Dr. John SmithRed Arrow Gnat serials
As a young lad, my Dad took me to a garage in East London where XS101 was on display. Got to sit in it, more fuel to the fire of my ambition to become a pilot…must have been late 70s…anyone else remember that?
Gnat T.1 XS101 (c/no FL595) first flew 10/9/1964, and was delivered 6/10/1964. XS101 joined the CFS at Little Rissington, moving on to become one of the Red Arrows jets in February 1971. Final flight was to RAF Cranwell on 17th September 1979, at the end of its career, it became Ground instructional airframe 8638M, before being sold off: she was acquired by Arnold Glass at Cranfield and civil registered G-GNAT as 14/4/1982. After a change of ownership on 28/9/1983, it was sold off on 25/2/1997 to Australia as VH-XSO
See here: http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gnat/survivor.php?id=840 and http://www.facebook.com/pages/XJET/340306122340?v=wall for the facebook page of this aircraft’s current owners. XS101 also has its own website at https://www.xjet.com.au/about-us/aircraft/
Anyway, the point is, in reply to your post, if you sat in XS101, it was probably sometime between 17/9/1979 (date of last flight) and 14/4/1982 (date it was sold off). In other words, your memory dates from 1980-81 rather than “the late 1970s”.
The RAF Exhibition Flight, home based at RAF Abingdon, and which toured the UK with a number of aircraft in tow, putting up Recruitment Displays, definitely had a Gnat or two on their strength in the 1970s and early 1980s – perhaps XS101 was one of them?
Dr. John SmithWar hero Weston: ‘Actor Sean is living, breathing proof that just because you are famous doesn’t mean you know what you are talking about. He is a fool’
Simon Weston’s reply at http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4132896/Falklands-war-hero-slams-poison-Penn.html
from which comes this quote: “Penn is an idiot. It’s bad for people to think you’re a fool. You don’t need to open your mouth to prove it. By opening his mouth on this, Sean Penn proves he IS a fool.”
Unlike Mr. Penn, Simon Weston knows that he is talking about – seeing as he was there
Dr. John SmithT-33 gear up landing in the USA
Type: Canadair CT-133 Silver Star 3 (T-33/CL-30)
Operator: Thunder Five Inc.
Registration: N333MJ
C/n / msn: T33-456
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Minor
Location: St. George Municipal Airport – KSGU, Utah, United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport: KSGU
Narrative:
The pilot of a Canadair CT-133 Silver Star 3 (T-33/CL-30), painted as TV-2 Shooting Star Bu137955 “0” of The Blue Angels, reported one of his main landing gear had locked up and wouldn’t lower. He decided to retract the gears for safety reasons and prepared belly landing.
Emergency services were were standby at St. George Municipal Airport – KSGU, UT, and coated the runway with foam before the pilot made a belly landing resulting in relative minor damage.
Both occupants escaped unhurt.
Update -5 FEB 2012. The aircarft is on its wheels and the problem has been discovered and corrected.
Sources:
http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=142275
http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2012/02/03/st-george-municipal-airport-provides-for-emergency-belly-landing/
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=333MJ&x=0&y=0
Dr. John SmithSeen On Ebay Thread (August 2011)
Anyone fancy a Beechcraft BE76 Duchess – there’s one for sale on Evilbay here; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beechcraft-BE76-Duchess-Fuselage-Empennage-and-Wings-/280824150062?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item41626c782e
Aircraft is G-BODX, built in 1979. As the vendor admits “This aircraft was the subject of a gear-up landing here in Bournemouth a couple of years ago, which resulted in an insurance write-off. We are looking to create more space at our premises, and believe that this item would be perfect for somebody building a simulator, or as a static display to draw attention to your business. The bravest of you may even be tempted to use the Duchess as a garden shed.
Biggest attraction is the current asking price: £2.20
No, you read that correctly: two pounds, twenty pence. That’s less than the price of a pint of beer. There was a time when beer was cheap and aircraft were expensive…
True that asking price is only for the “fuselage, doors, wings and empennage“; but if they can only get £2.20 for that, you could probably buy the whole airframe for, er, ten quid?
I’m tempted to put in a bid, but it is a bit too large for my window box (I don’t have a garden)
Dr. John SmithSeen On Ebay Thread (August 2011)
Something of a mystery item here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skylark-Helicopter-/120856590643?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item1c239d3933#ht_558wt_1110
It is described as a “Skylark Helicopter” and carries the US Civil Registration N34239.
According to the FAA Website (at http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=34239&x=13&y=12) it was registered on Jan 29 1991 as an “Allentown Angel” – with the c/no 001, I suspect that it is very much a “one off” prototype/homebuild(?) ‘copter. How or why it has turned up in the Leicester area is a part of the mystery!
Still, with an asking price starting at £600, and new rotor blades (said to be worth £2,000) thrown in, it may find a buyer…
Dr. John SmithBiggin Hills ex Gate Guardian Spitfire Replica is up for
History: 1 offer
Price: £20,394.00
True – but the one-and-only offer (so far) for this Airfix kit was declined. From which we can infer that it was nowhere near the £20k being asked.
