RAF Station Gate Guardians

[OutOfThisWorld]

Many RAF Stations have 'Gate Guards' - an aircraft sat on a concrete plinth sat overlooking the front gate. What is the history behind this tradition?

I was wondering whether there are any rules attached to the choice in aircraft, eg. Did the type have to have been flown from that Station? Could it be a current type? Or, is there a limit on the number of Gate Guardians allowed per Station?

[Blacksheep]

My guess is that it started with non-flying RAF Stations, to adverttise the RAF's presence to passing traffic.

RAF Uxbridge has a replica Spitfire at the gate, though no Spitfire ever managed to take off from its generously sized parade ground. I suppose it marks the fact that Uxbridge was Fighter Command's 11 Group HQ and Operations Room were there; there certainly never was a runway at Uxbridge.

When I was lodging at RAF Stanmore Park, they had a Gloster Javelin at the gate. As the station had no runway, it definitely didn't fly in.

Then there are the former flying stations that fly no more...

RAF Thornaby is long gone, but a "Gate Guardian" replica Spitfire adorns the middle of a roundabout in a shopping area that was once part of the site. As far as I am aware, although Spitfires did occasionall operate from Thornaby, it was not one of the types commonly flown from there - it was mostly a RAuxAF station engaged in Coastal Command work. (The last "RAF" unit there was 1261 Sqn ATC, of which I was once a member.)

[wz662]

When did the Navy start putting old ship's figureheads by the main gate of the dockyard and when did the Army start putting old artillery pieces on the edge of the parade square?
Earlier than the RAF started putting old aircraft on 'Gate Guard' I'd suggest.

[Satellite_Driver]

Another non-flying station with a gate guardian is RAF Brampton with its F-4. RAF Henlow has a Hunter; whilst Henlow does actually have a runway, it's made of grass.

When I was at RAF Staxton Wold in the early 90s the then CO briefly entertained ideas of asking for one of the F-4s then being retired to go on the gate. Whilst there would at least have been an AD connection I think the project foundered on the sheer amount of paperwork required.

One of my later jobs involved occasional visits to RAF Croughton, the USAF comms hub north of Oxford. Again, a non-flying site (although it was an operational airfield in WW2) it has an F-105 on the way in.

[The Helpful Stacker]

RAF Stafford had (has?) a Harrier GR3 and whilst it has an HLS for refuelling passing rotary assets it never had an airfield and RAF Locking had a Mossie, a Spit, a Gnat and I believe a Meteor at various times without an actual airfield on the camp, although during WW2 Mossies were built on site then taxied down the road to RNAS Flowerdown for onwards air movement.

[exscribbler]

Perhaps a Hunter might be more appropriate for RAF Thornaby? A Wapiti like those my Dad used to rig in 608 Sqn in the 1930s would be even better - but where would you get one?

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm250/exscribbler/1933608SquadronWapitiThornaby5a.jpg?t=1235949786

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm250/exscribbler/1933608SquadronWestlandWapitiIIAK11.jpg?t=1235949827

[foldingwings]

The Buccaneer at Honington, now the Rockape HQ, was officially designated by the then Staish:D as a war memorial to prevent its removal at a time when the engineering hierarchy (a:mad:oles) decided that gate guardians were too expensive to maintain and should all be removed. Many are now plastic because of that ground-pounder intervention about 15 years ago!

Foldie

[Lurking123]

West Drayton used to have a Lightning. School of Fighter Control?

[scarecrow450]

Eh London Air Traffic Control Centre ?

[spheroid]

A friend of mine tells me that Yeovilton has 2 gate guardians. A Sea Harrier and a Mk 8 Lynx. All was well until a couple of months ago a flying Lynx needed a spare part which was unobtainable through stores...... Gate Guardian to the rescue.

[Ali Barber]

Gate guardians have always been a useful source of spares. In Lightning days, I had a bit of brake pipe off the gate guard at Wattisham and a valve from the ventral tank off one of the decoys at Gutersloh. That was in the days when you could put out a tannoy for any ex-Lightning rigger to contact VASF and give him a challenge to gt you home!

