Here’s the 2 on my wall, an F4 rear seat stick and a Mig 21. Also a pic of one of several sold to me as being from a French Mirage, previous discussion has led to its possible identity as being Mirage IV rear cockpit radar controller but does anyone have a definitive answer.

Rocketeer – love that B52 yoke!

If anyone has access to Soviet stuff I would love to hear from you, even it is just buttons and such.

Paul

Hi Paul,

good to see some ‘sticky’ input from down under! I’m still working on ‘She who must be obeyed’ to mount some of my pride and joys on the living room wall, not having much success, top marks to you!

Given the look/design of your ‘French grip’ it appears (to me at least), more of a radar control rather than a flight control given that it has no mechanical linkage apparent and the rather delicate stem/base of the grip. It certainly looks French in design though. Nice piece all the same, never seen one this (cold) end of the globe!

Cheers,

Martyn
GYD

Hi Tom,

My Father was an Air-frame Fitter on 3 Squadron (BI8 Canberra’s) during the early 1960’s and then later, Lightnings during the late 1970’s, he’s always keen to ‘pull up a sand bag and swing the lantern’!

Regards,

Martyn

GYD

Cheers for that, hopefully Steve can shed more light on it then? Lovely grip by the way!

Martyn
GYD

Hi Tony,

Indeed you are quite correct regarding the Russian grips having hinged wrist supports, my Mig25 stick aptly demonstrate this anti-knee capping device!

Martyn
GYD

I echo what Rocketeer says, fantastic display chaps and what a nice pair of Lightning grips too. I must say, a right hand ‘Tub’ grip is certainly on my Christmas wish list to Santa!.
(FMK6) John, those two ‘special’ grips are indeed extremely rare and indeed unique, brilliant.
SFP54 that is an impressive and most interesting collection of German grips thank you for sharing them with us, it is interesting to see the minor changes in design.
Nice to see a Harrier appear too Flightpath, probably the most bizarre design as far as grips go but, strangely comfortable when you actually hold it!
Ian, question regarding your F4 column, does the trigger have only one indent position rather than the normal two position of B8’s? I have a similar grip in my collection and have been stumped to its application so far. I didn’t think it was from a ‘Toomb’ because the lower switch has been purposely blanked off. Do you know mark of F4 it’s from?

My next offering is what I believe to be a DH Venom NF3. I purchased it from a well known auction site a few years ago, it was said to have come from a ‘crash’ site in the Peak District. It was recovered by the vendor’s son back in the mid to late 70’s. Having scoured all the various sources regarding such crashes no DH aircraft matched the profile. It is an AC10522 grip fitted to a De Havilland column but has no real signs of ‘crash damage. The only aircraft, (putting 2 and 2 together again) was of Venom NF3 WX932 which was once owned by an ATC Squadron in Matlock, Derbyshire. Its fate apparently, after slow deterioration and vandalism was to be dumped in a quarry, in the Peak District! If anyone can help or has any other info regarding 932’s fate, it would be much appreciated.

Martyn

GYD

Things go from flippin good to even better!

Tony T, thanks for the info re. your B8A grip, the 53C 4017 matches the grip on my F86D/K column and the style of buttons would indicate a mid sixties time period, my F86E/F grip/column though, has the number 50C 4064 as does an F100 Super Sabre grip I have in my collection too. However, good possibility of it hailing from the NA stable though! (The style of buttons will usually give the relative age of the grip).

Ian, I am ever so slightly (intensely) jealous of your P38 yoke, I narrowly missed one on e-bay a few years ago, I ran out of bidding power (money), some things are meant to be I suppose!

However, (Fmk6) John your collection of Lightning grips is awesome! I thought I was doing well with two Lightning grips! Can you expand a little more on the two rather (extremely) banana shaped grips on the right of your picture?

I am also mega impressed by the ‘Spadey’ brigade, sadly a huge void in my collection however, this virtual collection makes up for it, brilliant chaps!!

I almost forgot, I’ve been up in the loft and dug these out for display, from Russia with love!

Mig 25, Su 24, Mig 21, Yak 28 and L29 (this last one, top left in picture, was sold to me as a Mig 15/17 but I believe it to be from a ‘Delfin’ due to the style of the (thumb) push button).

Martyn

GYD

I do admire (envy), all those individuals who can afford time and effort to extricate the plethora of aviation archaeology that lies beneath the surface of our shores and are able to share their discoveries with others.

Owning anything from an aeroplane ‘discovered or excavated’ should or must be of great prize to the owner. Indeed, I have a pair of rocker arms from a RR Merlin Mosquito dig I was fortunate to be involved with, still crusty with earth but, none the less priceless to me!

However, the ultimate prize must be the item that connects the human with the machine, i.e. the control column. Whether dug from the ground, recovered from a prang, or liberated by an ‘Erk’ (I have been that erk!), they all have a story to tell, top marks to all for sharing your beloved items, keep ‘em coming!

That said, how about an F 86F Sabre and F86D/K column?

Martyn

GYD