Hello Joe,

Have you got Peter C Smith’s Crowood book on the Harvard/T-6? as I recall there being a chapter in there regarding their ROKAF service. If not I’ll get my copy back tomorrow and have a look for you.

Tom

IMHO, many more than currently reside in museums…..

Tom

http://www.6juin1944.com/album/airborne/index.php?id=47

Good to see another veteran airframe being saved, from what I’ve read she flew in most of the major missions of WWII whilst assigned to the 440th TCG.

Tom

As an aside I am part way through the just released ‘Spitfire Portrait of a Legend’ by Leo McKinstry. He brings a fascinating insight in to the problems and politics of getting the the Spitfire in to production.

Mark

Mark,

Have you ever read Denis Le P Webb’s ‘Never a dull moment’? I really enjoyed it and it is a good insight into the goings on at Supermarine.

The old girl is going well and should fly again later in the week fingers-crossed, I’ll post some pics once I can get them off the camera card.

The scheme is to revert to green/brown as she left the factory and joined 57 OTU (JZ-E codes) as the restoration brief was to get her back to ‘factory fresh’ condition, with MKV’s and Dennis the painter’s assistance she should be ready around christmas all being well.

Thanks for all the kind comments, it’s been a long road but we’re all very happy she’s back where she belongs again, once she’s painted it’ll be even better 🙂

Tom

P.S. the tank cover ‘window’ is to assist in aligning the ‘firewall’ cover forward of the instrument panel, it’s still a swine though 😡 IIRC I’ve seen a few pics of various marks with similar windows.

My Grandfather learned to fly at Mousehold in the early ’30s, unfortunately all of the records were destroyed by a Luftwaffe raid during the war so the family don’t know the types he flew seeing as his logbooks went missing many years ago 🙁

Tom

Any truth to the rumoours that she’s already flown in to La Ferte? Numerous people have told me today that this is the case, I bl##dy hope not!

Tom

Our resident RV-8 went out this afternoon. That thing climbs faster than a Seneca cruises I’m sure.
Also got a Stearman hiding in the hangar. American training markings and the code no 532 on the side, anyone know its identity and/or owner?

Mike,

The Stearman is now a resident, currently unwell, unhappy mag. The Harvard is another member of the fleet which popped up from Booker to see us and do a few touch-and-go’s while we were working on ‘532’ when you saw her. The C-47 should come back from an engine change at Coventry this week weather permitting.

Tom