I don’t know whatever became of the model but I assume it was finished to the same high standard as the airliner models that he and his colleagues produce. I can only admire such skills. I’ve certainly never described myself as a modeller – I’m an assembler of kits!

Blimey, I’ve never seen the softback edition before. It’s a shame they didn’t release it on DVD although I guess that by modern standards it would be a bit naff production-wise, but still very nostalgic. I must get my VHS tapes put onto disk!

Remember the Test Pilot series too? It was very similar in terms of production and the featured aircraft were even more delightful… ahh that magnificent Lightning…

I could nearly hear it when reading the book.

I was just a tad confused by the mention of a paperback as I thought the BBC book was only published in hardback. Another book called “RAF Fighter Pilot” was published in both hard and soft back editions (which I wrote) and heaven-knows how many people thought it was a spin-off from the series. It wasn’t, it was just a poor choice of similar title!

Strange how that book has disappeared. As I mentioned in my own book, Phoenix or Folly‘s text has mistakes but it was easily the best book on the subject. But it’s extremely rare to see a copy anywhere these days.

none of the satisfaction at all in building your own

That’s not the reason why I prefer plastic kits though. For me it’s simply a question of accuracy and detail. I’ve always said that I derive no particular pleasure from building models, it is merely a means to an end. If I could buy the models finished to the standard that I want, then I would!

the quality of the Sea Vixen mouldings is easily on a par with the Lightnings

Must have improved significantly then. I’ll reserve judgement until I see a boxed production kit!:p

anyone know if Corgi are going to produce a die cast model of one?

Not heard of any plans. I would think it unlikely, given that even the Buccaneer seems to have been a struggle to get into production, and I can’t imagine a Sea Vixen would be as popular. Would be nice though I agree. Personally, I’m waiting to see what Dragon’s plastic 72nd scale Sea Vixen will be like. If it’s as good as their Meteor I’ll definitely be impressed!

I’m sorry but even I’m almost lost for words with that turn around!

Not quite sure what you’re getting-at. I’m not criticising the museum, I’m questioning the sanity of the MoD for sanctioning the museum’s presence in the first place, if they are then going to treat it almost as an inconvenience a few years later. If it was a good idea when it was created, then presumably it still is, therefore the only issue is money. If that is the case, then surely someone with a bit of clout should be able to illustrate that the MoD is simply being entirely unreasonable?

since when does the MoD consult the public on what they do with policy, aircraft, and land

Er… well yes, exactly!

Regardless of who “owns” the aircraft now, they were (or still are) the property of Her Maj’s Government, on Her Maj’s property. With typical British resignation, this saga is presented as a sad inevitability. If, dare I say, this was happening in the US, then voices would be saying “hang on, these are (or were) our aircraft on Government (ie “our”) land, therefore we ought to have a right to say that we’d like to keep them there as part of our country’s heritage, given that there’s no logical reason why they can’t be there. It might be easy to wrap everything in red tape or issues of defence and security but we all know that we’re actually talking about an abandoned HAS on an area of redundant land, which wouldn’t be making so much as a penny for the taxpayer if it was vacated.

In a sane society, someone could step-in and instruct the MoD to stop being so petty and ridiculous, and leave the museum alone, or perhaps encourage it to expand. But nobody is going to do that unless there’s pressure to do it. We’re powerless to provide that pressure but surely the media isn’t, particularly when respected preservation bodies and magazines such as Flypast could make quite a fuss. But I guess nobody will. Maybe the aircraft will survive and move elsewhere. Maybe they will not. Maybe somebody will point-out just how pointless (or counter-productive) the MoD’s actions have been? I doubt it though!