Skyfall helicopters

Wandering the topic slightly….:o

…but do I recall a then Strubby based Bond helicopter…I mean the Bond helicopter company;).. A MBB 105 being used in an espionage style tv series.??

Would it have been the one that used an ex Coningsby? Pembroke down at Roger Windleys perhaps.???

Thank you,
Clive.

Dunno about the MBB Bo105 (will need further research) but I do recall the Pembroke. The TV Series was called “The XYY Man” and was a Granada TV production for ITV. 13 episiodes were made and broadcast in 1976-77.

The Pembroke had fake markings as “G-IIIM” and was featured in the title sequence being hauled out of a lake

The Pembroke was, in reality, WV703 (C/no. PAC/66/06 delivered 06/10/1953, to 8108M, to Coningsby dump, scrapped Tattershall Thorpe circa 1990)

Have a look here http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0075601/ here http://www.tv.com/shows/the-xyy-man/episodes/ and some of here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_XYY_Man, qoute:

“In 1976 the first of Royce’s novels was transferred to British television by Granada TV, in a three-part adaptation with Stephen Yardley playing Scott.

The adventures of Scott caught the public imagination and ten more episodes followed in 1977. He is often co-opted (usually through some kind of blackmail) into working for shadowy civil-servant and MI5 officer Fairfax (Mark Dignam – in the novels the name Fairfax is a codename, and the character’s real name is Sir Stuart Halliman. In one episode of the XYY Man, he identifies himself as “Stuart” in a telephone conversation). Doggedly on his trail is his nemesis Bulman (Don Henderson) and his assistant, Detective Constable Derek Willis (Dennis Blanche).

When the series came to an end, the character of Bulman and Willis were considered popular enough to merit their own spin-off series, Strangers and later (without Willis, except for a cameo in an early episode) Bulman. Kenneth Royce also returned to his Bulman character, writing No Way Back (Hashimi’s Revenge) in 1986, and later The Judas Trail (1996) and Shadows (1996).”

All 13 TV Episodes are available in a Region 2 UK DVD set (released by Network DVD on 26/2/2007) see http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?products_id=373

Tornado F2 Prototype ZA267

…might be in the Ground School as a working training airframe?

Reported as still being at Marham in August 2012 as a ground instructional airframe, according to http://www.demobbed.org.uk/aircraft.php?type=1100

That is not to exclude the possibility of ZA267 being roaded to Leeming for RTP, but if it gone there anytime in the past four months. I’m sure that someone would have noticed and reported it on the ‘net by now…

Spitfire Mk XVIe for sale in NZ

As I don’t have the book yet does anybody have a potted history of this aircraft?

Here http://www.wingsmagazine.com/content/view/2336/38/
and here http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregistry/spitfire-sl542.html

Delivered to Royal Air Force, July 1945
– Allocated to 595 Squadron.
– Transferred to 695 Squadron.
– Transferred to No 1 CAACU at Hornchurch, Essex.
– Transferred to No 2 CAACU at Little Snoring.
— Suffered accident, removing it from airworthy status, RAF Little Snoring, Jan. 1957.
RAF Horsham St. Faith, UK, May 1957
– Gate guard.
RAF Duxford, 1960.
– Displayed.
RAF Coltishall, 1966-1988
– Displayed on pole.
RAF St. Athan, Feb. 1989-1991
– Stored pending disposal.
– Exchanged with RAF Museum for Handley Page Hampden bomber.
Jeet Mahal, Vancouver, BC, 1992.
Dick Melton Aviation, Winchester, UK, 1994.
Mike Araldi/Pegasus Investments/Jet Cap Aviation Corp, Inc, West Palm Beach, FL, May 11, 1994-2002.
– Registered as N2289J.
– Operated by Anthony Gurak, Westmount, Quebec, 1996-2002.
– Under restoration to airworthiness, Bartow, FL, 1996-1999 (later Westmount, Quebec, 2000).

and this is on flickr

Plus this from “Flight” Magazine issue dated 4 January 1957

Last Spitfires Grounded

THE last four Spitfires flying regularly under Air Ministry contract are being grounded, leaving only Spitfire Mk 16, SL542, to be maintained in flying condition by the R.A.F. for its annual appearance in the Battle of Britain fly-past. A Mk 16 flying from Hornchurch with No. 1 Civil Anti-aircraft Co-operation Unit was withdrawn on December 3 and three P.R. Mk 19s which have been flown on high-altitude weather reconnaissances from Woodvale by Short Brothers and Harland, Ltd., are similarly being withdrawn. The Mk 19s will be replaced early this year by modified Mosquito T.T.35s, one of which has already made trial flights. The three Mk 19s being withdrawn are PM631, PS853 and PS915.

Which implies that SL542 was withdrawn from use on December 3rd 1956, and not “January 1957” as reported above…

Where did all the RHKAAF Austers end up?

OK, I ‘ll get the ball rolling…

Austers were operated by the (Royal) Hong Kong AAF from 1949 to 1971. Originally they were operated with RAF serials, but later used the HK AAF’s own serials from HKG-4 to HKG-9. It should be noted that the same serial (e.g. HKG-6) was used by more than one aircraft, although not simultaneously!

Auster V

TW438: TOC 4/10/1949 wfu/soc 31/12/1950 – sold to Hong Kong Flying Club

Auster AOP.6

WJ366: TOC 28/7/1958 written off 20/12/1958 – Stalled and dived into the ground at Tasi Tam, Tytam Bay, Hong Kong, after wing-over at low altitude. Pilot, Norman Lo, was killed

TW629: TOC 18/5/1951 wfu/soc 25/4/1953 (presumably after accident?)

