Whatever happened to 51 MU at Bicester?In my day,these were the guys responsible for delivering RAF Museum Exhibits?At least they were meant to do it without wrecking the Aeroplane concerned.Except perhaps the Ex Indian Liberator,that had been flown here!!That idiot who ran the RAF Museum,who had been last seen as a Librarian at Cranwell,ordered that No one would be able to fly it again,so 51 Mu chopped it at the Main Spar,and Transported it that way,although then,it would have been possible to fly it in ,a la Beverley-but thats now gone for ever!!That wrecking of the Liberator caused many problems later,when trying to get very rare spares from the Indian Air Force,they looked very sideways at the possiblilty of such are items being destroyed and gash rebiult to be looked upon by an unknowing public!!!There were in fact several UK based Pilots quite competent to fly the Liberator-Jeff Hawke,Don Bullock,Neil Williams,and Keith Sissons ,to name but a few from those days;If they wanted a serving officer,then Jacko Jackson,but loads of the old Ferry Pilots could have done it.Look at what Mike Collet gets in the Air,even if "Satan" has to get a go.There was an excuse from the said Ex Librarian,who stated that there were tyre problems that would makethe flight a safety problem!In fact Don Bullock arranged with the Boss of Mildenhall at the time,413 Tactical Air Wing Col Drogo,to have flown in to UK a complete set of Liberator Wheels and Tyres,courtesy of the Confederate Air Force.This was rejected by MR Tanner!!!!!The main Spar was duly chopped to get the Aeroplane on a Queen Mary.
Last edited by FAStoat; 16th Dec 2008 at 14:17.