By: Peter
- 25th January 2004 at 15:41Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
front turett
682al,
do you have drawings of or know of a spare turret base for the fn5? we have substantial remains of a front turett sans the mountin base and would love to repair this and restore it using a base or havine a new one made.
New
Posts: 308
By: warbirdUK
- 25th January 2004 at 17:58Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Originally posted by Troy Tempest With the ongoing problem of cockpit instruments giving off radiation in museums it was probably a smart move not to try and import a radioactive Swift
I have to laugh at this, there is probably about the same amount of radiation in your wrist watch's luminous markings as there is in the instruments of a warbird!
Cheers.................
By: Ant.H
- 25th January 2004 at 20:33Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
" have to laugh at this, there is probably about the same amount of radiation in your wrist watch's luminous markings as there is in the instruments of a warbird!
Cheers................."
Well you may well be right Warbird,but browsing through the channels the other week I watched a bit of the Antiques Roadshow,and they set aside about 5 minutes of that programme describing the dangerous nature of the luminous Radium dials on old watches,so they obviously feel that even that small amount is potentially harmful.
By: Relightflynn9
- 25th January 2004 at 20:46Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Radiation issues
To get the most informative idea on the potential harmful effects of radiation, in the theatre we are in , the forum on International Cockpit Club has a thread under 'Information Requests' which has some very informative links on the subject.
New
Posts: 26
By: Troy Tempest
- 25th January 2004 at 21:22Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes.. unfortunately this is a very real issue for the museum fraternity and a lot of resources are being put into solving the problem. When you have the likes of the HSE looking at this and possibly acting on any findings, it pays to be careful. Whilst my comment on importing radioactive Swifts was definately tongue in cheek, the concern about cockpit instruments is a very real issue.
New
Posts: 7,755
By: Flood
- 25th January 2004 at 22:40Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Originally posted by Merlin3945 Flood,
I would agree with that one. I talked to a 603 (City of Edinburgh) pilot about 3 years ago. A long conversation as I remember missed quite a few aircraft going by but it was worth it. People are better than planes anyday. Anyhow he told me of flying his spit to the back of a carrier off Scotland and then getting ferried back to the coast to do it all over again. The aircraft were lend lease and needed to be off british soil or Britain would be liable for the cost or something like that so he was there to see them pushed of the side of the carrier.
Hmm… One of a fairly rare breed then – an RAF pilot with the experience of landing on an aircraft carrier?
Spitfires could not land on carriers without a few modifications, so I imagine your chap was actually landing Seafires. But this would be coupled to the mention of being off British soil – American-built lend-lease aircraft certainly, but Seafires/Spitfires?
Have to agree with you that you get a better standard of conversation talking to people than aeroplanes…;)
By: Melvyn Hiscock
- 25th January 2004 at 23:10Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Re: SPITFIRES & SWIFTS
Originally posted by Robbie
If they do exist - and I think we are talking about quite a lot - according to the rumours!! !
Yes, loads and loads of rumours and nothing substantial recovered. That is my point. If something was to substantiate just one of these big cache rumours then it would get interesting, but a very, very small percentage of what has been rumoured is ever likely to emerge.
By: Ant.H
- 26th January 2004 at 00:06Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
On the subject of Spitfires landing on carriers,there were a relatively small number of Mk.V's which were fitted with arrester hooks,but didn't have the folding wings.They were used by the FAA to train future Seafire pilots.
One of these,BL628,survives today in Australia and is currently under restoration to airworthy condition in stock Mk.V configuration.
New
Posts: 7,755
By: Flood
- 26th January 2004 at 00:55Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes (see the 'with modifications' bit in my last post) - but that was not what I was referring to...
None of them were used by 603 Sqn at the end of the war!
By: Merlin3945
- 28th January 2004 at 00:05Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Originally posted by Flood Yes (see the 'with modifications' bit in my last post) - but that was not what I was referring to...
None of them were used by 603 Sqn at the end of the war!
Flood.
Hi Flood,
Just retelling the story exactly as I was told.
And as far as I am to believe lend / lease applied to aircraft made with American money / materials or am I wrong.
New
Posts: 7,755
By: Flood
- 28th January 2004 at 01:09Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sorry - my last post was directed at Ant.
As to American supplied money - I don't know. Would we have made Spitfires/Seafires using American money - or would they have preferred that we bought/used their products instead? Not heard of any RAF bombers being broken up immediately at the end of the war - they seemed to go into store for a few years before being scrapped, as did quite a few of the early war Spits that served in OTUs upto 1945.
Interesting thought...
Anyway, the idea of a store of near perfect aircraft, forgotten about for 60-odd years is just another Holy Grail - something so perfect it is unattainable. Be happy with the dregs from crash sites and the bottom of undeveloped scrap-yards: they are the best you can hope for now!
By: skypilot62
- 28th January 2004 at 02:01Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Holy Grail indeed but remember all that German kit found in the states a few years ago - props etc. plus Glacier Girl etc. Small percentage I know but... always worth checking such a story out just in case!
New
Posts: 104
By: gaz west
- 28th January 2004 at 18:46Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just want to weigh in here and say that is the first time in thirty years of quietly looking into these stories that I have ever seen a photo of whole aircraft disposed of in a pit. Remarkable if genuine, and no reason to suppose it's not.
Posts: 10,167
By: Peter - 25th January 2004 at 15:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
front turett
682al,
do you have drawings of or know of a spare turret base for the fn5? we have substantial remains of a front turett sans the mountin base and would love to repair this and restore it using a base or havine a new one made.
