I am in the process of doing similar research into my Grandfather and Great Grandfathers RAF and RFC history too. Is RAF Innsworth still the body to contact or have they now moved? Does any one know how long one could expect a reply? Is it weeks or months, for example?

Nice work Elliott. One step closer!

Hi Cees

I had this very dilemma when I needed to make a new control grip for the Hornet! Fortunately an original has still not turned up yet after 9 years of looking, which has included speaking to most of the surviving Hornet pilots who would be the most likely recipients of one.

Yes, original items are always nice to have, but you have done a great job on your new-build one. Just think, after many of these original magnesium castings have turned to powder in years to come, your box may be the only example left. This is one good reason for trying to replicate these things correctly.

Keep up the good work. I’m looking forward to seeing your Halifax cockpit completed one day. Are you intending it to go into a museum?

😎

East Midlands Aeropark Meteor

The pivot bracket at the bottom of the grip was unique to the meteor. The stick-grip itself was probably type specific, but I cannot be sure, as there are a couple of fighter grips from this period that look similar. Only the Dunlop AH number would confirm.

The irony is that WM224 always lacked its grip and pivot bracket. I wonder if the new owners at East Midlands Aeropark managed to find one? As this would be a good addition to the cockpit fit. Is there any one on this forum who works there??

In particular now that Doc has been put out in the cold:

http://www.b-29doc.com/

That was such a promising project, a great shame to see it fail…….:(

How come Doc wasn’t put back in the air? I appears to have had a very thorough rebuild for a static museum display aircraft.

Thanks Cestrain for sharing these photos with us. Its amazing to think that a Sea Hornet wing survived in the UK until December 1980! I can imagine though as 50% of its structure is wood, and 50% aluminium (the underside shown), that it wasn’t in particularly good shape by then.

This was a Sea Hornet PR.22 I believe. A 1970’s edition of Wrecks and Relics has the full serial I believe: VZxxx.