While researching the Haynes Tiger Moth Manual (out next month, please buy, money needed to fix old aeroplanes!), I came across these two pictures in the deHMC archive of the painting operation at Cowley in 1940.

Two very nice photos – but they were taken after May 1942 as that style of roundel and fin-flash was not introduced until then.

Twin row radial with a three blade VP prop……. could be almost anything german, or american….. With the externals of the engine rotted away, hinting at extensive use of magnesium, I’d say some kind of german unit – BMW / FW190? (just a guess)

The remains of wooden blades would suggest its not American. Three blade, wood, probably early Spitfire or Hurricane unless anything else was using wooden blades?

Anybody know if or when we last had a American engined Fury/Sea fury display in the UK?.

Last weekend was the first time.

This one, the other was P&W powered

I thought the other one had the Wright R3350.

My mistake then , just to me that reads like a majority of the airframe will be newly built.

The majority of the airframe will indeed be newly manufactured – but the airframe is only part of the overall aircraft, yes a big part but IMHO there is a significant enough amount of metal hardware in the Mosquito to allow restoration of those parts or use of original parts from another aircraft to still be able to say its a restored aircraft rather than simply a ‘new build’. The difference is subtle but important. Take a look at the Avspecs website progress photos and you will get an idea of the volume of metal and other non-wood parts.

I wonder whether the Historic aircraft flyers should play them at their own game and call their aircraft ‘Home Builds’ because if its that stringent how on
earth do the home build aircraft get into the air?

Graham

There is a weight limitation associated with this classification which is lower than just about every aircraft we term ‘warbird’.

What is the situation with the ex-TFC P-40 at North Weald?

Flying as normal.

It will be interesting to see how the combination of live aircraft and CGI in Red Tails turns out – probably not being released until early 2010 though.