Hampden projects

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18 years 4 months

Posts: 2,810

One of the rarest RAF bombers, the two well mentioned ones at Cosford and East Kirkby are in progress. Is the Cosford one on the move? To Hendon?

But the last mention I can find for the Canadian one is 2011 http://www.canadianflight.org/content/handley-page-hampden
Is there an update? is it under cover?

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19 years 2 months

Posts: 1,317

I have seen photos on Flicker dated 2015 showing the museum and the Hampden fully repaired. I understand that their building is crammed full with mainly fabric covered aircraft and sadly the ones outside are subjected to the Canadian weather just like many UK museums.

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18 years 4 months

Posts: 2,810

Thanks Robert, I also noted this.................
Restoration work was driven mainly by volunteer Fred Gardham, who worked on Hampdens in the local aviation industry during WWII, and who had even logged one flight in P5436 following repairs............
Well his input from being there must be responsible for the colour scheme, the shades are not like any other RAF camo of WW2 !

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19 years 2 months

Posts: 1,317

The colours on the Canadian Hampden always seems a bit unusual. When I first saw photos I put this down to perhaps the type of colour film in cameras. Alternatively perhaps its weather deterioration. What is need is a visit to Langley. I have it on my list of places to go to.
The only one I have actually seen was at East Kirkby [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"medium","data-attachmentid":3866788}[/ATTACH]

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19 years 2 months

Posts: 1,317

The Canadian Museum of Flight is the aviation museum at the Langley Regional Airport in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. The museum has over 25 civilian and military jets, piston driven engine aircraft, gliders, and helicopters on display, six of which have been restored to flying condition.
Address: 5333 216 St, Langley City, BC V2Y 2N3, Canada
I expect that a Hurricane expert will be along soon but I think the canadian built aircraft had Hamilton Standard propellors as used on the Dakota and Liberator. perhaps this precluded the use of the standard spinner.

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8 years 10 months

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Canadian Museum of Flight Hampden is more of a replica with more structural steel than real Hampden involved in the display. The nose / cockpit is authentic, a loan/gift from the RAFM.

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24 years 2 months

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Whilst the RAF Museum example's restoration is fabulously well done, sadly it seems there are no plans to restore the wings for the foreseeable future, so it will be displayed as a fuselage only. I think that is a great shame.

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14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

That's not definitive is it though? If the fuselage ends up at Hendon vistors can at least see it. They can build the wings on site at Cosford in the meantime.
Having seen the East Kirkby Hampden a few weeks ago the work is getting on very slow. It would be nice if the bottom fuselage can be completed and
fitted. They have an awful lot of Hampden material.

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10 years 5 months

Posts: 262

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the East Kirkby Hampden could be completed to taxiable condition.........

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24 years 2 months

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Re the Cosford Hampden. The conservation centre manager Darren Priday is quoted as saying "We won't be starting on the wings for the foreseeable future."

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20 years

Posts: 4,561

A shame but it was a similar story with the NASM He219 wasnt it - its being brought together now. Darren is an excellent person and thoroughly nice bloke so I imagine he's as disappointed as us all - but they still have the Wimpey and Lysander to finish off - what appears to be some urgent work on the Me410 and hopefully at long last they will finish the LVG! Thats on top of all the maintenance they do (though I wish they'd touch in that wingroot panel on the Battle - it drives me potty each time I'm at Hendon!)

TT

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16 years 4 months

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Wouldn't it be wonderful if the East Kirkby Hampden could be completed to taxiable condition.........

I asked about that. I was told that the engines are too rare for that to happen

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10 years 5 months

Posts: 262

Sorry Ozcart, I was only dreaming....