RitchandMaxThanks John
You just restored my faith in humanity!
Keeping these aircraft in running order is hard work.
We have some youngsters working with us (my own son is only 16) and they are the future of Aircraft preservation in the UK. If they read postings such as Bruggen 130’s little effort, they might just retire to there bedrooms, turn up the music and give up, remember they are probably more likely to read something on a pc than the rest of us old *******s.
Bruggen 130, should you ever bother to show your face at Bruntingthorpe (though I doubt you would be interested in our rubbish efforts) come over and say hello, I will introduce you to the yongsters, they will happily show you around, and maybe even educate you about what it is to be a REAL aviation enthusiast, one of the guy’s (and gal’s) without who, you wouldn’t have anything to see or pass jugement on in the first place.
You know, this thread has realy got to me!
Thanks again John and anyone else who supports our work (you are the Real enthusiasts), and if you are ever around on a Saturday, or at a show, say hello, our names are on our overalls, and we will be very happy to show you around.
RitchandMaxI am offended!
Bruggen 130
I am sorry, but as one of those guys who spend just about every Saturday, all year round, come rain, shine or snow, keeping the other aircraft serviceable to do the odd 20 second run down the runway, I find your remarks more than just a little offensive.
First, we all put a massive amount of time and effort into what we do, it is our hobby, and quite often we make sacrifices else ware in our lives to make it happen.
Second, you may well have dug deep into your own pocket to help 558, good on you, so have most of us in one way or another, but our sad little 20 second runs at open days, have helped to keep a focus on Bruntingthorpe, have brought in a wider public, who have then been made more aware of the Vulcan, simply by being at the airfield for a show.
Third, I am sure that seeing the awesome sight of such as the Lightning’s and Victor, has well and truly wet many peoples appetite to see the Vulcan under steam as well. Would you take the same view of the Vulcan crew at Wellsbourn as you do of us?
and lastly, what I and my mates spend OUR own money on is up to us! we get no outside funding of any sort to help us, we graft hard on open days (whole weekends to all of us, with all the preparations) to put on a show, and try and make enough in the way of funds to carry us through to the next show. To be honest, if it wasn’t for the extreme generosity of the Walton family who own Bruntingthorpe, non of us could do what we do.
If it hadn’t been for those same guys who now maintain the Victor, Comet etc, 558 would not have been fit to face the restoration that she is now coming to the end of, they are my hero’s.
One last thought, as we approach Autumn, what point is there now in setting the clock ticking on the lifed items, spending a fortune in fuel and insurance, to get the crew up to speed, just so that 558 can be mothballed for the winter, and the crews to loose currency on type again for the winter.
Would it not now make sense, to scale down the operation for the winter and save valuable funds, then hit the ground running in March, get her ready to fly, get the crew current and be straining at the leash ready for a full and active season in 2008?
The whole project is a fantastic achievement, and I am sure that another 6 or 7 months wait won’t hurt.
Almost makes me wonder why I waste my life working for those 20 seconds of glory 3 times a year!!!!
PS Thanks Doughnut for remembering the rest of us! and ours is a JP!!
RitchandMaxRe Pup parts
Hi
Yes it’s a srs 100, with the continental engine. Also, I have just been reminded that the small extension plate on the lower stbd side of the engine cowling air inlet is missing from my sons engine cowles.
RitchandMaxBeagle Pup parts needed
Hi
Thanks, but I already have it in my watched items box!
Best wishes.
RitchandMaxBeagle Pup parts needed
Hi Blue Max
The parts are for my 16 year old son, Max, for his cockpit section.
He still needs the following.
2 x sticks.
1 x stick top.
DV window, hinges and latch.
Stbd door window.
Any engine instruments except RPM.
Seat harnesses.
Engine start fuel panel OR lights, switch’s etc to fit this panel.
70 inch or similar metal prop.
Cessna 150 type spinner.
Continental 0-200 engine!
Otherwise, she is complete.
Thanks.
RitchandMaxBruntingthorpe open days 2007
Hi all
I was told at Bruntingthorpe today that the September 30th open day has indeed been canceled due to a conflicting booking, at the moment it is still posible that we may still hold another open day, possibly in October, but certainly nothing is firm as yet.
The airfield owners have to put there best interests first, and if they have a good booking for the airfield, they have to take it. After Fuel, Insurance etc etc I doubt there is a great profit to be made from any of the open days, not to mention the masive disruption to the day to day business of the airfield.
