Hi…the original Grasshopper is still in storage at present. It was acquired incomplete and with only one engine but is still planned for reassembly one day,when we have enough additional undercover space to put it on display. The project will however have to wait until then.
Incidentally it was pre Cierva Rotorcraft although also designed by Jacob Shapiro.Hence it’s correct title is the Servotech Grasshopper

The second Cricket is indeed kit assembled from the Reincarnation period but follows the original design ,including the Volkswagen power plant and is in very good condition .The museum doesn’t have its full history except that it was assembled in Newtownards NI circa 1999 .both therefore qualify as genuine examples in their own way The older example crashed on about its third flight and has some front end damage including no windscreen so will be kept in reserve for now as the museum doesn’t really have the space to show both.
DaveF68…..so sorry your balls didn’t come up tonight!

Yes…..the new Cricket G-BYMP should be on the Facebook and Friends website by now.It is in excellent condition. With regard to expansion the museum is currently progressing a new HLF bid and also looking at additional fund raising for a new hangar .There is already a site lined up for this and a partial concrete base so more on this perhaps in a couple of months. In the meantime the car park and frontage are being upgraded as a temporary improvement.
In terms of the Belvedere it is coming along fine…..the next big task is to restore the eight rotor blades since a number of the pockets are damaged or corroded. The museum also has to install the rear rotorhead,tail planes and engines ,which were restored last year by the Rolls- Royce Heritage Trust at Patchway( Superb job by the way). However in order to do these finishing touches and to paint the aircraft it will have to be moved from where it is ,preferably into a new hangar. Anyone got a spare £250,000?….2500….250…25 ??????? Every little bit helps!