Alas the short answer to LL’s question is NO.

Also I would say forget the word ‘restoration’, what we are taking about is aircraft engineering in it’s various disciplines, i.e. sheet metal, fitting, engines, avionics etc etc.

I do not want to sound negative here, but the British aircraft industry is dead and gone when it comes to old time metal bashing etc. I was lucky enough to do my apprenticeship back in the 1970s when the ‘industry’ still offered such opportunities. As mentioned by Mackerel a basic 4-5 year process, I know of no such thing in the year 2008.

I can but suggest that you first decide on what particular aspect of aircraft engineering is for you, sheet metal, fitting, engines, (Jack of all trades etc), and try and find an opening some place. As previously mentioned the money is no good, does not impress the girls!

Finally I can but offer up the case of a certain John Romain….started as a volunteer at Duxford…just look at him now. Hold on tight to your dreams as the song goes!

Chumpy.

hang on a sec, im pretty sure the last time i was at DX i heard something about a voulnteer restoration thing, where one could go and learn all of the above mentioned skills (to one degree or another) and as you became proficient at this, you got a card that went into a little booklet folder, seemed to be a fairly central voulnteer thing, though i believe you had to pay something aroun £150 for it, i honestly can’t be sure? can anyone shed any light?

neither have I… yet….:D

….A use for the vulcan perhaps 😀 😀 😀

Unfortunately in this great country of ours the past is just that. The events of WW2, the people and places are of little interest to the majority. I was the resident telephone engineer at Bentley Priory during the early 1980’s, a fascinating place full of history and artefacts, shame the National Trust didn’t get involved.

anyone know wether they have been involved or contacted as such?

what i think LL was getting at, is not a course that will in two weeks enable anyone to rebuild a spitfire on their own, in their back garden, more of a course that will enable people to get their feet on the bottom rung of restoration work and give them basic experience in the area, or at least that was the impression i was under:)
Nashi0

i read somewhere that, only The F.6 variants make this noise and that for example the twin tub examples dont make this noise/ can anyone clarify?

Cheers 🙂

Richard, if you dont mind me asking, are you Richard De Boer, founder of the aerospace museum? However I have a feeling i may be clutching at straws!

Nashio

I have read that museums like the NMUSAF and the RAF museum keep their aircraft in pristine condition. Would these aircraft be able to fly again? In the USAF Museum, many of the aircraft were just flown in, then drained of the fluids and put in the museum. I don’t see why any aircraft kept indoors wouldn’t be capable of taking to the air again. Of course, it would cost a lot of money, but I think it would be possible. What are your thoughts? (I’m not only talking about WWII aircraft, how about jets like the SR-71 or TSR.2)

realistically given enough money, and the right base from which to fly i would say that all aircraft in museums could fly again (could being the operative word) SR-71, IF the monumental amount of money to get it flying again, (realistically in the region of hundreds of millions to keep it in the air) the us government would never allow it. personally i would love to see the TSR.2 fly again this will never, realistically happen due to one of the two survivors being basically a gutted hulk (XR222, compare pics of XR222’s undercarriage to that of XR220) XR220 is a unique (in being basically complete) and immensely complex aircraft. again there are virtually no spares for this type so between the two the likelyhood of the SR-71 flying again is more likely that the TSR.2 (which i would prefer) though neither type would be allowed by the caa to operate in this country. going that the TSR.2 is a basically untested prototype, and the SR-71 does more than 2000mph at 100,000ft+ with some immensely powerful and complex engine systems alone (bypass ramjets, and cone shockwave system in the intake:eek: )

So in answer to your question, Theoretically yes it is possible, realistically the likelyhood of flying an aircraft that the us government reitred due to running costs are nil, and, in terms of TSR.2 she wont ever fly again (heard a story about XR219 when she was at shoeburyness, after a few weeks of being stood the bogey on one of the main undercarriage failed, so would probably need a redesign?) unless someone wants to build a new one like the Flug F-190’s

both look annoyingly familiar, but i cant put my finger on either of them. somewhere off the web i downloaded a kmz file that is every Raf base in england wales scotland and ireland, too many to be a sad anorak and scan through them all though haha