I will post further information if and when it becomes available.
RitchandMaxBruntingthorpe Iskra.
The Iskra at Bruntingthorpe, is owned by David Walton and is part of the Cold War Jet Collection. It is kept in “fast taxiable” condition by the volunteers at the collection, and takes part in the “big thunder” open days.
There is also, as already stated, a second aircraft at the MAM, Coventry, presently dismantled.
If you have a specific interest in this aircraft, I may be able to put you in touch with the people you want to talk to!
Best wishes.
RitchandMaxBeagle Terrier II?
The righr hand photo is, I belive a Beagle Terrier II, look at the shape of the instrument panel framework.
RitchandMaxVulcan rumours
Hi Guys
The word at Bruntingthorpe at the weekend was that there had been a contractor carrying out runway repairs, specificaly to the expansion joins, on Thursday, and that she was due out of the hangar on Friday, but there was a slight acident with the “Red Square” balast weights in the nose, which caused damage to at least one member of staff and the radome.
I was also told she might be out for engine runs today (Monday).
These are only rumours that were doing the rounds amongst the museum volunteers on Saturday, so take it all with a pinch of salt.
RitchandMaxJohn
Is that you? If so Malc talks (long!) and often about you and your aircraft at Tollerton.
If it is you, I hope you are doing ok, it has indeed been a long time, so long in fact that they seem like the good old days!, yet most of us couldnt get away fast enough!! I got out and found a new life, it wasn’t easy, but now I get home at nights and can plan my weekends, and I probably earn more than most LAE’s do, in the UK at any rate.
I am still in the Aerospace industry, but at the blunt end, working for a major Airbus part’s supplier.
As you probably know, I work on aircraft for the fun of it now, I still get the thrills, but without all of the crapp that just got worse as time went on, and you know, I loved the Viscount’s Argosy’s etc, but I was at Dan-Air when they got the first Bae-146’s, I hated those aircraft, so went back to Viscount’s and Herald’s at BAF, good old days, but a sign of thing tp come.
When I became a dad, I decided to make a brake and be there for my family, and I have never regreted it for a moment, my son is the best thing that ever happened to me, and now we work on old aircraft together.
Take care John, and dont let the aircraft engineering game eat you alive, I’ve seen it happen to some great guys.
Best wishes,
Ritch Blood.
RitchandMaxAuster J1 Legs
Hi all
Thanks for the very helpfull replies, I will be doing some chasing up.
GALDRI & 1946 I have sent pm’s.
Thanks again.
RitchandMaxThank again
Hi David
Thanks for that, we have two short for and aft short “dumbell” type tubes, so, thats 100% J1.
Thanks again for the help.
Best wishes.
RitchandMaxTexan flyby.
One last thing, who’s was the Texan that did the flyby at Bruntingthorpe on Saturday, it sounded fantastic, can’t wait for some engine runs from you guy’s.
RitchandMaxLanding gear mounts
Hi David
Just out of interest, what is the diference between the two types of landing gear mounts?
Best wishes,
RitchandMaxThank again
Hi Ben
So that’s what woody is up to! hope he flies it better than a J.P. (ask Malc, he still has nightmares!), but I wont comment on his ability in a “big orange jet” in case he reads this and comes looking for me! B*****s, I just remembered, he knows were I live!!!!
Re the Auster frame, we now understand why the two you had looked a bit different from each other, so are satisfied she is a J1 now, and that is all Max needs to know.
We will try and catch up with you guys again soon, as you have probably guessed, Max is now looking for parts and any information on how to rebuild her, you don’t have a parts book we could look at do you?
And re the kind words, to be honest, we hadn’t really seen much of your work until a few weeks ago when we wondered over, but I was taken aback by what I saw. Every now and then a bit of work leaps out at me, and the Texan airframes certainly did, the last time I was that taken was with Malcolm Lambert’s Canberra at Coventry (if you haven’t seen it, you should).
In a previous life, I was a Master Airframe fitter, specialising in structural repairs, so I know bad work when I fall over it, good work when I see it and excellent work when it jumps out at me. Heaven knows what you will achieve now you have a proper home to work in.
One last thing, don’t tell Adrian I have heaped praise on him, we will never here the last of it, and you might have to make the crew door wider at the top (if you see what I mean!).
Best wishes.
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