Nice info on these birds, thanks Dave. If any of you are simmers, and are getting too nostalgic for some PR9 action, I have done a few 39 Sqn Canberra repaints of late. Here are a few hemp schemes to whet your whistle:

Don’t know if this floats your boat, but at least these old classics will still get some action after the 29th July 🙂

Would it be too pedantic to point out that to properly represent the PR9 you will need to extend the wing centre sections so the chord is the length of the engine nacelles?

Thought so 😮

Taken at Duxford in May last year

…

The red circle in the top photo does look a bit big compared to the lower one, or is it just me.

Brian

At a guess I’d say someone was painting a type ‘B’ roundel before realising their mistake. It is a touch on the big side though. We should call the decal police – where’s G-NATY when you need him?

Westland Wyvern

Scimatar, the Wyvern at the FAA museum is one of the original TF1 models which used the Rolls Royce Eagle 24 cylinder H configuration piston engine. The production S.4 had a number of differences, not least of which was the Armstrong Siddeley Python turboprop. The centre of the fuselage was raised to afford better view over the nose and the fin was increased in size to improve directional stability. It had a very drawn out development mainly due to powerplant issues – the two ‘first choice’ engines were cancelled.

This fantastic beast is undergoing a bit of a revival at the moment – 4+ publishing have issued a slim book on the aircraft, which is aimed at modellers, but has loads of good photos.

Just bought the re-issued Airfix Bristol Bloodhound kit from my local model shop. Nice to see the fantastic retro Roy Cross artwork, but it appears Airfix have gone in for retro instructions as well. The background blurb states:

‘The Bristol/Ferranti Bloodhound is the surface-to-air guided missile system selected by the R.A.F. for the defence of the United Kingdom and is now in service with Fighter Command’.

Perhaps they should have updated the text sometime between 1969 and now!

That said, it’s quite a nice kit and a welcome return. It includes not only the missile and launch stand but a series 2 Land Rover, ground crew, security detail and dog!

Without checking, I think 4) is 800 Sqadron, flying from HMS Eagle and I think their mounts would have been Fairey Flycatchers – unless you mean RNAS?

You got that right; now we are expected to believe the Type 45’s are as good at providing air cover as the scrapped Sea Harriers were.

I can’t help feeling we’ve been here before. At the risk of getting this thread moved to Historical Aviation, the first time the British fleet with aircraft carriers present was attacked by enemy bombers in the Second World War, the fighters were moved to the hanger and their fuel tanks drained to minimise fire risk in the event of bomb strikes!

Sorry, I don’t believe you.

If you really mean that it could be the start of a good idea.

Advertise your eye teeth on e-bay, stating clearly what the money will be used for.

Push out press releases to all the TV stations, radio, newspapers and add some viral marketing. It is the sort of story that will get lots of coverage

You’ll almost certainly end up being interviewed at which point you can expose the appeal to a vast audience.

Once the winner pays up it’s off to the dentist you go.

Now let’s hear the excuses.

Moggy

Moggy, if by having some teeth removed I could gaurantee the Vulcan would fly I would do so. I would even let you name the teeth.

Let’s all stop being so bloody defeatist!! …At the end of all this, if we are successful, you can look at her as she blasts your eardrums to bits as she powers skyward and smile in the knowledge that you helped to put her back where she belongs. If we fail, you get your £20 back to go nd console yourself in the boozer. Look at it that way and it doesn’t seem too much to give up does it??

Hear hear. I’m happy to try and I’m very glad this is being done. I understand the opinions of those who are more circumspect but on the other hand I would give my eye teeth to see/hear/feel a Vulcan flying again. As I don’t think VTTS are accepting donated teeth, I will have to let money and support do the talking. If it doesn’t come off I’m still glad they tried. I’m sorry for any other projects that might suffer as a result but a flying Vulcan could raise the profile of preservation and ultimately attract more money to it. We have to consider the possiblity that the finite pot of money doesn’t have to be that finite in the end.