Despite my earlier comments, I have to say I have some sympathy for the RAF Museum on this. Even according to their own tender document, they were expecting to have to find between £40 and £80k just to move it into storage.

It is a sad but true fact that big aeroplanes left outside cost lots of time and money just to even keep on top of natural deterioration. The real tragedy of this case is that by the time the RAF Museum were invited to get involved in 2011 the rot had, literally, already long set in.

If there is a lesson to be learned from this sad tale it is that the MoD should urgently review the routine maintenance of the artefacts that remain, often quietly rotting away, as gate or parade ground guardians. The term ‘a stitch in time’ springs to mind.

Very sad news. As Propstrike has already mentioned, he was the keynote speaker at the 2010 HAA Symposium at Hendon, where that picture was taken. Squadron Leader Iveson offered the unique perspective of one who both flew Spitfires in the Battle of Britain and Lancasters with 617 Squadron. While his presentation on flying Spitfires as a Sergeant Pilot with 616 and No.92 Squadrons was impressive, Iveson added a new dimension when answering questions on his three sorties against the pocket battleship Tirpitz.

His first-hand recollections of his attack, describing heading into the fjord from the north to minimise exposure to anti-aircraft fire, and his description of the ultra clear Arctic sky above Norway nearly seven decades ago, were simply spellbinding. As ‘the few’ become ever fewer, it was a rare privilege to be in the presence of such a hero.

Congratulations to both pilots. Copybook response to an emergency which didn’t leave them any thinking time.

Hydulignum was the name given by Horden Richmond to a process where they bonded a fabric covering onto wooden propeller blades then baked them at high pressure and temperature in an autoclave before painting. The result was apparently a stronger blade for the same thickness of material and equally importantly in the war years, it meant they could use British woods like beech and ash (of which there is plenty in Bucks) rather than imported woods such as mahogany.

The British woods normally pose problems with more variable moisture content affecting balance and longevity, something which the Hordern Richmond propellers avoided. Blades were certainly made for Rotol variable pitch units, while the majority of wartime Tiger Moth propeller were also of Hordern-Richmond manufacture.

In about 1942 (I think), Hordern Richmond moved from Chesham to a brand-new factory at Haddenham and in turn, later became part of the de Havilland group.

As to longevity. We’ve got a wartime Tiger Moth propeller, still in good order and after an overhaul last year, the 1939 H-R prop on my Tipsy Trainer is still giving good service!

The Ju-52 was I think operating out of White Waltham this weekend on a corporate event for a luxury luggage manufacturer.

It may have ‘overnighted’ from Germany to the UK? As the Ju-52 is on a full CofA, it is therefore night-capable, but I’m pretty sure that White Waltham isn’t! If it was this aeroplane, maybe it routed into somewhere like Lydd first?

The unforgettable ‘Ken’ moment was when a young lady in the cafe/tower, obviously worried that at 11.00pm after a long day and many many questions, Ken still had to drive through deepest Lincolnshire and Norfolk to get home (several hours drive on unlit roads), thought it would be too much for him or his old Peugeot 205 and asked if he wanted to stay somewhere locally.
Ken; don’t worry about me my dear, i’m a night bomber pilot…………………….priceless.

RIP Ken

Superb!

Just love that last shot!!

And the Junkers’ dummy….

Phew