Quite a few different types ended their days at the MU at RAF Edzell.

Best wishes
Steve P

In may 1948 No 806 Sqn FAA was reformed as the “Royal Navy Aerobatic Team” for a tour of North America. Consisted of two Sea Fury, two Sea Hornets and one Sea Vampire F.20.

They had four Sea Furies according to contemporary photographs.

Best wishes
Steve P

Why would the Spitfire be specific to K5054, when no German would ever meet that aircraft?

Because whoever drew up the plan knew the serial of only one Spit?

The drawings look like typical wartime model aircraft plans to me.

Best wishes
Steve P

OK fine… Lets go down the “we’ll just save one and hope for the best” road. Do you really think if 30 years ago we had just kept one Beverley, say the “safe” example at Hendon, that it would still be here today. I doubt it!

Maybe not, but at the end of the day you are just speculating. Overall, the last 30 years or so have been pretty good. Despite the minimal finances of our museums, we have seen the re-appearance of the Albacore, Hampden, Beaufort, etc. These projects were successful because those running our museums sat down and prioritised. The money pot is not infinite, and duplication of airframes that are costly to maintain can be a big waste of resources. We cannot save everything.

We are all entitled to our own opinions on preservation but i personally would like my kids, and in time grandchildren to still be able to see at least one example of most if not all types of aircraft, especially those that have a connection with Britain.

So would I, but it just aint gonna happen. We have neither the money nor the space to save everything. Lets fill some of the gaps before we start out duplicating everything.

If those in authority had done more in the past we would’nt be scratching around now trying to resurrect complete examples of the Stirling, Whitley, Whirlwind, Wyvern, Firebrand, Hermes, Tudor, …. the list is endless.

What happened in the past is irrelevent. Lets stick to the current situation.

And why does a type need to be significant to be worthy of preservation?

Because we do not have the money or the space to preserve everything. At some point we have to sit down and draw up a list of what is possible, and what isn’t. Invariably, some people will disagree with what is being allowed to slip through the net, but that’s life.

What of the test pilots and crews who sacrificed all for the development of aviation…. do they not deserve to be remembered as well?
Contrary to some peoples beliefs, aviation does not just revolve around Spitfires and Concorde!

You’ve lost me there. I assume that you are not suggesting that we preserve test pilots and crews. 🙂

Every aviation museum that I have visited has been about far more than just Spits and Concorde. Some of the best museums have examples of neither.

Best wishes
Steve P

Definitely a Halifax. Mock-up nose for the later versions?

Best wishes
Steve P

Looking at those interesting photographs, considering the amount of damage that Hamburg suffered during the war, I’m surprised that one of what must have been one of the prime targets appears to have survived unscathed.

It would have taken a pretty big bomb to have done significant damage to one of those towers: they were pretty solid affairs.

Best wishes
Steve P

The Stirling turret is a Fraser Nash F.N.7 turret.

Best wishes
Steve P