The consensus seems that it has been tarted up…I think a Mag elekton grip would be a good bet…a chap that frequents on here (not allowed to advertise him but you mentioned spade grip so he will pick this up!) has been selling reasonable ones at very good prices. They are unadulterated and pure Spit 8068’s…that is a good bet for an honest grip ….if he has one for sale that is.:)

Yes, that’s another early aerojumble memory.

Driving back up North from I think it was Yeovilton, along the M5, late evening.

Colin Waterworth driving dad’s old Sherpa van, Iain in the passenger seat and me taking a turn in the “temporary” seat in the back (I think it was a deck chair?), surrounded by two stalls worth of aeronautical treasure including CW’s Browning .5″.

I woke up from a nap, wondering why the conversation between Iain and Colin had petered out.

When I leaned forward to see what was up, I realised both of them were fast asleep and the Sherpa van was driving itself home.

I carefully woke Colin up and suggested I should take a turn at driving!

Some hours later, the Greater Manchester Police pulled us over and gave us a quizzing – 3 blokes, dodgy van, late night etc, etc.

Our explanation satisfied them and they let us carry on. If they’d have looked in the van and seen the Browning, it might have been a different story!

I had exactly the same experience with CW….we had driven (I think in his P100) over to Alan Downings (Biggles) and Max Elliotts at Rotherham and back to NLW…..we were stopped in Manchester and the policeman really quizzed us on what we had in the back….yep more 0.5s!!!

I can remember going down a steep hill on the Sussex Downs towards Chichester with 4 friends (including Dawn Patrol) and a car full of scrap in Tobin’s fiesta and we had brake failure!

I saw 2 ghosts at Andy’s penultimate AJ at Tangers…….Yeovilton (very cold tented nights) being at University and spending grant on Hurricane seat and grips…..the year the US bombed Tripoli and Y was cancelled….v p’d off!!!
Dear old Wally Wallis.

loads of memories.

Oh, I first met you and Iain at Yeovilton AJ’s in the early to mid 80s. In 1987 I came up to Woodford for a job interview at BAe and visited you and your collection……you introduced me to dodgy northern beer lol!!!

Lots more recollections!!!! The time Harvard spade grips and columns were commonplace at Y and T AJs!!! £10 each!! Prior to that, incredibly poorly restored spade grips that were 80% plastic padding….very overpriced….wont name the vendor lol!!!

Interesting discussion. I have a foot in both camps…..I have to sell some of my stuff to allow other projects to continue. Generally, I try to place stuff with collectors. However, sometimes I need to make a good return as that is what the seller wants to charge me for my trade up! A bit like the house buyer and seller in a growing market.

That said I love the hunt and chase of an aerojumble. Ebay does allow you to sell to people you could never reach/meet….I used to write my adverts thinking that it was going to a chap miles away in another country whose access to such stuff was limited.
Sometimes I have been at aerojumbles and offered derisory sums by some dealers who charge huge amounts for worse items only to sell the item later on using Ebay for twice the money….if I cannot get what I think is a fair price at an aerojumble…should I refuse twice the money on Ebay, especially given the excessive Ebay and PayPal fees I have to pay?

We are spoilt in the UK as we still have the ability/outlets to buy face to face aerobilia.

To sum up, we can have our cake and eat it. Get something cheap face to face at an aerojumble and count yourself lucky. Pay a bit more for something you really need for your project on Ebay that is rare and you will fill a gap.

The F1 Hunters were scrapped in their masses after their useful life was over 1956!!

Sad news indeed. Blue skies.

Very nice collection there Dave, especially the Battle piece

not aimed at anyone in particular old chap!
It is a stunningly beautiful aircraft….