Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
  • 1
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
#1853371
PeteSpencer wrote:@Dominie When it was being restored at Dux they found large amounts of coal dust in its ‘bilges’ when they took the cabin floor up.

Must have affected performance! Reminds me of the ex Queens Flight Viking which Eagle bought in 1957. Its performance was rather lack-lustre and they had to do extensive work to bring it up to civilian standards; during this work they found it had a heavy non-standard armour-plated floor which rather answered the question about performance.
#1853384
PeteSpencer wrote: ...l British airliners representing all that was great in civil aviation


And a Trislander :lol:

Dominie wrote: Reminds me of the ex Queens Flight Viking which Eagle bought in 1957.


I flew to Perpignan on that one.

Rob P
#1853390
Are there any Andovers still sitting around. It’s a pity they weren’t developed for regional and light freight duties in civilian life. Went in one from RAF Thorney Island when in nuclear school in Gosport for a fishing trip to Caithness.
#1853391
Like the York, the Comet Britannia and VC10 also have a history of military use even if the examples at Duxford are in civilian attire. I flew "into harm's way" in a RAF Britannia and finally out in a RAF VC10.

1-11s, Hermes and Viscounts were used by MoD establishments, including RAE RRE and ETPS; while Herald and Trident were used by foreign Air Forces. Civilian Britannias were also used extensively by MoD in trooping charters, often into 'interesting' places; with at least British Eagle, Caledonian (for both of which I worked), Britannia (!), and British United, and possibly others.

I reckon they all quite reasonably 'belong' at a 'military aviation' museum site.
PeteSpencer, townleyc liked this
#1853394
Bill McCarthy wrote:Are there any Andovers still sitting around. ...


There is one at Cosford, a former NavAid calibration example. There's another at the RNZAF Museum at Christchurch :wink:
User avatar
By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1853396
I will concede one bit of interesting 'Duxford Militaria:'

The Hawker Hunter in Hangar 2 bears on its side the name of my former flying instructor and CFI at Old Buck:

The late Gerry Honey (Fg Off G W Honey......) :thumright:

Edit to correct error /respect to Gerry.
Last edited by PeteSpencer on Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
JAFO, Highland Park liked this
By Highland Park
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1853407
PeteSpencer wrote:I will concede one bit of interesting 'Duxford Militaria:'

The Hawker Hunter in Hangar 2 bears on its side the name of my former flying instructor and CFI at Old Buck:

The late Gerry Honey (Ft Lt G E Honey......) :thumright:

Pedant mode on: it’s Fg Off GW Honey and likewise he was mine… :D

Ian
JAFO, PeteSpencer liked this
#1853409
No one has mentioned what the planning permission is for.

A factory.

Duxford is to become a small industrial estate.

Still, it will bring in the money, and that’s what it’s about.

Hotel one end, factory the other. No air displays. Replaced with more lucrative “flying days”.

Model aircraft “flying day” this weekend, so no flying in visitors.

Used to be a museum with GA thrown in.

Just be happy that you experienced Duxford how it was, as your children / grandchildren won’t.

(Though maybe that’s because they don’t want to?)

Not long, but remember it’s not an aviation museum any more, and soon it won’t be a GA airfield either.

Not once the woke factory is built.
Last edited by Cessna571 on Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Flyin'Dutch' liked this
#1853438
Bill McCarthy wrote:Are there any Andovers still sitting around. It’s a pity they weren’t developed for regional and light freight duties in civilian life. Went in one from RAF Thorney Island when in nuclear school in Gosport for a fishing trip to Caithness.

Many of them were - they went to Africa, mostly Congo and Liberia. A lot didn't last long but a few may still be in existence.
#1853473
Cessna571 wrote:
Just be happy that you experienced Duxford how it was, as your children / grandchildren won’t.



Indeed, I used to fly in regularly many years ago before they had the visitor centre/shop entrance and exit.

I used to pay the landing fee in the tower back then.

With the hotel at one end and the warfare hall factory the site will be much smaller.
  • 1
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10