No point feeling suspense on the matter, still reams of paperwork to wade through before 558 gets anywhere near the end of a runway for a test flight.

Last weeks little problem with hydraulics left them with a engine drop, a critical system repair and after all ahs been wiped down and closed up a repeat of the process to get #3 back up too speed with the other three engines, oh and there is the continuing hunt for snags….even more paperwork, all under the ever watchful eye of the CAA.

However once the paperworks in order, last count around 600 job cards too check off, they can begin the serious work of getting her ready for first flight.

Don’t wish to sound in anyway negative as really I am not, the project is sound but it will be a while yet before she flies and it’s doubtful she will see a show in earnest this season.

Had the good fortune to meet Dick Stratton a number of times over the years and always found him to be a font of information and always willing too share this and his experience for all to benefit.

His insights into engineering problems helped me solve one that had been troubling me for months and his support at that time was greatly appreciated, He will be sadly missed by the community.

Just called a friend who was did LCPH two weeks ago, he says they are still there though the condition of them he does not really know.

Only across the airfield to avoid building work, otherwise there still there, still in one piece and still grounded….:mad:

Sorry to correct you, but the glider used in the Thomas Crown Affair remake was a Shempp-Hirth Duo Discus and was flown by Tom Knauff, the shots were filmed at Ridge Soaring Glider port and Eagle field and were not actually flown by Brosnan at all who in cockpt shots were filmed in the studio with the rear cockpit instrument panel removed and the aft cockpit CGI’d away so that Brosnan could give his girl a good ole cuddle while soaring, somthing that is totally impossible in the Discus, magic anit it. The original film I believe used a Schweizr 2 single seat competition glider and this was flown by the lead actor McQueen himself who was a qualified glider pilot.

Clips here.

(Original) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON53xkNYFj8

(Remake) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA9snduBncI&mode=related&search=

The Glider you appear to be describing though sound very much like an early L13 Blanik, a two seat Czech trainer sold world wide and a very good soaring/training machine and still in regular service with many clubs and owners today, later versions had a two piece canopy unit that fitted flush with the centre wing fillet and flowed into the forward screen, early version had a multi piece canopy looking a lot like leaded glass windows but most were quickly converted too the two piece unit which gave far better visibility.

Having lived directly under Scamptons flight path for many years we saw them daily going about the serious side of there training, even when the gas axes started to carve up the luckless along the perimeter tracks hard standings close enough for us to stand and watch, it never occurred to us then that one day the Vulcans would be no more and the skies over this famous airfield would fall silent in comparison to former years.
XH558’s seasons of air shows gave only the smallest glimpse of the normal day to day life of an active Vulcan squadron which happily within the next couple of weeks we will all have the chance to see once again.

My read would be that if you bought one with a view to flight restoration the cost of transportation would be small change in the final accounting.

I recall reading an article regarding the Buccs and Blackburns plans to undertake a considerable upgrade to the airframe before the usual Whitehall meanies got involved and canned the idea soundly so it,s not suprising the airframe looks modern in stature, looking also at the undercarriage indicated it had serious grunt in it,s construction.

Would be great too see this one restored to ground running at least or is it at this point staged for a move onwards to a country more favourable too flight for these beasts.