Just a thought but has anyone stopped to consider the possibility that the Shack’s ‘lauch’ and the launch by Classic Flight of the Classic Flight Club is more than just coincidence? The 2 do share some remarkably similar goals the preservation of little favoured aircraft and the training of key personnel with in the industry. From what I understand the prospect of an airworthy Shack in British skies is not an unachievable feat, A.S.C.E.T. undoubtably bought the spares package for Classic’s 2 Shacks and the R.A.F. or BAe possibly still have new spars around or atleast the facility to make new ones, those are 2 organisations that don’t dispose of anything unless it’s absolutely necessary. Of course it would be costly, but what isn’t these days? It is after all the remit of this new Classic Flight Club to help these types of projects from what I can understand.

Re; Heron ‘ORG i have been told two different stories to explain the long-time on overhaul.
First was that DFS have been unable to process the engines as quickly as expected – but it wasn’t explained whether they have found problems or that their work load is high at the moment.
Secondly there has been corrosion found around the windows.

Roger Smith.

From previous chats with afew of the guys there I’d say the latter is most true. She was apparently in terrible shape in terms of corrosion, most of which by all accounts had been getting that way for a while….she cann’t have been very well looked after in the past given the few glimpses I have had inside her. To explain the long overhaul I believe her owner’s ran out of money as it was initially apparently only supposed to take afew months but rapidly overran when the corrosion problems arose.

There was an article in the local rag about mid april about this move. It’s definitly going ahead as Mike Collet is very keen on a living museum, last that was heard is that the hunt is still on for a suitable location but if the shack is being moved to St Mawgan I’d say the hunt has found what it was looking for! The article went on to say that the Classic flight engineering base would remain at Coventry for the ‘Forseable future’

I think the swiss were the last to phase out hunters in the 80’s weren’t they guy’s? not bad going for a design 30-40 years old

Hi,
Calling all Auster experts! Can anyone supply any information or pictures of Auster J1, S/No 2248. I belive she was opperated bvy the South African Airforce as SAAF 554. Was she built as a J1, or modified? does anyone have any information about her fate? Do any photo’s exist of her at any point in her life?
Thanks in advance.

I think she is at coventry either operated by Classic flight or owned by one of their directors, I will check on Tuesday if they have the doors open and have a peek

just afew more piccies from today of G-AORG, she now has flaps, ailerons and a very very nice shiny new u/c and u/cbays. looks like only 2 guys working on her…with lots of new expletives I’ve never heard before:o mainly questioning the plane and designers parentage:D

I do remember hearing rumours in the community of a Mossie lurking in the brambles off the threshold of Hurn Airfield, complete with merlins. Anyone substantiate that rumour?:confused: