Farnborough Avenger

[l.garey]

When I was in the Air Training Corps in the 1950s, a regular outing was to the SBAC show at Farnborough. Apart from the show itself, I enjoyed walking past the site of the ETPS and the other active units. There were always rare, prototype and abandoned aircraft of all sorts. I was sorting out some old photos recently and came across these 2 taken, I think, in September 1957. They show an apparently abandoned Grumman Avenger, but I have no record of a visible serial. From its modern style roundels it seems to perhaps be one of the late batch of AS4s used by the FAA from 1953 to 1955. Can anyone help identify it? Was anyone at Farnborough at that time, or did you have a record of it?
http://l.garey.googlepages.com/115sqdairtrainingcorps
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc39/apollo-fox/Avenger1-2.jpg
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc39/apollo-fox/Avenger2.jpg

[chevvron]

Fascinating; try contacting FAST on [email protected] or the website www.fasta.co.uk; they have access to the old RAE negative library.

[JW411]

I was born and brought up beside Prestwick airport. One of my great memories was the delivery of Grumman Avengers to Scottish Aviation at Prestwick for the FAA by road to plug the gap left by the late delivery of the Fairey Gannet.

They were delivered to the dockside near Glasgow by the US Navy and then towed down the road with their wings folded. I can well remember seeing them coming through the village covered in grease being towed in convoys.

They were all serialed XB296-332, XB355-404 and XB437-449.

However, I see from my spotters notes that Scottish Aviation also got an Avenger serialed KE461 which I seem to remember was a "pattern" aircraft.
The serial would suggest that it had been been left over since WWII and I just wonder if that might be the one you are looking for?

[l.garey]

Thanks Chevvron. For your information the new Fasta site is:
http://www.farnboroughairsciences.org.uk (http://www.farnboroughairsciences.org.uk)

I shall try them.

[lauriebe]

Looking at the photos, it seems that aircraft had been in that position for quite a time.

Looking through Ray Sturtivant's excellent 'Fleet Air Arm - Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946', a possible identity comes to light. This is Avenger III, KE436.

This airframe is listed as one of two which was used for various tests at RAE. The other was KE446, which was disposed of at AHU Abbotsinch in September 1955.

The history for KE436 is:

Taken on charge RN Roosevelt Field 16-7-45
Shipped to UK
Lockheed Renfrew 28-8-45 (actually at Prestwick 13-8-45)
Blackburn 7-6-46
RNAMY Belfast 28-6-46 (long term storage)
'A' Flt RAE 2-5-47
To CS(A) charge at RAE 28-11-47
Blackburn Brough to NAD Flt RAE 14-7-50 (arresting & catapulting)
Detd Turnhouse 31-3-51 to 2-4-51
Detd Manby 24/25-6-52
Detd Ford 5/6-11-52
RATOG tests 11 & 16-4-51
Reduced to produce for KE446 at RAE 8-6-53 (engine removed 5.2.54)

Can't find any other possibilities at the moment.

Have also posted this info on your request on the 'FlyPast' board.

[l.garey]

Thanks. That looks like it might be it. "Engine removed in 1954" would fit.