[Dan Winterland]

Marham had a Vicor by the parade ground. It was the highest time airframe when it was put there, but as time moved on and the Victor service life was extended and extended yet again, it started to look like a young a sprightly thing compared to the aircraft on the flight line. Inevitably, the question of returning it to service was raised. But several buildings had been constructed over it's route into it's final resting place, so it became a source of spares and had an elevator missing for about a month once.

[Roadster280]

Christmas treeing a gate guardian is an expedient way to obtain spares, but what does the system have to say about this? I had been under the impression that aircraft spares are lifed and strictly controlled/inventoried. I can quite see that say a lamp lens really doesn't matter too much, but where is the line drawn? An elevator? Wouldn't that be subject to corrosion? Subject to a drunken ******** jumping up and down on it on his way back to the OM?

[AARON O'DICKYDIDO]

Officially, one per station I think. Due to expense of maintaining them in a safe condition.

[DavidK58]

As well as the F105 (G - WW) Croughton has an F100 (D). Both ex- Upper Heyford, and needing a home when UH closed.

[WE992]

Lyneham must win the contest for the least well maintained gate guard. Sadly the Comet looks like it has just been dragged off a scrapheap!

[Lurking123]

scarecrow450 Eh London Air Traffic Control Centre ?

Get some time in. ;)

[FlapJackMuncher]

AKT has 3, although none are actually at the Gate.

[Duchess_Driver]

RAF Boulmer had a Lightning till the late '80s and thence an F-4. No runway there either, but the School of Fighter Control.

[K.Whyjelly]

Hunter F Mk6 resides at Halton and certainly never operated from here.........
Hunter F Mk.6 XF527 Halton 23062007 D014-14 (http://www.aero-pics.co.uk/fighters/Hunter%20F%20Mk.6%20XF527%20Halton%2023062007%20D014-14.htm)

[Laarbruch72]

Halton also has a Hunter in a rather jaunty red/white/blue colour scheme. (Ex ETPS?)
There is (or was) also another F-4 at a unit that definitely never had any F-4s... Buchan.

Speaking of units that had several, I remember Wyton had 3 different marks of Canberra at one point, though they have been down to just one for many years now.

[Green Flash]

Benbecula has an F4! (Well, it certainly had a few years ago.) The connection is, one presumes, the bunker near the airfield, Kletteraval Head etc etc

[NUFC1892]

The worst one is definitely the Wessex at Aki; flat tyres & broken windows make it look like it belongs in Toxteth! Of course the Whirlwind and Lightning serve to remind the Army here that it is still actually an RAF Unit (alright, it's a PJOB but let's not let facts get in the way)

[The Helpful Stacker]

There is a Harrier gate guard at Chilwell army barracks for some reason. I don't believe its ever been an RAF unit let alone an airfield.

[spheroid]

There is a Harrier gate guard at Chilwell army barracks for some reason. I don't believe its ever been an RAF unit let alone an airfield

Therefore a Harrier would be the perfect choice as the Gate Guard

[Top Bunk Tester]

The first production Tornado GR1 (ZA319) is now the gate guardian of DSDA Bicester, which has no runway. Given that the the two closest airfields (RAF Bicester & RAF Weston-on-the-Green) have grass runways, I know that this aircraft has never been based here. I believe Crash n Smash installed this example about 5-6 years ago.

[Krystal n chips]

Sealand had a Spitfire for many years and then a Hunter...which vanished a few years ago sad to say.

[WE992]

Back to post 24. Chetwynd Barracks at Chillwell is the home of 529 STRE who provide the designers and project engineers for the infastructure used by the RAF on deployed operations, so perhaps the Harrier does have some relevance.

[kenparry]

Ref post #21: the Hunter F6 at Halton is ex Valley, hence the Flying Training paint scheme

[The Helpful Stacker]

WE992 - Ah, makes sense now.