As others have posted, the “true” value of this Spitfire-shaped piece of GRP is £10,000 tops…
BTW does the asking price include delivery?
(Reason for asking – the Wessex also mentioned in this thread was offered to the Newark Aircraft Museum for £15,000. Quite rightly, they turned down the offer. That same Wessex is now on Evilbay for £11,940 – a price drop of £3,060. From which, I surmise that Air & Ground at Hixon wanted £3,000 for delivery, for a 70 mile trip from Hixon, Staffs to Newark, Notts. If that was what they wanted for delivery of a gutted Wessex, how much would they want for delivering a plastic Spitfire?)
Dr. John SmithMinworth Aircraft Yard Photos – does anyone have any? Reply to Thread
Tim,
You mentioned Prentice G-APIF. That would indicate the Minworth metals yard was still operating in late 1962. Breif history of this aircraft
Percival P.40 Prentice T.1 VS652 (c/no PAC-306), TOC by RAF 30/11/1949, SOC 17/07/1957. Civil Registered 24/10/1957 as G-APIF to Vendair Ltd., Croydon. Registration address changed to Biggin Hill – presumably on or soon after 30/09/1959 when Croydon closed. Registration cancelled 23/11/1962 as “PWFU” (“Permanently Withdrawn From Use”).
Sources: http://www.ukserials.com/prodlists.php?type=868 and http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=108552
and http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-APIF.pdf
Hmm…has anyone got a copy of the first edition of Wrecks & Relics? If I recall correctly, that was published in 1963, so should have a near-contemporary listing of what was at Minworth Metals at that time (1962-63)
Dr. John SmithHelp needed with Wessex identity
To my eye it appears to be the remains of a Wessex HAS 3 and was coded xx0,
One Wessex HAS.3 that could fit the bill is
15/11/1971 XP116 PO-520 Wessex HAS3 737 NAS – Ditched into the English Channel off Portland, Dorset. To Lee-on-Solent AES as A2618.
We are looking for an aircraft that ditched into the sea and was recovered. The code applied to XP116 fits the “0” visible – although what use half a Wessex would be as an instructional airframe beats me!
More plausible is this one
06/01/1972 XP104 BL-410 Wessex HAS3 820 NAS – Suffered an engine fire while en route to HMS Blake. and ditched into Valetta Harbour, Malta. It remained afloat but, while under tow, it turned over and sank off Delimara Point
That is, if the code visible was “10” and not just “0”.
Dr. John SmithRoadrunner
I’ve since been advised that the figure quoted in post #10 included delivery! 😉
According to my satnav, the distance between Air & Ground’s premises in Hixon, Staffs, and the Newark Air Museum’s site is approx 69 to 70 miles, depending on the route. (Shortest route – along the A50 via Uttoxeter, Kegworth and Bingham)
Surely, a little over £3,000 for 70-mile road delivery is somewhat steep? For three grand, I’d expect XV720 to be FLOWN in!
If you’re still interested, you could perhaps put in a bid of say, £10,000 INCLUDING delivery, and see if Air & Ground “bite”
Airframe seems to be in good condition, and there is some talk on the EvilBay ad about A&G being able to supply the parts for restoration for XV720 to fly once again (an engine would be a good start – the EvilBay ad clearly shows a large hole where the engine should be)
Dr. John Smith7 plane crashes in south Lincolnshire 1941 – 1945
Before becoming the Delaine bus garage, weren’t those premises Raymond Mays’ ERA and BRM works?
Partly correct – but do be aware that B.R.M (British Racing Motors) did not get going until the summer of 1945 some weeks are VE-day! (And the first B.R.M. racing car was not completed until June 1949…)
This from Wikipedia about B.R.M.: “A factory was set up in Spalding Road, Bourne, Lincolnshire, behind Eastgate House, Mays’s family home, in a building called The Maltings. (At this stage it was in the former ERA works, vacated in 1939 and used in 1944 as a billet for the Parachute Regiment as it regrouped before going to Arnhem.) Several people involved with ERA returned to the firm to work for BRM, including Harry Mundy and Eric Richter. The team also had access to a test facility at Folkingham aerodrome.”
That would appear to rule out your suggested location (presuming that Wikipedia is correct…)
Dr. John SmithWestland Wessex HC.2 XV720, which was discussed on THIS thread http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?p=1854199&posted=1#post1854199 when it was seen “road running” recently, turned up at Hixon in Staffordshire, in the “care” of Air & Ground Ltd about two weeks ago.
They are now offering it for sale at £11,940.00. See link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westland-Wessex-HC2-XV720-Royal-Air-Force-Helicopter-/180813291595?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item2a194fe04b#ht_500wt_1109
Word is that the Newark Air Museum were offered this Wessex, about a week ago, with an asking price of £15,000 (less engine). Newark apparently passed on this helicopter, so it is now your chance to acquire it, should you happend to have a spare eleven-and-a-half-grand in used fivers under the mattress. Contact
Samantha Dodds
Unit JL1 17a
Hixon Airfield Industrial Estate
Hixon
Staffordshire
ST18 0PF
United Kingdom
Phone: 01889|270075
Fax: 01889 270082
Email: [email]paypal@vwinme.com[/email]
Dr. John SmithRoadrunner
Wessex XV720 is now up for sale at Air and Ground.
