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By: - 13th October 2004 at 22:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Do you know where they all went then?
By: - 14th October 2004 at 01:23 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
hmm....
Makes one wonder what happened to this lot?
By: - 14th October 2004 at 01:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Until very recently the Bolingbroke sections were still stored outdoors on the Hamilton Airport grounds. I understand that they have now been moved to a private collector in Ontario, for storage.
By: - 14th October 2004 at 09:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Think the id's in the photos are 9889(?), 9949 and 9937... but there are wing sections for a further two...
Just nosed on the warbird registry and it states all destroyed in hangar fire in 1993... Can anyone clarify this?
By: - 14th October 2004 at 14:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
CWH Bolingbrokes
Although some sources say that Bolingbrokes were destroyed in the 1993, I was informed from CWH that that all survived, as they were elsewhere at the time (presumably outside, in the same place as in the photos). Eight Bolingbrokes have been quoted as coming to Hamilton - 9889, 9937, 9949, 9981, 9989, 10040, 10117, 10184. I count six centre wing sections and six rear fuselages in the photos, the other two may have consisted of smaller parts, or they may have been inside when the photos were taken.
CWH are building one complete Bolingbroke (as covered in this months Flypast), which is an amalgam of the forward fuselage of 10040 and rear fuselage of 10117. In the mid-1990s CWH swapped some Boly sections for a Vampire with AMPAA Melun-Villaroche, France. Currently there are the rear fuselages of 10184 and 10040, plus two unidentified noses and other assorted sections. CWH also restored another unidentified nose, which is sometimes displayed at Hamilton.
As for the rest of the parts, I'm not sure where they are, I has presumed they were still in storage at Hamilton.
Andy A.
By: - 14th October 2004 at 14:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Last time I saw them it was 1998 and they were in a storage area near the fire dump on opposite side of the airfield to the museum ( cant be more specific than that as I was in a Harvard at the time).
By: - 14th October 2004 at 15:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
If I recall correctly, one Bolingbroke was under rebuild inside a Hangar, with a number of components scattered around it and on shelves - will dig out those slides, too, to veryfy that more than one airframe (or at least parts of) were inside.
I agree with FiltonFlyer, that in this compound we have the substantial remains of 6 aircraft.
Martin
By: - 14th October 2004 at 15:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
CWH are building one complete Bolingbroke (as covered in this months Flypast), which is an amalgam of the forward fuselage of 10040 and rear fuselage of 10117. CWH also restored another unidentified nose, which is sometimes displayed at Hamilton.
As for the rest of the parts, I'm not sure where they are, I has presumed they were still in storage at Hamilton.
The remainder of the airframes are in storage with Vince O'Connor. I guess the airport asked them to move the parts. Personally I’d love to see the CWH give one of the extra airframes to the RCAF Memorial Museum in Trenton for restoration and display.
You mention the restored nose section. Has anyone seen it recently. I don't think I've seen it at CWH for years.
Also, I have heard that they started restoring another airframe and then move to the current one. Any idea why?
Jim
By: - 14th October 2004 at 15:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Taken in May 2004 at Hamilton.
By: - 14th October 2004 at 20:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I've had a chance to dig around my old files/emails etc. The first restoration project was centred on 10040 (or at least the rear fuselage of 10040), but this was damaged at some point (possibly the fire in 1993?). The project then switched to 10117 (or at least the rear fuselage of 10117), so it could be that the original forward fuselage was replaced in the switch too. This could explain why there are two restored noses. The back end of 10040 is now in France. Given the Blenheims design, its very easy for fuselage and wing sections to be swapped around, which is a nightmare for us researchers, especially as I never found a clear cross reference for forward fuselage serial numbers (usually 11-880-xxx) to RCAF serials. Anyone help here?
Regarding the hangar fire in 1993, the CWH website itself states that six aircraft (but not Bolingbrokes) were destroyed in the fire, and "the Bolingbroke restoration area and shelves were subjected to considerable water and smoke during the fire but they had apparently escaped any serious damage."
The second restored Boly nose was seen around the Museum in 1995 and 1996 but not since. It was brown on top and black underneath.
Andy
By: - 14th October 2004 at 21:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
ok ...
Why dont they offer some of the extra "surplus to requirements" parts for sale to generate funds for the restoration?
By: - 15th October 2004 at 18:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Peter,
CWH was one of the organisations/museum I contacted when making enquiries about any available Bolingbroke cockpitsections (remember my plan to bring one to Holland for restoration?)
But I never got a reply back.
Cees
By: - 15th October 2004 at 19:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Boly parts
Cees,
Who did you contact there? Pm me the details if you want..
By: - 15th October 2004 at 19:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Okay folks
here are seven more shots from inside the hangar during my visit.....
Martin
By: - 16th October 2004 at 18:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Anyone wants a cockpitsection?
There are on sale (only joking of course) :)
Cheers
Cees
By: - 16th October 2004 at 18:39 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
would make sense
Cees.
It would make sense to generate funds and what better way then to sell surplus parts.
By: - 16th October 2004 at 19:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Totally agree,
This is a treasure trove, but on the other hand shows the situation regarding the Blenheim/Bolingbroke again. Full marks for Graham Warner and his team in giving more publicity to this very important and goodlooking aircraft. It really deserves it.
Cheers
Cees
By: - 18th October 2011 at 21:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Zombie thread of course...but I thought the forum might like to see the CWH Bolingbroke project in its present (as of this past June) state...This shot was taken on the weekend of the revived Hamilton airshow, for which the Boly and also the "new" TBM Avenger were rolled out for display. (Rolled way out, to the infield between the old and new main runways!)
The original intent with this project was to complete it as a Mk.IVW variant of 119 (Hamilton Tiger) Sqn RCAF; the IVWs were fitted with Pratt & Whitney R1535 Twin Wasp Junior engines. Subsequently the decision has been taken to complete the Boly as a standard Mk.IV with Bristol Mercuries. 119 Sqn operated both versions, so the markings will be the same except for serial number and code letter...BTW the brown-and-black cosmetically-refurbished nose section also resurfaced on the airshow weekend, on the purpose-built trailer it used to travel on for display, so it, too, remains at CWH. The aft fuselage of 10040 was found to be slightly warped early in the restoration process, that being why the section from 10117 was substituted, but for a museum rebuild 10040's fuselage would be fine. Most of the spares, as has been mentioned, went to Vince O'Connor near Uxbridge, Ontario, for storage.
S.
By: - 18th October 2011 at 23:38 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Excellent pic there Steve! She looks terrific!!
By: - 19th October 2011 at 21:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
BRAVO! to the Boly Crew!
Thanks for the thread, and the updates.
In at the beginning (1985), there were very few of us ... Wayne Ready, Doug Sayles and myself, along with two or three others, whose names escape me, after so many years passing.
I do recollect Sandy Thompson (now owner/operator of a Fouga and a TT Sea Fury) joining us in about '86 or '87.
If anyone wants me to post pictures of Boly parts from the Eighties, both at CWH, and in St. Andrews, MB - I can likely dig some up, and scan them in.
Seeing 10117 "up on her legs" is a wonderful thing. I wish CWH would get their website updated, however! :rolleyes:
Posts: 1,174
By: Swiss Mustangs - 13th October 2004 at 19:52
A few shots of the CWH Bolingbroke components in open storage photographed at Hamilton ONT on 31st August 1991. Found the slides while looking for entirely different material.... :D
Took also some great shots of the CWH Lancaster, F4U and TBM active that day (besides the CWH collection on display then)
Enjoy !
Martin