rig_pig Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Hi guys, my first proper post and straight in with a question! At the museum I work at, we have an ex-RAF MF50 tug. We are not aware of its full history but it is wearing quite a rough civvy paint job at the moment and we would like to return it to its original glory. We want to go for the traditional green with yellow stripes but I'm struggling to find any pictures that show the stripe layout or any other details. Can anyone help? Here is 'Trevor' in his current glory...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I found this one, hope it is what you are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Ah, that's great, thank you. I see it's at St Mawgan as well, just like ours! I notice it doesn't have the yellow stripe. Would these have been removed by then? Unfortunately airport rules state we need a hi-vis stripe so I'll probably just replace what we already have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Sorry, I don't have any idea about the yellow stripe and it was only by chance that I found the photo of the tug at St Mawgan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Well, the strip down ready for paint has started. It won't be a long term resto project, just a repaint as she is still very active and can only be laid up for a short while. Here she is at the moment: And this is the look we are going for. The boxes on the front appear to be hydraulic and air reservoirs for extra equipment and we may replicate these in the future. The first job though is to fabricate up a replacement for the missing warning light triangle and somehow research her original service registration number so we can get some plates made up. Does anyone know how to go about this? All we have is the chassis number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 RAF vehicle records are available at:- http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/default/archive-collection/vehicle-records.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Ah, that's great, thank you. I see it's at St Mawgan as well, just like ours! I notice it doesn't have the yellow stripe. Would these have been removed by then? Unfortunately airport rules state we need a hi-vis stripe so I'll probably just replace what we already have. This is only a vague memory but I seem to recall these coming out through auction with a broad stripe on along the lines of what you have, but about two or three times the thickness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsmoke7 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Whats the story with that hunter its towing? Was it one that had the pointy nose cone on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Whats the story with that hunter its towing? Was it one that had the pointy nose cone on? That is our Hunter T8. Ex-Royal Navy Fleet Requirements. She's currently undergoing a light restoration and repaint into the colours she wore back in the 70's. Never to fly again unfortunately but she'll look great non the less. http://www.classicairforce.com/hunter-info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsmoke7 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 What happened to Barry Pover that had the hunters at Exeter? Hunters are nice,especially the swiss ones-bit more grunt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Were they the HHA Hunters? If so, they are now based at Scampton, ironically working under military contract! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsmoke7 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I did hear some hunters were being used, didnt know it was those thow. Shame about Thunder city and the lightnings a few years back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Well, it's been slow progress but the tug has finally changed colour! We had some semi-gloss dark green left from our Harrier restoration so that got rollered on. Today I rubbed down and primered the bumpers and pintles. Hopefully next week should see the yellow/black stripes done and everything bolted back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Well, it's been slow progress but the tug has finally changed colour! We had some semi-gloss dark green left from our Harrier restoration so that got rollered on. Today I rubbed down and primered the bumpers and pintles. Hopefully next week should see the yellow/black stripes done and everything bolted back on.] Getting there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Well, it's finally finished. A little bit of artistic licence here and there and it still needs new windows making for the rear but I think it really looks the part and being a working tug, we can't have it off line for much longer. First though, we dragged it out for a little photo shoot. Hope you guys like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanter Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Looks spot on, I hope everything works out there as I understand a lot is changing at the museum and you get some good use after all the work. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 That looks very smart and very tidy and oh so much better than it did. You are so lucky that you can display the original military registration numbers etc. Is it the light or the material used that makes the yellow horizontal stripe look pale? Pictures and real life left me with the impression it was a bit darker, almost the same as the yellow at the back weight. Anyway, cracking job, no one would know its wasnt still in service unless you told them. Really looks the part now. Congrats Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 What a transformation from the first photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Very nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Thanks guys, I really enjoyed doing it. Unfortunately, the museum as we know it now is closing. However, the majority of the aircraft (and the tug!) are likely to be signed over to a group of volunteers and displayed around the former RAF St Mawgan HAS site at the other side of the airfield. Fingers crossed it all goes ahead, they are desperate for funding to help kick start this. That looks very smart and very tidy and oh so much better than it did. You are so lucky that you can display the original military registration numbers etc. Is it the light or the material used that makes the yellow horizontal stripe look pale? Pictures and real life left me with the impression it was a bit darker, almost the same as the yellow at the back weight. Anyway, cracking job, no one would know its wasn't still in service unless you told them. Really looks the part now. Congrats Robin Thanks Robin. You're correct, the yellow stripes are the wrong colour unfortunately. I was going to paint them on in the same yellow as the weights but time scales decreed that I had to use vinyl stripe instead. I do plan to over-paint these stripes in the future though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Very sad to hear that the museum is having to close. Glad that the tug and you wont have to move too far. Understood about the vinyl stripe. Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanter Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Thanks guys, I really enjoyed doing it. Unfortunately, the museum as we know it now is closing. However, the majority of the aircraft (and the tug!) are likely to be signed over to a group of volunteers and displayed around the former RAF St Mawgan HAS site at the other side of the airfield. Fingers crossed it all goes ahead, they are desperate for funding to help kick start this. I had heard a rumour this was happening I hope the plans to keep a museum on site work out for you all. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rig_pig Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 Well, the good news is all of the aircraft and the tug are staying at Newquay, albeit in a new location on the airfield. Bad new is, I am not as there will no longer be any paid staff there so my contract has ended. I did however, manage to capture one last picture of the MF50 alongside one of its hangar mates: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanter Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Sorry to hear all of this has happened and at least you will know you have done a good job on the tug, hope you find some more work soon. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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