It is astonishing to realise that finally a lot of Lancashire aviation items are saved at last. I recall many times looking at the Pilling 109 target from the coast and wondering if it would be saved, that was in the late 60s !

The big surprise is that its happening at Millom after several attempts failed around Blackpool. Well done and thanks to all concerned,pity I am unable to offer help, but North Scotland is just a bit far away.

Most of us are from Lancashire and decended on Millom a number of years ago, we live in and cover most of the North West and beyond.

It all started during a Defiant excavation many years ago and over the years more and more NW groups/individuals have come together and use Millom as a base in the hope to make it a success, it is a easy going place and we try not to get bogged down in politics and red tape and just get out there and do it or fail trying

It could be classed as a gathering of like wise fools with nothing better to do with their time or money.

Two preserved J31’s? Superb! What condition is G-EEST in?

J

Recent photos of her

see also

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/sites/aaib/cms_resources/dft_avsafety_pdf_033317.pdf

HS748/Andover Parts Needed

If anyone can help we need parts for the forward fuselage/cockpit of our HS748 G-ATMI to assist in its restoration to a disabled accessible flight simulator.

She is currently an empty shell and requires a full fit out, so any help or leads would be really appreciated.

Doing a search on the internet, she appears to be quite a photographed aircraft.

We are also in contact with a former “Driver” who lives nearby.

Ex RAF 1943 Thorneycroft Amazon Coles Mk1 crane which arrived durring the big lift, got a Mk7 due next weekend

I have photos of the tank being unloaded if you want to see it

A further 15 aero engines arived yesterday, including a rocket motor. I will get a list and photos of them posted on Sunday along with some photos of the “big lift” weekend.

Another ex RAF WW2 crane should arive on Saturday

The HS748 has been selected for conversion to a flight sim and our man is going to start work on it soon.

What is also good to see is that we are experiencing a steady flow of visitors, 12 moths ago we could actualy recieve none some days.

Today was the day of the “big lift” at Blackpool Airport, enough hours, trucks and personnel had been allocated to the job, so the Jetstream was successfully loaded, the HS748 forward fuselage was removed from the scrap back end and loaded, various other bits and pieces were loaded.

However when it came to the Shorts 330 we had not reckoned on having to de rig the crane so many times to allow for take offs and landings, ATC lost us at least 4 hours so we ran out of time, light and driver hours to load the fuselage, we got everything else loaded so a return journey is already being arranged to collect the fuselage.

The convoy of 5 trucks and crane should arrive at the museum at 9am on Saturday along with the Centurion Tank and two ex RAF cranes (3 more to follow over the next two weeks). The remainder of Prince G-AMLZ will also arrive on Saturday to go into storage.

Will post some photos and some more info soon.