Jessie The Jeep Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 The Percival Mew Gull was a British racing aircraft of the 1930s. The single-seat, low wing wooden monoplane was powered by a six-cylinder de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine. The example at Hendon is a replica, commissioned by Alex Henshaw, a Kings Cup Air Race winner. The original aircraft ( seen in the second picture ), one of only six built, is still airworthy and based at Breighton airfield in Yorkshire. This aircraft has had quite a history, first flying in the mid 1930's. It was sold to a Frenchman in late 1939 and was hidden in France during WW2. In 1950 it was brought back the UK, restored but written off in a landing accident at Shoreham 1951. A new owner restored the aircraft and raced it once again. Last flown in '65, it went to a poorly run museum, became damp, had the wings sawn off and lost many parts to souvenir hunters. It was aquired in the 1970's and rebuilt. In 1983, it was damaged again when an Auster taxied into it! Rebuilt once more, the machine moved to Old Warden where it was written off twice, once at the time of purchase and again a few years later! It was rebuilt yet again! In 2002, the aircraft was sold once more and moved to Breighton where it still flies today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 The Supermarine Stranraer was a 1930s British flying boat designed and built by Supermarine Aviation Works which marked the end of biplane flying-boat development for the Royal Air Force. They entered operations in 1937 and many were still in service at the outbreak of the Second World War undertaking anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols. They were withdrawn from operational service in March 1941 but continued to serve in a training capacity until October 1942. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Primery RAF trainers, the de Havilland Tiger Moth, the first at Hendon, the second at Duxford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Westland Wallace fuselage at Hendon. The Wallace was the last of the inter-war general purpose biplanes and was also used by a number of Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons. The pace of aeronautical development caused its rapid replacement in front line service, but its useful life was extended, with many being converted into target tugs and wireless trainers. That's the last of the between the wars aircraft pictures. Moving on to WW2 next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Thanks for sharing these. Must get to the UK and visits all those museums, would take a lot of time I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Duxford, Hendon and Cosford all could easily fill a day. You could spend a weekend at each if you wanted to read all the display info rather than just wandering around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 Two Avro Ansons. The complete aircraft is at Duxford, the fuselage is at Hendon in the corner of the Bomber Hall, sitting in a Queen Mary trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 Boeing B-17G Fortress. 21 years ago, I spent a day climbing all over this aircraft measuring and photographing it prior to building the first of my two flying model B-17's. It was built by Douglas in July 1945, served with the US Navy eventually becoming a Fire Bomber in the 1960's, before coming to Hendon in 1983. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 Consolidated B-24L Liberator. The aircraft was completed in December 1944, and after a visit to the Consolidated Modification Centre, it was assigned to the RAF. It was flown via the South Atlantic route to Air Command South East Asia (ACSEA) at Bamrauli, India. It was struck off RAF charge at No.322 Maintenance Unit in 1946, where nearly a hundred RAF Liberators were dumped following the termination of Lend Lease agreements. Following Indian independence on 15 August 1947, the site and aircraft dump passed to the Indian Air Force. It was donated to the RAF Museum in 1970, going to Cosford. In 2005 it was dismantled and moved by road to Hendon in exchange for the Vickers Valiant which joined the Vulcan and Victor in the new Cold War Exhibition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 The B-25 Mitchell is a film star, being used in the 1968 film 'Catch 22', and 'Hanover Street' starring Harrison Ford in 1978. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 How about some nice Bristols? Bristol Beaufighter TFX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 Bristol Beaufort VIII Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 Bristol Blenheim IV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M5Clive Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 How an earth do you manage to take nearly 1000 pictures at Hendon and Duxford (with all but one of the hangars closed) when I could only struggle to take just over 700 when I spent half a day flying aboard the B-17 G Liberty Belle last year! That said, I just don't know how you find the time to upload and present all your photos on here with so much detailed information - You've just saved me £16 quid! Seasons Greeting and happy birthday too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 (edited) Cheers! To be fair, at Duxford where only one hangar was open, I only took around 350 photos. The other 850 or so were from Hendon. Out of those 1200, around 200 were considered to be out of focus or under/over exposed. You can't get good pictures by just taking a few. At an airshow, I can shoot 1000 pictures in a day, of which 50% will be good and 10% really good. How do I find the time? A long Christmas holiday and I'm too full of cold to go out anywhere! I'm trying to get well enough for a road run around Yorkshire and Teesside on Monday in the Jeep. Edited December 26, 2009 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4/B. This aircraft was shot down on November 27th 1940, after the main period of the Battle of Britain was over. It was repaired by Rolls-Royce at Hucknall for evaluation of the type, using parts salvaged from other 109's. It spent some time being displayed various places and stored late 1950's. In the 60's and 70's being moved around various RAF Bases on display and saw further refurbishment, finally moving to Hendon in 1978. