Good point, from an armoured vehicle… never thought of that!
Yes i agree Warren, its a heck of a slab of glass :D. I just couldn’t place an aircraft type that might of used such a square shaped piece of glazing.
Ok thanks Jim. Anyone else?
Another view of the yard in 1963 here but not much aeroscrap in this one:
Interesting. The wheel / tyre leaning against the side of the Trolleybus looks very similar in design and size to a Sturgeon mainwheel.!
Ahhhh that would explain it :). Thanks
Interesting to see NW based Vampire WZ507 resident there. Is Coventry her winter home?
The best I could do with the newspaper clip
Thanks for trying LightningMk6.
Thanks airart. Info i have was that Short Sturgeons previously based at Hal Far were sold to a Mosta scrapyard after disposal, and were seen there circa 1960.!
Anyone know anything of a Kalafrana or Mosta scrapyard in Malta handling aircraft remains in the 1960’s?.. or even better have some piccies?
Thats an interesting pic i’ve not seen before, taken at an angle presumably looking towards the crowd. The only other well known shot is from the crowd line looking away (eastwards).
Sadly not Jim. All i have is “Air Pictorial 1956-12 / C.Cain – Farnborough Graveyard”.!
Tangmere1940 is better placed to answer questions on this one than me Mike, but it was a Python powered S.4 VZ795.
I’m just jealous that you had access to and managed to climb all over one ;).
The glass panel i have came from an early S.4, but was sadly sledge hammered into two parts.
Daveg4otu, Mark12,
I am not sure of any Wyvern burial site at the fomer Gosport airfield, (if any), but I agree there was a fenced off aircraft dump area on the western side of the airfield. As kids from nearby Bridgemary, 4 of us managed to squeeze under the double gates to this compound and explore the 5 or 6 aircraft wrecks within. Interestingly, 1 or 2 had neat holes in their front cockpit windscreen panels, about one half inch (12mm) in diameter, these holes revealed the thickness of the glass, at least the same measurement, we unanimously agreed they were bullet holes!!?.:DOne of the aircraft types was so far off the ground that we could not climb up to inspect the cockpit, I am thinking now if this was the Wyvern and could its remains? still be there?, the other types, we managed to reach the cockpits via the lower height of the wing trailing edge.All of us were expecting at anytime an MOD Policeman to chase us away, but none appeared, I can only assume it was the year after HMS Siskin had closed. Naval houses were later built in this area, the compound was very near Rowner Church (still extant) which was situated through the boundary hedge and across the old Rowner lane, not far from where we once excitedly explored.
Thanks to Mark and Ollie for bringing this interesting development to our attention.:)
Gerry R
Wyvern S.4 front windscreen armoured panel thickness was 22mm. 🙂
Alan House is still around and still playing with Provost’s.
Thats the fella… cheers Dave.