I hope the plastic Mustang goes, but who is going to want it? I’m surprised about the Avenger/Mitchell rumour but I do agree that their collection remit has to be a bit more focused. The AAM was/is a bad idea, I bet someone somewhere is regretting it.

What an odd post, I like the AAM building, the lighting and views around the aircraft is fantastic, however I realise that not everyone likes it.
So therefore the building was not a bad idea as such, just one that has different opinions about it.
Again, why is the Avenger and Mitchell seen as the ‘odd ones out’ and why are they not part of the ‘focused’ collection? They are American service aircraft in an American Air Museum.
Oh, and I can think of plenty of people/collections that would be glad of a Mustang replica.

However, I fear the thread is sliding off topic by talking about the building – again.

Fantastic report, the cover looks similar to Lichtentsteins ‘Whaam’ art pieces!The photos of the actual XP-87 are the clearest I have ever seen of it. Thanks for posting.

Agree that if airframes have to be removed from AAM then Avenger and Mitchell, both displayed in US Navy marking are the best to move. But surely both types could be repainted to represent their use by British forces during WW2. If a Phantom had to go then once again the US Navy F-4J must be the choice.

Why is it that there is a common feeling that the US Navy aircraft should go?
The museum is called the American Air Museum, and covers the Air Force and Navy, the Mitchell and Avenger serve as reminders of the USN aircraft and crews that fought hard from British soil during the war, the Phantom for Naval types that frequently detatched to the UK in the post-war period.

As for the Phantoms I would keep the one that saw service in the UK and dispose of the other.

They both saw service with the RAF in the UK, XV474, is an FGR.2, the other, ZE359, an F-4J (UK) painted in its pre British service USN colours.

Says for sale here

http://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/01102011-iwm-could-sell-15-aircraft

It appears you have to sign in and pay to subscibe to view the list?

Fantastic picture and great to see G-AMAU in colour, thanks for joining and sharing.:)

Thanks for that clarification Smirky, I hadn’t realised that it was weapons supplied commercially against the nations’ wishes.

Doesn’t it smack slightly of the Churchill tools and Iraqi ‘super gun’ business though?

It sounds like the RNFTF (Britannia Flight?), apparently they had a mixed bag of types before standardising on Chipmunks, Lee Howard would know for sure though.

A bit on WN517 and the sad loss of its pilots in Feb 1956 here, http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?8732-W-C-F-M-N-Watts-OBE-Colerne-5.5.56 Note it didn’t crash at Roborough, but was making for it.

Would love to see your Sea Balliol photo.