View Full Version : Hanagr Fire, Northern Ireland 1980s?
Fournier Boy
27th Feb 2007, 13:27
Bit of a long shot this, but does anyone know anything about the above? I believe it destroyed a number of GA types and damaged at least one Piper (J3/L4) cub. This cub then went on to auction and since has ended up in southern Ireland. Any idea of identity or links to related articles would help - anything!
I know this is a bit random, with not much info, but we've all got to start somewhere.
Rgds
FB
Fournier Boy
27th Feb 2007, 13:30
Apologies for they typo, obviously I mean HANGAR FIRE...
FB
jabberwok
28th Feb 2007, 00:08
I can't recall a hangar fire but I remember that Newtownards airfield was flooded around that time when the sea wall breached. Lots of aircraft were partly submerged and many written off - but some were salvaged and eventually flew again.
There was a Hangar burnt down at Mullaghmore (Aghadowey) Co. Londonderry about 1987. A number of a/c were turned to ash with nothing usuable left.
One of these was a J3 Cub.
Fournier Boy
2nd Mar 2007, 16:34
That'll be the one most probably, however I can't find any further records on the internet. Were you there, did you have an aircraft there. I'm desparate to find the identity of that particular Piper cub. I believe it to be either s/n 11789,11798,11897, or 11978. Some how at least the fuelage and spars survived as they've turned up in barn in southern Ireland.
Help!!
Fournier Boy
2nd Mar 2007, 23:50
737 - You are a hero!....or heroine, not quite sure. My total and utter thanks.
Rgds
FB
Fournier Boy
3rd Mar 2007, 08:55
Except that I've now found that the particular aeroplane you mention has since seemed to have been rebuilt and now exists as EI-CPP. However at about the sametime, G-BHZA s/n 11883 that also was in Co.Londonderry seems to dissappear. Any ideas anybody
I was not at the fire but saw what was left the following day. The wing spars of the cub did not survive there was nothing left but molten metal.
From my logbook the aircraft were:
G-AZMA Jodel D 140
G-AHHN Auster Autocrat
Possibly G-BHZA J3 Cub, as it was based there for a short period and Robin Warwick lost a Cub in this fire and G-BHZA was registered to him.
If there are Cub parts in Southern Ireland they could not have come from this hanger fire.
Cutting from Flight Magazine April 1987
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/Picture001.jpg?t=1242506989 (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/Picture001.jpg?t=1242506989)
I started thinking about this thread again as the mention of an auction with the parts from a Cub being bought at it did not agree with the events as I remember.
Recently I found some photographs of the fire-damaged hangar and aircraft, which I took the day after the fire.
Looking closely at the photograph below the fire damaged starboard main spar can be seen quite clearly. The port main spar had completely disintegrated.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/fire006.jpg?t=1242507176 (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/fire006.jpg?t=1242507176)
During a short break in Northern Ireland recently I contacted the brother of the last registered owner of the aircraft that was destroyed in the fire and he confirmed my recollections of the event.
He confirms that the Cub destroyed in the fire was G-BHZA/11883 which himself and his brother had rebuilt as in the following photo.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/G-BHZAafterrestoration02.jpg?t=1242507331 (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/G-BHZAafterrestoration02.jpg?t=1242507331)
There was no auction after the event as there was nothing left of any use.
The fuselage and tailplane were removed by the owner and are still stored on the family property.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/june08039.jpg?t=1242507486 (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/june08039.jpg?t=1242507486)
The logbooks are also with the family.
http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/Log01.jpg?t=1242507638 (http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/ww40/gaseb/Log01.jpg?t=1242507638)
Whatever aircraft or parts of aircraft appeared in the South of Ireland remains a mystery but it was definitely not G-BHZA/11883 or parts from it!
I would be interested in finding out who bought the purported parts from this fire and at what auction.
I Have sent you a PM about the above
Regards