Well, well, well…XV720 has now turned up being advertised for sale on EvilBay. Check the link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westland-Wessex-HC2-XV720-Royal-Air-Force-Helicopter-/180813291595?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item2a194fe04b#ht_500wt_1109
Asking price is £11,940.00 – which (I expect) is not what Air & Ground at Hixon paid for it!
Contact details (if you have a spare eleven-and-a-half-grand burning a hole in your pocket) are
Samantha Dodds
Unit JL1 17a
Hixon Airfield Industrial Estate
Hixon
Staffordshire
ST18 0PF
United Kingdom
Phone: 01889|270075
Fax: 01889 270082
Email: [email]paypal@vwinme.com[/email]
Dr. John SmithSeen On Ebay Thread (August 2011)
I purchased the Slingsby T.31 from the last page to go with ‘556 as a nice vintage pair. It’s been identified as WT874. If anyone comes across any pics they would be grately appreciated.
Slightly off topic (?) but as I don’t wish to start a new thread, I have turned up some info on WT874: c/no 684, delivered 17/9/1951. Served with 87 GS at Halesland (certainly by/in September 1959). Later served with 621 VGS at Weston-super-Mare in the early 1960s
Severely damaged in a crash 12 January 1964, possibly SOC by RAF at this time. Rebuilt by Slingsby’s in 1964-65. Also registered as BGA.1255, reportedly damaged beyond repair when crashed at Bardney, Lincs., on 30 May 1971
source: http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/t31.htm and http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/284073-air-cadet-gliding-pix-80s-pre-glass.html is also worth a look – especially post #462 way down on page 24:
“I flew with 621 G/S from Jan. 59 to Sept. 61. “Robbie” Robinson was the C.O., “Hobbie” Hobkirk was Adjutant; Bill Moody, John Stride, S/L Bridges, Roger Dudley, Roger Elseworthy, Mark Rudd, Peter Clay, Dave Bense, Manx Kelly … some other names – I went to Hawkinge in July 61 for the cat C course and flew with F/Lts Ladley, King, and Vourden. Other Air Force officers who came to Weston were Fl/Lts. Ladely and Don Ross.
As to the aircraft at Weston I have recorded Mark 3s. WT874, XA310, WT875, XA308; T21s WB991, WB929, XN151 (usually based up at Halesland), Prefect WE980 in which I gained my “C” on the 26th June, ’60 with a climb to 3,000ft. (must have been a rare easterly wind) and Prefect WE990 also usually based at Halesland.
87 GS (with which WT874 served in 1959) later became 621 VGS: history of this unit is at http://www.621vgs.co.uk/history.php. It is worth noting that the picture commissioned to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of 621 VGS includes WT875 in it. The inference is that WT874 when “in service” was in the standard RAF Training Command colours at the time – sliver/grey with yellow T-bands, and AIR CADETS lettering along the fuselage.
Dr. John SmithF-84 cockpit for sale
My French is rusty but there appears to be a complete Fouga magister with a guide of 60-80,000 euro’s whats that about £48-£60k ???
Mike E
You can download the entire catalogue for free at http://www.artcurial.com/pdf/2012/2114.pdf
Mike, yes – lot 186 appears to be a complete (but probably not airworthy) Fouga Magister. Date of construction given as May 1966 – does that help to nail down its identity?
According to my contacts in FOREX (Foreign Currency Exchange) the €Euro has sunk a lot recently against the £Pound. So, at the current rate of exchange €60,000EUR = £49,574.55, and €80,000EUR = £66,099.40
The impression I get from the catalogue is that most of what are on sale are “objects d’art” that just happen to made from old aircraft parts. If you’re looking for “missing bits” to complete your restoration project, look elsewhere – this is seriously “upmarket”, and on a par with what you’d find at Christie’s or Sotheby’s.
For example: €1,000EUR for a seat out of a Lockheed C-141 (Lot 170), and €6,000EUR for Lot 249 – the fin of a Mirage III.
Dr. John SmithF-84 cockpit for sale
My French is rusty but there appears to be a complete Fouga magister with a guide of 60-80,000 euro’s whats that about £48-£60k ???
Mike E
You can download the entire catalogue for free at http://www.artcurial.com/pdf/2012/2114.pdf
Mike, yes – lot 186 appears to be a complete (but probably not airworthy) Fouga Magister. Date of construction given as May 1966 – does that help to nail down its identity?
According to my contacts in FOREX (Foreign Currency Exchange) the €Euro has sunk a lot recently against the £Pound. So, at the current rate of exchange €60,000EUR = £49,574.55, and €80,000EUR = £66,099.40
The impression I get from the catalogue is that most of what are on sale are “objects d’art” that just happen to made from old aircraft parts. If you’re looking for “missing bits” to complete your restoration project, look elsewhere – this is seriously “upmarket”, and on a par with what you’d find at Christie’s or Sotheby’s.
For example: €1,000EUR for a seat out of a Lockheed C-141 (Lot 170), and €6,000EUR for Lot 249 – the fin of a Mirage III.
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