Nothing personal, Lee. 🙂

Mark

Didn’t think it would be :p

Wyvern – I spoke to a few people; some were kids at the time and remembered playing in the pit, others were there when the station was cleared. They just recalled “everything being bulldozed into the pit”. Sadly no further details. This was probably 15 years ago, so some of them may not be around any more.

The Eagle in the FAAM is a real one, albeit sectioned. It used to be at RNAY Fleetlands on display until the Museum took it back along with everything else they had originally placed on loan from their Wroughton store.

The Gosport dump is well known about – its location, its (supposed) contents and indeed the Royal Engineers some years ago, whilst carrying out some work at HMS Sultan, were asked to scan the area. Their metal detectors went off the scale.

However, and here is the “BUT”…..the area is on the edge of a nature reserve, is heavily overgrown and Gosport Borough Council are unlikely to want to have diggers move in to start tearing the place apart. There would have to be security overnight, insurance for those working on the area, and then there is the thorny issue of who is responsible for the environmental impact of unearthing any aircraft remains – radioactive hazard from old instruments, oil from engines,asbestos etc.

Nice idea though it is, it has been looked at before and deemed too difficult. I wouldn’t go asking FAAM again – they simply haven’t got the resources to conduct any recovery like this.

Sorry Lee, lost my anorak,

And the prize for the richest statement of the day goes to…..:rolleyes:

Only took one picture, of the AHFs Auster (I think), which was sitting forlornly on it’s own.

It’s not one of the AACHAF’s Austers, it’s XR240/G-BDFH – privately owned.

If you were there up until 1130 how come you missed us arriving in the T-6 Texan LN-AMY?

I seem to recall back in 2006 when they based the two F-16s at St.Mawgan that they were concerned about the length of runway for operating the type out of CU, so perhaps this is where they went.

Find out tomorrow!

If ’12’ is the western end then I expect that’ll be the runway in use – 09 has been in use at VL for the past few days.

Even though, sadly, RNHF will be in depleted numbers in terms of aircraft arriving, the sales trailer will be there. Don’t forget to stop by and say hello to Alan, Sue, Derek and Sarah! They’ll have a plentiful supply of umbrellas at very, very decent rates if nothing else! 😀

No, sorry Nick; as with the Piston Provost she’s being pampered at the moment and unfortunately won’t be ready in time so Kennet have very kindly substituted the T-6. Something different, anyway, and quite rare! I don’t think LN-AMY has been this far south before.

Chipmunk WK608 is also coming down – a rare foray away from base. The Wasp is different too – XT793 as opposed to XT787 of last year. Still in her original 829 Sqn markings too.

I think it is the ugliest aircraft I’ve ever seen

Should’ve gone to Specsavers! :p

Don’t mistake ugliness for character. 😉

The new plex is covered in latex to protect it – I’d be very surprised if water would do anything other than run off, considering things like kitchen gloves are made of latex 😀

The paint we used at Fleetlands was a grey latex-based paint. The de-humidified storage facility sucked all of the moisture out of the paint and left it hard. Soaking it in water re-hydrated it and allowed it to be peeled off.

Depends what sort of latex you have, I suppose. I’d still be very averse to using any form of chemical first.