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 The other Bf109 at Hendon is 'Black 6', the 'G' version that was airworthy from 1991 until 1997 when it as crashed on its last display flight, while being flown by Air Chief Marshall Sir John Allison. Engine problems caused by incorrect radiator shutter settings resulted in a forced landing. Approaching the runway high and fast, a touchdown was made, but the aircraft was too fast to use brakes. As the runway ran out, the pilot lifted the aircraft over the M11 and touched down in a field of stubble, eventually flipping onto its back as the aircraft ran into ploughed ground. The fin was crushed, the aircrafts back broken, but thankfully there was no fire. 45 minutes later, the aircraft was lifted ( to prevent having to cut the fuselage ) and the pilot brought out of the wreckage. Restoration work was carried out at Duxford by the same team who restored the aircraft to airworthiness, work beginning in 1999. In March 2002 the Bf109G arrived at Hendon by road, and was put on display in the Bomber Hall. It was moved to the Milestones Building in 2003. The full Accident Report can be found here. http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources/dft_avsafety_pdf_501760.pdf and 18 years ago during its first display flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Messerschmitt Bf110G-4/R6 was surrendered to the Allies at Grove airfield, Denmark in May 45. It was ferried to RAE Farnborough in August '45 for evaluation, and in May '46, was selected for long-term preservation by the Air Ministry Air Historical Branch. Like the 109E, it was moved around and stored at various RAF bases until 1976 when it was restored, moving to Hendon in 1978. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Fiat CR42 `Falco' was built in 1940. To boost Italian home morale, units of the Regia Aeronautica were formed into the Corpo Aereo Italiano (CAI) to operate in support of the Luftwaffe from bases in Belgium. On November 11th 1940, the CAI made one of its only three recorded daylight bombing raids on the UK, this being its largest operation. Before the actual combat Aircraft MM5701, broke an oil pipe, fell behind the formation, and the engine overheated. The pilot force landed on the shingle beach at Orfordness, Suffolk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Focke-wulf Fw190A-8. It was converted into a two seat aircraft to train pilots of slower aircraft, such as the Ju87 Stuka, to fly faster attack aircraft. This aircraft was also surrendered at Grove airfield, Denmark. It came to Hendon in NOvember 1989. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Handley Page Halifax B MkII. This aircraft was lost during a raid on the German Battleship Tirpitz. It was hit by flak after releasing its mines, starting an fire in the number four engine. Realising he couldn't make Neutral Sweden, he opted for a gear up landing on the frozen Lake Hoklingen, east of Trondheim. It was discovered in 1971 with RAF divers visiting in 1972. It was finally recovered in 1973 at the second attempt. It was decided the structure was too frigile to restore and so it was displayed in a diorama as found. Two other Halifax's survive. HR792/`LV907' Mk.III at the Yorkshire Air Museum, which is a composite restoration, using some original fuselage sections, HP Hastings wings and some newly built parts. NA337 A.VII RCAF Memorial Museum, Trenton, Ontario, Canada. Like the Hendon example, this aircraft was also recovered from a Norwegian lake in 1995, and after a 10 year restoration, went on display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Heinkel He111. With the German surrender in May 1945 this aircraft was initially allotted to USAAF for evaluation in the USA. Due to lack of space, the airframe wasn't shipped and instead was ferried to Boxted, Essex, home of the US 56th Fighter Group. Like the other German survivors, it moved around several bases and storage facilities before eventually moving to Hendon in 1978. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I love the Halifax display without making it look restored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Heinkel He162. Built in April '45, it followed a similar route to the other German aircraft, being on display at RAF St Athen until it moved to Hendon in November 1989. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Lockheed Hudson. This was ordered for the RAF, but diverted to the RAAF before delivery. It was used against Japanese shipping and ground positions throughout the Netherlands East Indies and Timor. Post war it was sold to several civilian operators, and in 1960, the aircraft struck power cables, but was able to land and be repaired. In 1973, it was sold to the Strathallen Collection and made the long flight to the UK. It was bought by the RAF Museum in 1981 and moved into the main hall in 1982. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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