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September 26, 2008 at 9:24 pm in reply to: Fairey Battle L5343 Progress #1195493

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Hi Steve,

re the undercarriage, I wonder if that was for the benefit of the exiting bomb aimer, so as not to get clouted on the way out! There’s lots of nasty pointy bits on that undercarriage!:eek:

Forgot to say a big thanks to Lewis and Chris in particular for letting me paw the old bird again! If I was a bit closer to Rochester, perhaps I would have had another bash at helping the restoration( albeit nearly 20 years later)!

Cheers

Si

September 26, 2008 at 8:54 pm in reply to: Fairey Battle L5343 Progress #1195501

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Participant

Hi Guys

I spent a fair bit of time cleaning out the rear gunner to tail section of the Battle during it’s first restoration (see pic 1).

The other photos are of various stages of the MAPS restoration. Pic 2 shows from the pilot seat backwards. The other 2 show the bomb aimers well with the hatch shown. This has 3 windows for the bomb aimer (bomb panel just behind the carpet in pic 4). This hatch slides backwards presumably to allow the bomb aimer to roll out. Looks a bit of a tight squeeze with a ‘chute on!

Anybody have any ideas where the fuel tank mentioned earlier would have been fitted? Where the bomb aimer sat/lay during transit I have no idea.

[ATTACH]165693[/ATTACH][ATTACH]165694[/ATTACH][ATTACH]165695[/ATTACH][ATTACH]165696[/ATTACH]

For those who may not know, the first restoration was done in the main by volunteers (a lot of ‘first timers’ like myself!) with a few experienced guys and RAF personnel. Given the limited resource and research that was available, I don’t think she turned out too bad!;)

This was my contribution to the exterior (with help!)

[ATTACH]165697[/ATTACH]

Cheers

Si

(Photos copyright Simon Newberry)

September 1, 2008 at 12:02 am in reply to: 97 Sqn Lancatser W4239 #1224020

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Participant

Thanks Kev,I’ll do a bit further digging on that.

More from 97 Sqn Association reveals:

No1 AGS then to 106 Conversion Flight then to 1660 HCU then to 97 Sqn all within about 3 months.

Cheers

Si

August 31, 2008 at 8:31 pm in reply to: 97 Sqn Lancatser W4239 #1224334

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Thanks for that Max, will have to try other avenues!:confused:

Cheers

Si

August 31, 2008 at 1:00 pm in reply to: 97 Sqn Lancatser W4239 #1224852

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Participant

Hi Guys

As an aside to this, I have been reading digitised forms on the Australian archives regarding Sgt Matthams. These give correspondances between RAF and RAAF sections and the Matthams family.

Does anyone know if such digitsed forms exist for RAF crew on the UK archive site?

Cheers

Si

August 23, 2008 at 7:25 pm in reply to: Search for pics of Spit SL674 #1232635

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Participant

This got me thinking about how many Spits passed through St Athan at the time.

From memory…

MK356 – airworthy
EP120 – airworthy
SL674 – Stafford?
SL542 – was this the one recently hanging in a barn in Quebec?
PK664 – Still at the Science Museum?
PK624 – ?
LA198 – Glasgow?
RW393 – Cosford?

Can’t think of any others, although there were rumours of more ex gate guards stored in hangars on the opposite side of the runway to the museum, although I never got to have a peek inside:(. Still we didn’t have a bad collection:cool:

August 23, 2008 at 10:06 am in reply to: Search for pics of Spit SL674 #1233038

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Participant

That be the one!
[ATTACH]164700[/ATTACH]

Si:cool:

August 22, 2008 at 10:57 pm in reply to: Search for pics of Spit SL674 #1233291

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Participant

Hello Tony,

A couple of photos from about ’91 at St Athan…..

Arriving…

[ATTACH]164691[/ATTACH][ATTACH]164692[/ATTACH]

I spent about 6 months worth of weekends in the rear fuselage of this one, trying to get rid of the thick black preservative. It was hot, cramped and hard work, but great fun!

[ATTACH]164687[/ATTACH][ATTACH]164688[/ATTACH][ATTACH]164689[/ATTACH][ATTACH]164690[/ATTACH]

I’m pretty sure this is ‘674 on the left

[ATTACH]164694[/ATTACH][ATTACH]164693[/ATTACH]

Hope these are of use.

Cheers

Si 😀

August 22, 2008 at 8:38 am in reply to: 97 Sqn Lancatser W4239 #1234143

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Participant

Hi Smith

Thanks very much for that…a website I had not seen before!

Interesting to see that a possible cause of the crash was the movement of the prop. Is it possible that this could have been knocked out of coarse pitch from inside the cockpit or is this down to straight mechanical failiure?

Cheers
Si
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