VW991: TOC 2/11/1949 written off 8/6/1950, soc 10/5/1951 (presumably after accident?)

HKG-5 (1st) c/no 2844 ex-RAF VF643 TOC 4/10/1949 soc/sold 7/10/1971 became N38220 (*Was HKG-5 from 28/10/1966 to 7/10/1971)

VF644: TOC 4/10/1949 wfu/soc 28/10/1966 sold in USA

Auster AOP 9

HKG-6 (1st) ex-RAF WZ731 TOC 4/10/1965 SOC 6/9/1966

HKG-6 (2nd) ex-RAF XN407 TOC 3/1/1967 SOC 31/12/1971 Sold in USA as N38224

HKG-7: ex-RAF XN408 TOC 7/10/1965. Written off 16/10/1967: damaged beyond repair when crashed at Shek Kong. However, later sold to USA, became N408XN; pres. Florida Air Museum, Lakeland

HKG-9: ex-RAF XN410 TOC 3/1/1967 Written off 8/2/1970 crashed into the South China sea

Auster T.7

WE537: d/d 2/3/1950, sold to Hong Kong Auiliary AF 11/11/1950, written off 8/10/1951

VX934: d/d 12/1/1950, transferred 13/7/1951 to RHKAAF, s.o.c. 21/12/1959 Kai Tak, Hong Kong (wfu and scrapped)

HKG-4; ex-RAF WE552 d/d 28/7/1950, to Hong Kong Auxiliary AF 28/10/1966. There’s a thread about this Auster at http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=102197 and another at http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Airshows&action=print&thread=11384

WE590: d/d 19/03/1951, to RHKAAF, w/o 24/11/1963. Damaged in a flying accident at Kai Tak, Hong Kong. Repairs proved uneconomical and it was declared a write off. SOC 01/01/1964 CAT.5(c)

Wessex XL722

Sikorsky HSS-1, c/n 58-265: del USN as HSS-1, 141602 for initial flight acceptance trials before being dismantled and shipped to Westlands for reassembly and use as UK Gnome engine and flight trials.
[BuNo #141602 re-used on HSS-1 / UH-34G, c/n 58-444; to Vietnam AF and w/o Mar 21, 1968]

XL722 Westland Wessex prototype Ex USN 141602. Westland c/n WA.1 Delivered by sea, re-assembled at the dockside and flown to Yeovil 24 June 1956 as G-17-1. Acquired serial XL722 in July 1956. This aircraft was test-flown for a time with its original 1525hp Wright R-1820-84 engine

To A&AEE Boscombe Down, then Lee-on-Solent. Re-engined with Napier Gazelle 11 and f/f in this configuration 17 May 1957. Re-engined with 1450 shp Napier Gazelle 13 in Sept 1957. To instructional airframe A2514 on 25 July 1961 To Staravia, Ascot by mid 1964, scrapped by 1968

sources
http://www.helis.com/database/cn/284/
http://www.aviastar.org
http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries17.html

The one and only Thurston Tawney Owl G-APLU is up for sale: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-unique-1960s-Tawney-Owl-aircraft-partially-restored-needs-completion-/251079112504?pt=UK_Collectables_Aeronautica_MJ&hash=item3a757b3738#ht_500wt_1129

Quote: “Rare unique 1960’s Tawney Owl aircraft partially restored needs completion ,registration letters G-APWU,this was the one and only aircraft of its type built by Thurston Aviation at Stapleford Tawney airfield,the aircraft was originally fitted with a Porsche aero engine with a pusher propeller,the model shows what this aircraft looks like when completed.

I have spent thousands of hours getting it to the condition shown in the photograph having built a new fuselage incorporating original components into the build,the missing fins, rudder have been fabricated from scratch and just need finishing off,it is only suitable as a static museum exhibit and is a very rare aircraft that would look good in a private collection as an educational exhibit,the wings and wing pins plus ailerons which require re-fabricing are there,there is no engine but a suitable motor for exhibition would be a Volkswagen aero engine.

Extensive research has gone into the restoration so far and attempts to locate the original fuselage failed requiring the new fuselage,I need the space to do other aircraft restoration projects and want to pass the aircraft onto a good home as it needs to be preserved as an early example of British private venture aviation the likes of which could not be afforded today,having done my bit this has broken the back in the restoration and would suit a keen rebuilder of old aircraft.

On its sale the aircraft must be removed at buyers expense from its hangar on a disused airfield in Warwickshire but it is in pieces and would not need any dis-assembly,viewing can be arranged by appointment from serious enquiries only please.”

New to the UK Registerde

Fantastic! Do you have any pictures??

Isn’t that PK519….

Indeed it is – see G-INFO at http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=SPXX

c/no given as “CBAF108”: registered owner lives in Newport Pagnell, Bucks., and, to quote http://www.facebook.com/SpitfireSurvivors

“Spitfire F.22 project PK519 was registered in the name of Peter Arnold as G-SPXX on 18 May 2012. This photo was taken by John Rawlings at Biggin Hill in September 1950.”

There was some discussion about PK519 on this very board back in December 2007 at http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=76863

short history: PK519 Spitfire F22 delivered to 39MU 21-9-45 VA KEE 2-10-47 mods 615 Squadron as ‘V6-A’ 12-8-49. To AGT Gatwick refurb 16-2-51 nea 16-6-53 SOC and to RAF Old Sarum firing trials 1-6-54 (target on the ranges – there is footage of this out there on the http://www...)