mcspool Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 (edited) Anyone hear about this before? http://www.pinterest.com/pin/105764291220398189/ The fuselage of a Horsa glider – the type used by airborne troops in World War II – is being converted into a home for a London businessman by Mr. Arthur Bedford, a building contractor at Southbourn, Bournemouth, Hampshire. The glider-home will have three rooms – a bedroom measuring 10 ft by 7 ft, a living room 15 ft by 7 ft, and a kitchenette 8 ft by 7 ft. If the experiment is successful, the builder will convert more gliders. People baffled by the housing shortage will be able to have these homes built quite cheaply on their own sites. Photo shows men working on the exterior of the glider-home – 11th June 1947. There’s a great article in the Oxford Mail about Maud Starkie who lived in a converted Horsa from the 1940s until she died in 2000 at the age of 99. The Mail says: “She built a shed-like structure over it for weather-proofing, but inside it was still like being in a plane.” Edited November 3, 2013 by mcspool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon king Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Anyone hear about this before? http://www.pinterest.com/pin/105764291220398189/ A number survived to be saved for preservation http://forum.keypublishing.com/album.php?albumid=243 sk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hair Bear Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 It's a brilliant idea, but after all that work I'd have thought they would've solved the stability issue first rather than leaving the sawhorses holding it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
river6 Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I went over in 1992 to interview Maud about her Horsa Home at Blewbury south of Didcot. It was still beautifully preserved inside, painted white and with all the frames still in place. I sat with her in the 'sitting room' and had tea as I interviewed her. The cockpit section had been removed and a large window installed in the bulkhead. The Front Door had been installed in place of the port side loading door. It was a Mk1. I couldn't find any evidence of its serial number or identity. Maud had been serving with the Allied Control Commission in Germany and returned to UK in 1947. There was a terrible housing shortage and she bought the Horsa complete for £5. Getting the wings and cockpit removed and the fuselage transported to her plot at Blewbury cost her a further £10. Maud was very proud of her Horsa Home. After she died it was recovered by a group from the Mosquito museum near Hatfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 How many Horsa's are extant currently? And locations if possible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
river6 Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Don't know about total numbers but here's some locations for you to check out. Mosquito Museum, Museum of Army flying at Middle Wallop have at least 3, Assault Glider Trust at Shawbury, Pegasus Bridge Normandy, Hartenstein Museum Arnhem. The one at Shawbury is a reconstruction using new made and surviving components. I have supplied two main landing wheels and the landing skid housing and a number of other components for this one. Happy hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David I Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Hi all. Really interesting thread. A few years ago I was trying to find the fate of the Chorsley Horsa.As far as I know that it members of North East Air Museum were involved in its rescue, and that it went to Mosquito Air Museum. Can anyone confirm this? Afterwards, I was told that it had gone to Holland. Does anyone know if it definitely ended up as part of the Pegusas Bridge replica? My interest is that Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum have a restored Horsa fuselage section (not currently on sight) which had been used as a caravan in Wales, and was rescued by members of 2 Para. Its 17 feet long, but is the rear piece of the fuselage. The Museum was going to get a replica cockpit from the Assault Glider Trust at Shawbury, but didnt have the bit in between. The Chorsley section if combined would have made a complete fuselage a possibility. The Museum at Dumfries has Scotlands only Airborne museum(albeit in a portacabin), and 7th (Galloway) Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers, who flew in Horsas on Operation Market Garden were from this area. Any info on this, or other surviving pieces would be interesting. Cheers Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex van de Wetering Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Afterwards, I was told that it had gone to Holland. Does anyone know if it definitely ended up as part of the Pegusas Bridge replica? One of these former "sheds" is displayed at the Wolfheze campsite, part of a collection/exhibition about gliders (well worth a visit!). It was only recently brought to the Arnhem area from the UK....maybe the one Dave mentions (?). It's displayed as a Horsa section again, without the shed mods. Also displayed are several Horsa, Hamilcar and Waco parts recovered from the area and also a repro Horsa cockpit. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 The new extension to the Airborne Museum at Hartenstein has most of a glider as part of an interactive 'walk through' display. No idea what if any of it is original, but it looks the part. I like the nose art - wonder if it was copied from an original? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
river6 Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 The new extension to the Airborne Museum at Hartenstein has most of a glider as part of an interactive 'walk through' display. No idea what if any of it is original, but it looks the part. I like the nose art - wonder if it was copied from an original? [ATTACH=CONFIG]83520[/ATTACH] Yes, The nose art was copied from a Horsa which flew from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. It appears in the original footage of the Tugs and Gliders take offs which was filmed at Fairford on 17 September 1944. This original footage was incorporated when the film 'Theirs is the Glory' was made. This great film is a wonderful tribute to the men who flew to Arnhem and is available on DVD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locolines Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 My nan made the wings ( or wing parts ) for these in Walthamstow, East London. She said it was the worst job she had in her life because the Foreman was a pig ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Lee Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 On a slightly different note, There was a number Catalina flying boat used as a house boats on the Murray River after the war. One still survives http://www.aarg.com.au/Catalina.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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