By: Wyvernfan
- 12th December 2012 at 10:25Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern
A couple of displays of less obvious smaller parts that have come from crash sites over the years (i make a point of not throwing anything away).
VZ747 on the left crashed on the 18/5/54 and ended with the tragic death of Armstrong Siddeleys chief test pilot Eddie Griffiths, who bravely elected to stay with the aircraft rather than eject after the engine refused to re-start during engine out tests. On visiting the crash site which was effectively a very heavy crash landing, it was poignant to see that one of the trees the aircraft hit was still standing. A thread on this incident can be found here http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=104168
VZ795 on the other hand was the result of a mid-air collision on 17/9/57 with fellow Wyvern S.4 VZ798. Thankfully both pilots ejected safely. They were part of a three ship formation returning to RNAS Ford one evening, and during a change of formation positions it is thought that VZ795's contra-rotating airscrew chewed off the tail of VZ798. It was also a miracle that both aircraft fell on open ground right on the edge of the nearest town.
By: Wyvernfan
- 12th December 2012 at 16:24Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for that Airfixtwin, and for your PM. That pic of the first prototype clearly shows how the cockpit was a completely separate section that was attached to the centre section / centre fuselage. Its also quite a good view of the front and starboard side instrument panels.
I have a couple of pics of scrapped Sturgeons that show how they were 'sliced' just behind the pilots seat, leaving a cockpit section but with no rear bulkhead.
By: Wyvernfan
- 17th December 2012 at 08:08Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
10,000 views... Thank you.
Thanks to all who in the past three months have viewed or contributed to this thread, including a large amount of 'guests' i might add, but you are all welcome. I never for one minute imagined there would be so much interest in these two largely forgotten types.
And if anyone has any associated and unwanted parts, photos, log books or ephemera etc then please please get in touch, using the email address below.
Lets save what we can now!
Anyway, i thought i would end the year with a copy of a letter i received in 1991 from former Westland chief test pilot Harald Penrose OBE, advising me that i would "find it impossible to collect sufficient Wyvern bits for a replica". I think the great man was probably right, but over twenty years later and possibly due to blind stupidity, eccentric optimism or just a stubborn determination not to give up, we are still persevering and still collecting!
Anyway, another year beckons, and for those interested i'll be adding more updates in 2013.
By: Wyvernfan
- 6th January 2013 at 15:45Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern and Sturgeon
The Wyvern relevant collection of instruments continues to slowly grow, although some of which are proving quite hard to find. Shown here are the correct VHF radio control, oxygen regulator, nos switches and one of the three Simmonds fuel contents gauges. I'm still looking for the other two; 6A/3052 and 6A/3051
I've also made a little progress on the Sturgeon's P11 compass mount, although it has yet to be cut to shape. This will help give an approximate guide to the length and width of the left side main control panel.
Hmm, i wonder what the chances are of finding an original throttle box :rolleyes:.
By: Wyvernfan
- 6th January 2013 at 20:00Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Great work Rob - really looking forward to seeing the Sturgeon develop over the coming months
Regards,
Tim
Thanks Tim. Despite it being an extremely rare type like your Martinet i'm still confident that there's parts out there for the Sturgeon. Just a question of tracking them down. Well done on your recent success by the way.
By: Wyvernfan
- 8th March 2013 at 17:10Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern
After a trip to Newark last weekend i managed to add a couple of bits to the ejector seat, namely a working height adjustment handle and an early face screen with firing handle (thanks Naylan).
The nylon handle itself should be the slightly earlier red one for the Mk.1B instead of black and yellow, so if anyone has a spare red one i'd be interested.
Also a trip further south secured this very tidy early seat rail dated 1954.
By: Wyvernfan
- 9th March 2013 at 08:20Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes indeed Gary - very slowly :D. Patience is the key with these rare types, just as others have discovered with the Hornet, Stirlings, Whitley, Martinet, Vampire FB.5 etc projects.
By: Wyvernfan
- 12th March 2013 at 17:20Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern
Corner section from the later flat type one-piece windscreen that was introduced circa 1956 and came equipped with a wiper. A 'P' clip still fixed on the reverse was for the wiring to the E2A standby compass.
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 4th December 2012 at 15:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Think that must be a different item, aircraftclocks, as the 27J/249 i mention is part of the spade grips Dunlop identity.
Rob
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 12th December 2012 at 10:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern
A couple of displays of less obvious smaller parts that have come from crash sites over the years (i make a point of not throwing anything away).
VZ747 on the left crashed on the 18/5/54 and ended with the tragic death of Armstrong Siddeleys chief test pilot Eddie Griffiths, who bravely elected to stay with the aircraft rather than eject after the engine refused to re-start during engine out tests. On visiting the crash site which was effectively a very heavy crash landing, it was poignant to see that one of the trees the aircraft hit was still standing. A thread on this incident can be found here http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=104168
VZ795 on the other hand was the result of a mid-air collision on 17/9/57 with fellow Wyvern S.4 VZ798. Thankfully both pilots ejected safely. They were part of a three ship formation returning to RNAS Ford one evening, and during a change of formation positions it is thought that VZ795's contra-rotating airscrew chewed off the tail of VZ798. It was also a miracle that both aircraft fell on open ground right on the edge of the nearest town.