Posts: 308
By: warbirdUK - 25th January 2004 at 17:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I have to laugh at this, there is probably about the same amount of radiation in your wrist watch's luminous markings as there is in the instruments of a warbird!
Cheers.................
Posts: 3,000
By: Ant.H - 25th January 2004 at 20:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
" have to laugh at this, there is probably about the same amount of radiation in your wrist watch's luminous markings as there is in the instruments of a warbird!
Cheers................."
Well you may well be right Warbird,but browsing through the channels the other week I watched a bit of the Antiques Roadshow,and they set aside about 5 minutes of that programme describing the dangerous nature of the luminous Radium dials on old watches,so they obviously feel that even that small amount is potentially harmful.
Posts: 333
By: Relightflynn9 - 25th January 2004 at 20:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Radiation issues
To get the most informative idea on the potential harmful effects of radiation, in the theatre we are in , the forum on International Cockpit Club has a thread under 'Information Requests' which has some very informative links on the subject.
Posts: 26
By: Troy Tempest - 25th January 2004 at 21:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes.. unfortunately this is a very real issue for the museum fraternity and a lot of resources are being put into solving the problem. When you have the likes of the HSE looking at this and possibly acting on any findings, it pays to be careful. Whilst my comment on importing radioactive Swifts was definately tongue in cheek, the concern about cockpit instruments is a very real issue.
Posts: 7,755
By: Flood - 25th January 2004 at 22:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hmm… One of a fairly rare breed then – an RAF pilot with the experience of landing on an aircraft carrier?Spitfires could not land on carriers without a few modifications, so I imagine your chap was actually landing Seafires. But this would be coupled to the mention of being off British soil – American-built lend-lease aircraft certainly, but Seafires/Spitfires?
Have to agree with you that you get a better standard of conversation talking to people than aeroplanes…;)
Flood.
Posts: 2,764
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 25th January 2004 at 23:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Re: SPITFIRES & SWIFTS
Yes, loads and loads of rumours and nothing substantial recovered. That is my point. If something was to substantiate just one of these big cache rumours then it would get interesting, but a very, very small percentage of what has been rumoured is ever likely to emerge.
MH
Posts: 3,000
By: Ant.H - 26th January 2004 at 00:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
On the subject of Spitfires landing on carriers,there were a relatively small number of Mk.V's which were fitted with arrester hooks,but didn't have the folding wings.They were used by the FAA to train future Seafire pilots.
One of these,BL628,survives today in Australia and is currently under restoration to airworthy condition in stock Mk.V configuration.
Posts: 7,755
By: Flood - 26th January 2004 at 00:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes (see the 'with modifications' bit in my last post) - but that was not what I was referring to...
None of them were used by 603 Sqn at the end of the war!
Flood.
Posts: 1,389
By: Merlin3945 - 28th January 2004 at 00:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi Flood,
Just retelling the story exactly as I was told.
And as far as I am to believe lend / lease applied to aircraft made with American money / materials or am I wrong.
Posts: 7,755
By: Flood - 28th January 2004 at 01:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sorry - my last post was directed at Ant.
As to American supplied money - I don't know. Would we have made Spitfires/Seafires using American money - or would they have preferred that we bought/used their products instead? Not heard of any RAF bombers being broken up immediately at the end of the war - they seemed to go into store for a few years before being scrapped, as did quite a few of the early war Spits that served in OTUs upto 1945.
Interesting thought...
Anyway, the idea of a store of near perfect aircraft, forgotten about for 60-odd years is just another Holy Grail - something so perfect it is unattainable. Be happy with the dregs from crash sites and the bottom of undeveloped scrap-yards: they are the best you can hope for now!
Flood.
Posts: 532
By: skypilot62 - 28th January 2004 at 02:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Holy Grail indeed but remember all that German kit found in the states a few years ago - props etc. plus Glacier Girl etc. Small percentage I know but... always worth checking such a story out just in case!
Posts: 104
By: gaz west - 28th January 2004 at 18:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
found this while surfing
http://home.st.net.au/%7Edunn/quarry.htm
Posts: 532
By: skypilot62 - 28th January 2004 at 19:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
good grief!!!
How come this has never been followed up on?
Posts: 2,890
By: dhfan - 29th January 2004 at 01:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I read that website a year or two back and, IIRC, the powers-that-be suddenly put a block on any further ferreting around.
Posts: 7,755
By: Flood - 29th January 2004 at 02:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yeah - seem to recall that people died or something trying to check it out.
Flood.
Posts: 1,908
By: mark_pilkington - 14th March 2019 at 11:26 Permalink
OK - I will collect on that bet - there you go, real proof of some Supermarine Swifts being buried in a hole in Woomera South Australia
smiles
Mark Pilkington
Posts: 16,832
By: Moggy C - 14th March 2019 at 12:09 Permalink
Yay! Brilliant!
Actual evidence for once.
or is it photopshop? :)
Moggy
Posts: 3,447
By: Beermat - 14th March 2019 at 12:41 Permalink
Just want to weigh in here and say that is the first time in thirty years of quietly looking into these stories that I have ever seen a photo of whole aircraft disposed of in a pit. Remarkable if genuine, and no reason to suppose it's not.
Posts: 2,598
By: paulmcmillan - 14th March 2019 at 12:51 Permalink
They were used in on the the Nuclear tests in Oz to determine the impact of explosion on airframes etc