But the Meteor is in Australia now, so whats the argument?

Er, there IS no argument. The bloke is merely asking people’s opinion. What’s the problem with that?

Personally I find it a very difficult question to answer although I think I’d just come down on the side of the Meteor because my main area of interest is in the early jets. It saddens me greatly that aircraft like Winston and the recent Canberra have left this country at all, but they have and that’s that.

Piccie 9 is definately a Hunter, but what on earth has happened to it 😮 :confused:

Where’s the stick gone? And why is the hole where the stick should be sheeted over? What are those nice comfy looking cushions in the seat doing there?

The Sea Hawk engine in the last picture is a Rolls-Royce Nene 103 (double-sided centrifugal compressor, 5200lb thrust, blah, blah…).

I remember the Vampire from my days as a Cadet at 955. Whenever we had a wing activity and went somewhere by coach we’d pickup 1066 enroute. I always thought it would be excellent to have a gate gurdian like their Vampire.

Unfortunately by the time I joined 1066 and became CO the Vampire was long gone. I think it went to an aircraft museum, possibly the de Havilland Museum.

I am sure that either Bruce or Learning Slowly will have lots of info.

Thanks for this merlin70. Just to explain why I asked – I recently acquired the pod of a Vampire T.11 and I suspect it may be this one. I have obtained some info and some copies of press cuttings from the time from the current CO of 1066 but there are some dates and details which don’t tie up with other bits of the history of the aeroplane.

The serial of my pod is known to be XE985 (and it did indeed go to the Mosquito Museum) but I am trying to confirm whether 985 was the same aircraft that 1066 owned back in the ’70s and parked at Knebworth. Any info on XE985 or the Vampire at Knebworth (ideally photos and the serial no.!) would be most gratefully received. 🙂

1066 Sqn (Hitchin) ATC – Expired

merlin70, when were you with 1066 Sqn ATC? Do you remember a Vampire T.11 owned by the squadron?

That’s my girl! 😀

Many thanks for posting this. You wouldn’t happen to know where it was taken would you? I’m wondering if it was taken at Bournemouth after the aircraft was returned to the UK in the late ’80s. If so then that’ll be QA10 in the background which is now resident at the Yorkshire Air Museum.

Attached is the piccie of T.79 QA13, apparently taken in the paint shop prior to delivery to Qatar – that’s QA12 in the far left corner with QA10 in the centre background.

Also attached is a larger version of my avatar.

Thanks again. 🙂

…and in much better nick than the example going to Flixton too. Thanks to Howard Curtis for the piccie.

Just remembered I have an original Hawker photo of an F.5 (forgotten the tail number) that was used for rocket trials. Will scan that when I get home tonight too.