)

Thanks for the links Jagan

My scanner is now working properly, do you want scans of the Wapiti pages to replace the photos I took?

Thanks again for the feedback and the get well messages. 🙂

Sorry about the lack of trade Bunsen Honeydew but at least there was good news about filling a 30 year gap.

Have to admit that if I’d actually put stuff on the table I might have sold something.

That’s a blow. Not much in the way of preserved aircraft in India

I’ve spent hours looking for the Sea Hawk on a stick in Thiruvanantapuram, I know someone who works at the University where it’s meant to be on display and he doesn’t know it.

I’ve spent about three months in Kerala in total and all I’ve seen of interest have been a Coot and an Islander, both a long way off.

I too found some of the dialect a little difficult at times to make out coupled with Guy Martin’s fast speech delivery, but maybe it’s my hearing!

I have a hearing problem and I understood every word. There’s a message there somewhere