Thompson refueler!

[John Hill]

The latest addition to our aviation museum, one Thompson Brothers refueler c1948. The motor runs and it does move under it's own power!

Does anyone have any experience of these?

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3777/9283072700_9397e1b24f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/25239206@N06/9283072700/)
Thompson refueler (http://www.flickr.com/photos/25239206@N06/9283072700/) by aardvark_akubra (http://www.flickr.com/people/25239206@N06/), on Flickr

[sycamore]

`John the Fuel` at `The Squadron,`North Weald would know all about it.....

[Rosevidney1]

A thing of beauty is a joy forever!;)

[John Hill]

Sycamore, how would one contact John?

Thanks

[Airclues]

Brooklands Museum have a 1937 Thompson Refueler;

Brooklands Museum (http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/index.php?/explore/aviation-related-vehicles/)

[sycamore]

JH,,google `Northwealdflying services`,as a short answer for phone/email...

[John Hill]

Thanks, I have sent an email..

[Wander00]

Elstree in the 60s, and I am pretty sure a "suck" not "blow" version was used as a honey wagon at a holiday camp we stayed at on the East Coast late 50s/early 60s

[India Four Two]

our aviation museumJohn Hill is being overly modest in not advertising "his" museum!

It's the wonderful Ashburton Aviation Museum, south of Christchurch, NZ:

Home - Ashburton Aviation Museum - Ashburton Aviation Museum (http://www.aviationmuseum.co.nz/cms/index.php)

I visited the museum last year on my way down to Omarama. Due to a communications mixup, I didn't meet John but I met several of his colleagues who very kindly showed me around some of the restoration areas, after I had looked at all the great aircraft on display.

However, the most impressive and totally unexpected exhibit in the museum was what confronted me when I walked into the first hangar:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/india42/IMG_0137_Harrier_800_zpse6b03805.jpg

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

Thought you might like this old slide of Indian "Connie" and refueler at Hong Kong in the 1950s
I had to work hard with my Nikon 5000ED scanner together with photoshop to get this result.

The original slide is a very faded shade of red , but after a lot of work I was able to restore it and was quite pleased with the result.

It very much reminds me of the old Shell "Ads" in the 1950s Flight and Aeroplane magazines , very nostalgic .
(Please note I request strict copyright on this image)


http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/phredd10/Hong%20Kong%20in%20the%2050/Scan-130209-0004_filteredcopy2_zps621e1a6c.jpg (http://s611.photobucket.com/user/phredd10/media/Hong%20Kong%20in%20the%2050/Scan-130209-0004_filteredcopy2_zps621e1a6c.jpg.html)

OPF

[John Hill]

What a fabulous photo of a Thompson refueler in it's natural habitat!

Can we use that in our display?

Thanks
John

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

John.
See my pm to you regarding using my Slide in your display.

OPF

[avionic type]

They were used for oil replenishment not petrol at LHR in the 40s and 50s, oil tanks on piston engines were large in those days they needed them as they threw and burnt oil around in large quantities

[Nimman]

There is a Thompson Mobile Refuelling Unit at the Bull Creek Museum, Perth WA, built in 1938 by the Thompson Brothers (Bilston), Staffordshire, England.
Has a 4 cylinder 10 HP engine and 2 x 250 gallon tanks with a refuel rate of 18 galls per min. Marked up as 'Shell Aviation Service'. Have a picture somewhere but can't find at the moment.

[Four Wings]

When I've learned how to do it I'll try posting a few photos from 1960/61 when on occasion I drove a Shell Tweed (refuelling DC3s), and operated Shell hydrant fuellers at Accra (C130s on the Congo airlift) and Lungi (MEA Comet). Then there is fuelling a Dragon Rapide of Sierra Leone Airways at Bo, but the photo I never took and I've kicked myself ever since is fuelling a Dragon Rapide at Kenema, hand pump from a 44 gal drum, through a very large funnel with a super size chamois leather as suspended water filter.