Originally Posted by
VX275
The one difference from the other Barges Mrs Heppell had was a shorter mainwheel box. You only noticed this when lifting the tail to stop the tailskid wearing out when crossing tarmac, you couldn't lift 275's tail as high as the others without the nose skid grounding. That and the fact that she had a presentation plaque on the cockpit bulkhead.
Had a stencil either side of the nose in the days I flew her.
I managed to rip the mainskid off (ground looped) so the bit above about the mainwheel explains that because I certainly didn't try to ground the mainskid for braking.