Posts: 147
By: Airfixtwin - 12th December 2012 at 11:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Might be of some help with the Sturgeon if you haven't seen it before.
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 12th December 2012 at 16:24 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for that Airfixtwin, and for your PM. That pic of the first prototype clearly shows how the cockpit was a completely separate section that was attached to the centre section / centre fuselage. Its also quite a good view of the front and starboard side instrument panels.
I have a couple of pics of scrapped Sturgeons that show how they were 'sliced' just behind the pilots seat, leaving a cockpit section but with no rear bulkhead.
Rob
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 17th December 2012 at 08:08 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
10,000 views... Thank you.
Thanks to all who in the past three months have viewed or contributed to this thread, including a large amount of 'guests' i might add, but you are all welcome. I never for one minute imagined there would be so much interest in these two largely forgotten types.
And if anyone has any associated and unwanted parts, photos, log books or ephemera etc then please please get in touch, using the email address below.
Lets save what we can now!
Anyway, i thought i would end the year with a copy of a letter i received in 1991 from former Westland chief test pilot Harald Penrose OBE, advising me that i would "find it impossible to collect sufficient Wyvern bits for a replica". I think the great man was probably right, but over twenty years later and possibly due to blind stupidity, eccentric optimism or just a stubborn determination not to give up, we are still persevering and still collecting!
Anyway, another year beckons, and for those interested i'll be adding more updates in 2013.
Rob
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 6th January 2013 at 15:45 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern and Sturgeon
The Wyvern relevant collection of instruments continues to slowly grow, although some of which are proving quite hard to find. Shown here are the correct VHF radio control, oxygen regulator, nos switches and one of the three Simmonds fuel contents gauges. I'm still looking for the other two; 6A/3052 and 6A/3051
I've also made a little progress on the Sturgeon's P11 compass mount, although it has yet to be cut to shape. This will help give an approximate guide to the length and width of the left side main control panel.
Hmm, i wonder what the chances are of finding an original throttle box :rolleyes:.
Rob
Posts: 1,404
By: hindenburg - 6th January 2013 at 17:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Project coming together nicely Rob..really interesting thread !!
Posts: 301
By: No.2 A.A.C.U. - 6th January 2013 at 19:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Great work Rob - really looking forward to seeing the Sturgeon develop over the coming months
Regards,
Tim
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 6th January 2013 at 19:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Cheers Martin. Probably like yourself even a little progress helps keep the enthusiasm going :)
Rob
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 6th January 2013 at 20:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks Tim. Despite it being an extremely rare type like your Martinet i'm still confident that there's parts out there for the Sturgeon. Just a question of tracking them down. Well done on your recent success by the way.
Rob
Posts: 526
By: Versuch - 8th January 2013 at 05:24 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Rob its amazing what does turn up, it will happen, just a matter of when,
in my experience. It will look superb.
Good Luck.
Cheers Mike
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 8th January 2013 at 13:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks Mike. Not sure what we would find Sturgeon wise in Australia though.
But any chance of you smuggling one of those two AS Python engines that are in Oz back to me in England :D
Rob
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 8th March 2013 at 17:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern
After a trip to Newark last weekend i managed to add a couple of bits to the ejector seat, namely a working height adjustment handle and an early face screen with firing handle (thanks Naylan).
The nylon handle itself should be the slightly earlier red one for the Mk.1B instead of black and yellow, so if anyone has a spare red one i'd be interested.
Also a trip further south secured this very tidy early seat rail dated 1954.
Rob
Posts: 252
By: Jasonp51d - 8th March 2013 at 18:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Excellent finds - well done on tracking them down.
At this rate those Apaches really will be coming for you:D
Cheers
J
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 8th March 2013 at 21:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Cheers J. Its funny how items from a certain area of the airframe seem to turn up almost at the same time, but in different parts of the country :).
Rob
Posts: 7,029
By: trumper - 9th March 2013 at 05:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
:D You're getting there Rob,slowly but surely :)
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 9th March 2013 at 08:20 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes indeed Gary - very slowly :D. Patience is the key with these rare types, just as others have discovered with the Hornet, Stirlings, Whitley, Martinet, Vampire FB.5 etc projects.
Rob
Posts: 6,000
By: Wyvernfan - 12th March 2013 at 17:20 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wyvern
Corner section from the later flat type one-piece windscreen that was introduced circa 1956 and came equipped with a wiper. A 'P' clip still fixed on the reverse was for the wiring to the E2A standby compass.
Rob
Posts: 1,404
By: hindenburg - 12th March 2013 at 17:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Nice Rob.where did you find that ????
Posts: 301
By: No.2 A.A.C.U. - 12th March 2013 at 21:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi Rob,
Thats a nice find and in good condition, was it picked up at the time of the accident?
Regards,
Tim