Completely wrong shape, size, section, and construction for either Canberra proto or Attacker, both of which had metal construction nose cones and no radar.
I’m not quite swayed by early Javelin either, though the diameter wouldn’t be far off.
I think I would concur with that aeronut, the cone looks too lightly constructed to be an aircraft nose cone to me, and the shape and scale seem right to the plans you’ve attached – must be a rare old item though?
I must admit I don’t!
Edit, 60ft according to this video shot from the top, http://vimeo.com/31255399
Must admit I thought it was taller than that, apparently the original tower which collapsed was 60ft as well, http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~treevecwll/steval.htm
I have to agree with Bills’ sentiments sadly, we have two complete Scimitars* in this country, XD317 nicely presented by the FAA Museum, and the other, XD322, which looked (looks?) really nice, but which rarely seems to see the light of day, http://www.demobbed.org.uk/image_view.php?a=15737&s=xd332.jpg
I would rather XD220 continues to impress visitors in the ‘States, hopefully indoors though.
*Always nice to see Tonys’ fantastic cockpit section of XD235 as well of course
Glad there was a happy outcome and that the panels have found a very worthy home!:)
A quick search has thrown up this reference on here http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=20416&highlight=Swift+radiation
But I thought there was another thread as well! :confused:
There was a more recent one I’m sure, but the second post on that thread seems ironic given latest threads here!:D
Agree with Dave, the Swift was a brand new aircraft built to the latest airframe and engine standards of the day, but was in abundance due to hundreds being ordered and then the RAF not wishing to put them into front-line service.
As the British were using Maralinga for the Op Buffalo weapons tests it made sense to ship the aircraft out for armament proof trials, probably with all manner of other items and support equipment.
The last shot is taken with a closed canopy…. which would be hard to do with a model. Play with the contrast and brightness,and you can see out the windscreens way into the distance. Doing the same with some of the other shots, and you can see a hell of a lot of engine.
This is just my take Rich, but I reckon the first three shots are a combination of real photo of real scenery, a model, and CGI.
The last two shots are possibly of a different real aricraft, but then photoshopped/CGI’d to look like our desert ‘find’ in situ. The first few shots reel you in, the last couple are the ‘clincher’.
Something just doesn’t feel real about the pictures, or indeed the lack of them, or any concrete news.
Hopefully I’m wrong though!
Yeah pretty much, Trebelzue existed as a civil landing ground known as Trebelzue Big Field, actually two landing fields seperated by a main Newquay road.
The RAF requisitioned the land in late 1939 and built a small two runway (third runway was planned, and a threshold actually laid down – still visible) airfield there, by late 1941 it was deemed unfit for purpose by 2OADU/ 44 Group Ferry Command, and so the construction of a new three runway airfield was commenced in Autumn 1942 just to the east.
RAF Trebelzue became RAF St Mawgan even before the new St Mawgan airfield was completed by mid 1943.
The original airfield did provide a substantial parking area for both St Mawgan and St Eval, it also provided a base for Halifax, Whitley & Horsa combinations.
The main 14-32 runway was designed to be extended in the way that it was to the NW, the smaller NE-SW runway was at one time envisaged to extend across Trebelzue and one of its runways, which if carried out would have provided another 9,000+ft runway.
St Mawgan seems to have a strange arrangement for which I know no reason, but it seemed to get ‘extra bits’ added further and further to the west which in one way could almost look like runways in their own right, but then clearly are for parked areas?
St Mawgan was a fairly standard layout, but much larger and built to VHT spec, it was laid out in a similar fashion to which the other VHT airfield, Heathrow, would be.
The only extension it had was the main 14-42 runway being extended to the N.W. by mid ’44.
The complex of runways and taxiways now seen to the west was the original Trebelzue (renamed St Mawgan early ’43) airfield, which when St Mawgan became operational in mid ’43 was converted to a large aircraft dispersal area.
I think it can be easy to forget now how many airfields were under constant change and reconstruction over a short time span.
The excellent P.London Aviation In Cornwall book, mentions runway extensions carried out in late1943.
It seems that both Preddanack and Portreath were devised to similar schemes and time scales, Portreath was built with four runways, so would guess Predannack was as well, interestingly the runway headings are very similar.
Don’t forget the headings were a digit out during war period, ie 13-31 was 14-32.
I don’t think I’ve got more plans than Hendon, but certainly possess some that they don’t!:)
Was this not Scrapped in Trowbridge Wilts. I have some Pics of it in a Poor State here…
s-61d-1 Westland XV372 :……to Ground Instruction rig at RAF St.Mawgan by Dec 1998. Reported scrapped in Trowbridge, Wilts.
Hi Mark, it was still at Mawgan when I last visited in March ’09, a quick phone call to DrStrangelove earlier confirms it’s still there and in use, ‘Demobbed’ backs this up.
Edit, ISTR that it came from the Trowbridge yard, before going to Mawgan.
James
The site plan I have for RAF Predannack Down dates from May 1944, the runways, taxiways, & all other tracks are exactly how they now appear on Google Earth.
The layout of a shorter peri track within a larger one suggests (i.e. might not necessarily be the case) that initially three of the runways were slightly shorter when first built.
Unusually the plans don’t annotate the runway headings, but using the GE ruler tool, gives these results,
Runway N-S, 01-19 4,600ft (4,100ft)
Runway E-W, 10-28 4,300ft (3,700ft)
Runway NE-SW, 05-23 6,000ft (5,400ft)
Runway NW-SE, 13-31 3,000ft
The distance in brackets is the distance to the inner peri track, also the GE ruler tool will give you the heading in precise degree.
I didn’t spend that long checking these, so advise a recheck!
Great news, and good to hear that it is still so complete.
RAF Predannack was fairly unusual for an RAF station in having four runways built (more usual on FAA stations), nearby RAF Portreath is another, and there is another example that escapes me right now.
I have a copy of the original c.44 plans (RSPs) for Predannack, and pretty sure it shows the four runways, I will dig out later.