I should perhaps clarify my previous post. Knowing what the CAA now know about Military Airworthiness maintenance, I doubt very much if they would accept an ex-military fleet onto their register anyway. My suggestion for civilian registration was for a civilian fleet, whether new or existing. It sounds as if that is unlikely, so back to square one.
A&C, the serviceability of these aircraft may or may not be in question. I don't know. What is in question is their airworthiness, simply because all UK Military Airworthiness is in question, quite apart from any fleet specific airworthiness issues. In that regard the MAA is part of the problem, as is the Haddon-Cave Report which is its foundation. His "Golden Period" was anything but, because as we see in the letter references in my reply to John Purdey the attack on airworthiness can be dated back to 1987. By not admitting to that it has a foundation laid on sand. Why? Simply to protect those responsible at the cost of future airworthiness.
Engines, with respect (and that is sincerely meant), the review you speak of should be one of UK Military Airworthiness as a whole rather than of just one fleet alone. That needs to be done completely independently, and there is the rub, as you so rightly say. The way these things go (thinking of Chilcot) it would be cheaper to buy a brand new civilian glider fleet for the ACO and job done (if only)! Back to para 1?
POBJOY Many thanks for light relief. I guess it must have been 1957, and very occasionally we had to suspend operations while DH launched (usually a Sea Vixen) on the paved runway (build date unknown). I guess it was because we operated weekends that there were not many such interruptions. The factory was indeed still there, but its days of aircraft manufacture were all but over. It became a wallpaper factory (Shand-Kydd?), before being levelled as part of the housing/industrial estate that now covers the whole area. DeHavilland Way and Airfield Way are but two roads that give hints of previous occupation.