By: Mahone
- 11th February 2013 at 18:05Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Nice bit of airtime for the proejct
Slightly alarmed to hear her mention that Donald Campbell & Bluebird crashed in 1921 though. Guess that's what you get for letting a new born baby drive a jet powered boat...
By: wizardofthenorth
- 11th February 2013 at 19:59Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
While certainly time consuming, I really like this type of work, the extra effort to restoring/rebuilding using only original components as much as possible.
Not every restoration has to be flying.
Nice work.
This took two of us about a month to build...it's a conglomeration of original and new build parts BUT! the newly made parts are made from...scrap Barracuda! Yup, see all those rib booms for example? They are made to the correct section from the original Fairey drawings from tattered old bits of Barracuda skinning etc, making the elevator 100% original Barracuda material...nifty huh?
By: Bluebird Mike
- 12th February 2013 at 15:22Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks chaps...still early days yet and there's still a certain 26 foot blue boat to finish, but there's a steady bit of Barra work ongoing too- there's a pretty much finished full-span tailplane spar now too, again 100% Barracuda. It's a big old beast, too!
By: BluebirdBill
- 3rd April 2013 at 23:56Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Pics
This thread opened with a request for pics of our Barra' coming out of the loch - we now have some. If you look at the history section of Barracudaproject.com there's a few on there. The site isn't quite live yet but it won't be long.
By: wl745
- 4th April 2013 at 04:56Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
While you are on the Barracuda theme,I saw when I was 13/14 years old (1955)about four aircraft circle RAF Hednesford ,I was about a mile and a half away.My firend and I thought they were Fairey Battles but later found out this was impossible so we then thought Barracuda,possibly from Fradley near Lichfield?Is this possible?
By: Bluebird Mike
- 25th May 2013 at 18:48Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just to let everyone know, our little site for the Barracuda Project is good to go now with it's first rebuild diary entry and a little bit of history on the type and our particular aircraft, including photos of the wreckage recovery in 1971. We have a guestbook there and an option to subscribe to our updates. It's early days yet but you can find it here-
By: Paul Holtom
- 25th May 2013 at 21:36Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for posting your link to the Barra site Mike. The photos of the recovery are very interesting.
I seen the wreck just after it was recovered from the small lake where it had rested for 27 years. I was 13 at the time.
The primary school I previously attended was adjacent to the crash site. In the sixties stories of the wreck and the dead airmen still buried with their aircraft circulated around the school. Perhaps this is what makes the restoration of this aircraft so fascinating for me.
By: BluebirdBill
- 26th May 2013 at 01:46Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Amazing work you guys do!
Thanks for that. We have a great team and the Barra' build is really interesting. We're well on with putting the tailplane back together now so there'll be some more stuff on the diary soon.
By: BluebirdBill
- 27th May 2013 at 00:04Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks guys. Site suggestions/feedback, guestbook entries and even actual volunteers are all welcome.
Yes - we especially like volunteers. We get lots of folk who come and do a day here and there with the BBP and there's plenty to do on the Barra' Project too so if you fancy a Friday evening in the bar with the crew followed by a Saturday of tin-bashing (or any other time in between) give us a shout and we'll be delighted to meet you.
Posts: 409
By: mantog - 13th December 2012 at 23:38 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Looking good Mike, thanks for the update
Posts: 9,780
By: David Burke - 14th December 2012 at 00:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
So refreshing to see effort being put into recreating an 'extinct' type !
Posts: 2,835
By: Whitley_Project - 14th December 2012 at 06:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Lovely work Mike!
Posts: 5,999
By: Wyvernfan - 14th December 2012 at 08:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What an excellent start, and an excellent idea to help keep it original as much as possible.
Rob
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 14th December 2012 at 22:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for the encouraging feedback everyone, hopefully we'll have more to show you as time goes on.
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 11th February 2013 at 17:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Some media coverage of our fledgling Barracuda Project complete with some in-workshop video-
http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/55942
Posts: 218
By: Mahone - 11th February 2013 at 18:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Nice bit of airtime for the proejct
Slightly alarmed to hear her mention that Donald Campbell & Bluebird crashed in 1921 though. Guess that's what you get for letting a new born baby drive a jet powered boat...
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 11th February 2013 at 18:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Quite. The journo lass wasn't that old herself...guess these things happen.
Posts: 79
By: wizardofthenorth - 11th February 2013 at 19:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
While certainly time consuming, I really like this type of work, the extra effort to restoring/rebuilding using only original components as much as possible.
Not every restoration has to be flying.
Nice work.
Posts: 151
By: Andy Wright - 11th February 2013 at 22:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Fine, fine work, Mike (and team). Really looking forward to following this project.
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 12th February 2013 at 15:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks chaps...still early days yet and there's still a certain 26 foot blue boat to finish, but there's a steady bit of Barra work ongoing too- there's a pretty much finished full-span tailplane spar now too, again 100% Barracuda. It's a big old beast, too!
Posts: 164
By: BluebirdBill - 3rd April 2013 at 23:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Pics
This thread opened with a request for pics of our Barra' coming out of the loch - we now have some. If you look at the history section of Barracudaproject.com there's a few on there. The site isn't quite live yet but it won't be long.
Posts: 564
By: wl745 - 4th April 2013 at 04:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
While you are on the Barracuda theme,I saw when I was 13/14 years old (1955)about four aircraft circle RAF Hednesford ,I was about a mile and a half away.My firend and I thought they were Fairey Battles but later found out this was impossible so we then thought Barracuda,possibly from Fradley near Lichfield?Is this possible?
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 25th May 2013 at 18:48 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just to let everyone know, our little site for the Barracuda Project is good to go now with it's first rebuild diary entry and a little bit of history on the type and our particular aircraft, including photos of the wreckage recovery in 1971. We have a guestbook there and an option to subscribe to our updates. It's early days yet but you can find it here-
http://www.barracudaproject.co.uk/
Posts: 136
By: Paul Holtom - 25th May 2013 at 21:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for posting your link to the Barra site Mike. The photos of the recovery are very interesting.
I seen the wreck just after it was recovered from the small lake where it had rested for 27 years. I was 13 at the time.
The primary school I previously attended was adjacent to the crash site. In the sixties stories of the wreck and the dead airmen still buried with their aircraft circulated around the school. Perhaps this is what makes the restoration of this aircraft so fascinating for me.
Posts: 2,245
By: Fouga23 - 26th May 2013 at 01:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Amazing work you guys do!
Posts: 164
By: BluebirdBill - 26th May 2013 at 01:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for that. We have a great team and the Barra' build is really interesting. We're well on with putting the tailplane back together now so there'll be some more stuff on the diary soon.
Posts: 2,172
By: CeBro - 26th May 2013 at 12:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I fully agree, very interesting to read how your team approaches this task.
Amazing sight to see the canopy intact during the recovery.
Great site,
Cees
Posts: 2,446
By: Bluebird Mike - 26th May 2013 at 18:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks guys. Site suggestions/feedback, guestbook entries and even actual volunteers are all welcome.
Posts: 164
By: BluebirdBill - 27th May 2013 at 00:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes - we especially like volunteers. We get lots of folk who come and do a day here and there with the BBP and there's plenty to do on the Barra' Project too so if you fancy a Friday evening in the bar with the crew followed by a Saturday of tin-bashing (or any other time in between) give us a shout and we'll be delighted to meet you.