Or if you’re really struggling you could always visit the Tribute to the V-Force event at NAM on April 24 & 25, 2010! 😀

There’re some parts starting to appear on the Aeroboot stallholder listings on the News Page of the museum website.

Plus I’m not sure of the Chipmunk parts availability from NAM – it might be worth an email request! 😉

Anon you have a PM – brilliant idea!! 😀

Sounds good to me – ask him in advance to check DGWs pictures as well for the ‘dunk tank’ photos; he’ll know who you mean! 😉

The best contact details for the Curator can be found at the bottom of this page on their website. 🙂

In 1987 with the retirement of the AEW2 approaching and VP293 still extant; moves were made to get aviation magazines to look at the concept of lobbying for airframes while they were being maintained by their service owner. Their main response was that all efforts should be directed to supporting the enthusiasts who were “restoring” a Hurricane from a carburretor found in the Romney Marshes.

The sale of the 8 Squadron AEWs in 1992 was a new approach to preseving a type. Unfortunately it took them away from the true enthusiasts and left them in the hands of owners who quickly lost interest and abandoned them. WL747 had completed a full spar replacement only 18 months before sale.

The thoughts of the crew that flew XF708 into Duxford left all their maps and Nav instruments in situ so that all could see the human connection to the beast. That thoughtful move was neutralised and the IWM now faces the tremendous restoration/presevation task after her 58 years in the open.

Other threads cover the disposition of the Nimrod airframes at the same time as their retirement, meaning that maximum preservation can be achieved. Let’s hope that this will be the future so that we can expect the task to be preservation rather than restoration or modification.

And a Happy Easter to all,

Mo

Perhaps things have changed after all!

It is my understanding that the Nimrod disposals have been handled in a ‘proactive’ manner by the powers that be from within the MoD – well done for continuing to take such an approach.