Also: please remember that this was a time when the technological advancement had not progressed to the state which we know today. You may call it ‘an accident waiting to happen’ but in those days this was ‘state of the art’! You’ll have to compare this system to the other systems which were designed in the late 1930’s. I have a feeling that people easily (subconsciously) compare stuff like this to the current state of affairs which is not very useful.

Um, what’s a Hermes fin when it’s at home?

[tongue in cheek]It’s the bit sticking up at the back of this airliner.[/tongue in cheek] 😉

Allright, seriously then: the fuselage of Handley Page HP.81 Hermes IV G-ALGD ‘Horsa’ is the only remaining part of this type. It used to be outside at the end of the row of airliners (photo taken in 1999).

It is currently inside, hiding behind the Concorde on the left side of this photo.

If anyone knows the owner of that, ask if he wants to do a flypast at Brooklands on 29th June…

I know who drives around with ‘VC10 FLY’ as his number plate. I cannot remember if I heard of this one before.

This has been discussed on here before but the Hermes fin is indeed gone. The how and where are unknowns (first I’ve heard of it going in a landfill) but I think that the sign next to the fuselage actually says that the fin was ‘lost’. If so then at least the IWM is brave enough to admit to it, it’s no secret.

Phillip….all the C1’s were converted to C1K standard many moons ago. I am led to believe that XR808 is to be the only one to survive (at the RAF Museum Cosford) and one K2 or K3 will survive in ground running condition at Brunty (although I personally hope and pray that XV108 is spared the scrap man’s axe)

I don’t think that it’s going to be a K2 which is to stay at Brunty, all the K2s have been scrapped already (last one in 2004). Still in active service are: 4 C1Ks, 4 K3s and 1 K4 (since December 2011). Have a look at the bottom of this page for the specifics: http://www.vc10.net/History/RAFVC10s.html

You can see it here on this preserved example: (unsure which aircraft this actually is, the Flickr account isn’t specific)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambda_nut/3905049348/in/gallery-wbaiv-72157623966954485/

Looks like John Smith’s NZ2336 in Mapua, NZ. See here: http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/mosquito.html