The vast majority of floatplanes or a seaplanes built were/are conversions of landlplanes. Certainly that is the case today as most modern seaplanes are Cessnas of various sorts, Beavers, Otters and other such conversions.

Before and during WW2 there were quite a few “pure” floatplanes, such as the Blohm and Voss BV139 and the Short Mercury. Nowadays, floatplanes are mainly conversions.

By pure coincidence, I have just drawn that book out of my local library.

The Trident was nobbled by being tailored far too close to BEA’s rather limited requirements and thus proving too narrowly specified to suit other customers. Indeed, by the time it entered service, it didn’t really suit BEA’s requirements either.

The same could be said for the Vickers VC-10.

Discovery Real Time used to be called Discovery Home and Leisure.

I couldn’t watch this programme last night as I was out. Will it be repeated on DRT or on one of the other Discovery channels (or maybe even on terrestrial TV)?

Spoke to the Hornby reps at Telford on the weekend. They are very optimistic about the future and have confirmed that they will be able to recover all the original Airfix moulds from France. They couldn’t give me any clues as to what might happen with the ex-Heller moulds. I think they would LIKE to acquire them but they may have to bid for them along with other contenders.

Regarding enamel paints, they are OK for the moment, especially regarding the hobbies and crafts industry but it is likely that they will be banned over the next few years. Humbrol and all the other paint manufacturers are working hard on acrylic type formulas which will be able to replace the old style enamels in time.

Although we in the UK are most concerned about the EU’s plans for banning enamels, this is, in fact, a worldwide move and it looks like the country which will introduce a ban on enamels soonest will be Australia.

The Bristol had been re-released just before the close down in September. There are still quite a few in the shops.

Look out for Hobby Boss. new kids on the block and ideal for beginners – especially children.

The photograph on e-bay shows the aircraft parked in front of the old main terminal building at Dublin Airport.

I wasn’t aware of tyhe pressurised Mossies – but did know of the pressurised Wellingtons, Waricks, Spitfires and, of course, the Viscount. Boeing had built the pressurised 307 Stratoliner before the war so were probably the company with the longest history of pressurising large fuselages by the late 1940s.

I still think that De Havilland, by their nature, were a more prone to “risk taking” with their designs than some of the other British aircraft manufacturers.