Body filler on aeroplanes

I understand that when the AEW Shackleton fleet were operational the radomes were regularly filled with car body filler after bird strikes and weather damage with no real detriment to the radar, Also there are a number of exhibits at the Royal Air Force museum with plenty of the stuff in them, The Pembroke nose and the Gentian Violet missile spring readily to mind and i think the comet had a fair amount of the stuff when its nose was damaged so yeh i would say its fairly commom place.

Bomber Command

Oh thats fabulous! i wasnt aware of that, nice touch!

Firecracker

My memory isnt what it was, but im sure i photographed a Firecracker at Coventry some years back in a sort of semi-stored state, any thoughts?

Airbase move

Im almost frightened to post anything on here now, as almost everything i say is shot down, but i guess thats why we live in a democracy? We are talking visitor numbers here arent we? Thats what were trying to find visitors? well i put this to the panel. Would Hendon or Duxford or Cosford or even Newark get as many visitors if they were in say Southend or Kinloss? I would say NO! . So what makes CAT or Airbase or whatever name they like to be called nowadays think moving to a south cost holiday resort is going to produce any more income/visitors/interest than where they are now in the slap bang centre of the Uk map served by a host of motorways within spitting distance of the industrial black country, the leicester space centre,the NEC/NIA more cathedrals than you can shake a stick at. You see where im coming from? To me it seems ludicrous to spend the sort of money theyre going to have to spend to risk moving large airframes (most by road) equipment, tools expertise and of most importance the willing volunteer force they have accrued and possibly lose by moving south. The only suspicion i have is that they know more than they let on, is there a cloud hanging over the future of the Airport at coventry that we dont know about? If that is the case then a move to Bristol as mentioned earlier would seem a good plan.But Cornwall just seems an odd choice.Im sure others will enlighten me?

airbase move

ok, im sorry if i have disgruntled you, and perhaps were missing the point, why move them at all? leave them at coventry,work on them, keep them dry, safe and potentially airworthy,they are potential flyers and with the correct management and vision big crowd pullers! create a viewing are to see them being worked on, engine runs ,system checks etc.th touble with the current national museums is that they show a polished environment on their twice yearly open days.be open and show the paying public the whole show, not just the highlights

Airbase move

Nice one Skymonster! I used to volunteer at Cosford and well remember when there was no money in the pot and id drive down to Halfords for some filler a couple of cans of primer and foot the bill myself! then the big boys moved in, and it all changed.

AIRBASE MOVE

This sounds just like pretty much everything that goes on over at coventry, and in my opinion seems poorly planned, poorly dealt with and even more poorly timed! Forgetting the logistics of moving an airframe such as the Nimrod for a moment, oh and forget flying it cos that aint happening either! We are talking thirty airframes here and without breaking a sweat i can think of ten of those airframes which arent going to fly anywhere in a hurry! So what will happen, well the non flyers will be offerd for sale, No takers there then? bearing in mind Mr C put the whole collection on the market some five or six years ago and no takers, so itll be the scrap yard for them then? And its ok taking the collection to the south to attract holiday makers but thats just four months of the year so is Bert Smith and his family from Burnley going to trek down to Cornwall to see a load of aircraft in partially re-assembled state with the usual p–s poor panel fit and a heap of mis-placed parts stacked up by the fence which no one could remember where they came from? ( see the 748 at Speke or the shacks at Charlwood and youll see what i mean).

Airbase move

You know, whilst trying to be none too ‘greeneyed’ on all this, i really think the bigger picture should be seen here. Coventry really couldnt be more centrally located if it tried.And i can see all the whys and wherefors of moving to a base near the tourist metropolis of Cornwall. but how many enthusiasts would make the trek from more northern climes? add to this the distance for the current volunteers and staff who must see this move as a real slap across the face with a marigold! And ive not even mentioned the effects on these airframes of residing in the salt laden air of the coastland location. Airbases main decline in Coventry can only be placed on lack of advertising and awareness. I live and work twenty minutes away and the local aviation types who have absolutely no idea of Airbase, its operations and certainly of its fleet astounds me, i really should be on a commission basis for the amount of folk ive sent to savour the Dc-6 diner and its menu is astounding. Have a re-think chaps, save yourself a fortune and dont cut the wings off aeroplanes so you can put them on a lowloader and roughly re-construct them in the future!. Theyre fine where they are. Just increase your advertising budget and plan a few open cockpit days!