I knew 516 and 517 STRE were at Chetwynd but I wasn't aware of any other teams.

Must say though the Harrier looks very tired.

[SirToppamHat]

School of Fighter Control at West Drayton closed in about 1991. ISTR the Lightning was there for that, but the WD link to FC goes back further. Linesman etc.

No Runway at Boulmer? Google Earth 55d24'41.5"N001d35'45" suggests otherwise, though it was closer to the coast than the current sites.

I also recall there being a rule that said only one per station and no current types. Of course Leuchars has a Tornado (F2?) and a Phantom.

STH

[ACW367]

RAF High Wycombe have a plastic Spitfire and a plastic Hurricane. I always thought this was odd choices when the Station is the historic home of Bomber Command and had no affiliation with these fighter aircraft.

Another Army Barracks with a jet is Imjin Barracks. The future NATO ARRC barracks was renamed in Nov 08 and is of course the former RAF Innsworth. The army have retained the Gloster Javelin gateguard when the RAF handed over the site, to honour the local history of this aircraft manufacturer.

[topgas]

Another non-RAF site with a jet is Defence Medical Services Training Centre at Keogh, Aldershot, which has a Hunter. I would like to post a picture, but MoD-plod threatened dire action under the Official Secrets Act if I persisted in taking one. Couldn't see how you'd get a stretcher in it, anyway:)

[Aeronut]

RAF Locking had a Folland Gnat which was so rottten it was a risk to the spaceys who had their photo taken under it when they came to visit for Summer Camp.

I recall it being wobbled so much by the little darlings that the rain filled cockpit left a wasp collection tide mark, high on the canopy.

It was auctioned off shortly after, about 1995. A large truck took her away after angle grinding the wing tips off. Made the local TV news.

Sad that the Stn had to lose its gate guard, but even more sad that funds or volunteers could not be found to preserve it. At least the buyer was proud of her and had plans to fix her up as a static display somewhere - I wonder what became of the old bird?

[Gerry Mobbs]

There is a Hunter at Waterbeach barracks and the type flew from there.

[Archimedes]

Aeronut, a quick Google suggests that the airframe was XM708 and that:

First, it went to the 'Trout Lake Air Force' private collection near Kings Langley, where it ended up in Red Arrows markings.

Then it was sold on to another private owner in Lytham St Annes (see here (http://www.demobbed.org.uk/image_display.php?otype=501&types=501&aircraft=19676).

While, finally, this (http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/mus/uk/brunt/brunt.htm) site seems to suggest (from the last updating date) that it subsequently moved on again to reside at Bruntingthorpe with the Cold War Jets collection, although that could be wrong

[Ogre]

Back in the 80s Lossiemouth had a Gannet left over from the Navy days and a Shackleton left over from.... well actualy they were still flying them and kept nicking parts of it to feed the fleet. They also had a Buccaneer S1 which ended up as part of the 30th anniversary 30 Buccaneer photo (along with every frame they could get out of ASF!).

[NP20]

During my blunt travels: Staff College Bracknell had a Hunter; Bentley Priory a Hurricane & a Spitfire. No airfield at either location, unless you count the Commandant's Garden at Bracknell...

[The Helpful Stacker]

Aeronut - The Gnat at RAF Locking was actually (according to some techie bod) in pretty good nick considering its years outside not too far from the sea. It was quite carefully removed with its short stick from the concrete plinth it was sat on, wings removed in an un-doing bolts manner rather than the angle grinder method and was removed from the site with the desire to return it to flight. I know all this as I was the humble SCAF stacker lumbered with the task of arranging all the above (in summer '96 if my beer hammered mind recalls correctly). I can't recall the name or the rank of the seemingly (to me at the time) right hand man of God officer I had to harass in the nicest possible way for a disposal signature but he was paid a damn sight more than me.

[Sideshow Bob]

The rules and maintenance policy used to be governed by a GAI, so I suppose it is now in a DIN. It used to be the responsibility of GEF to maintain them and they were registered as GSE, or they certainly were when I was working in GEF (may be some time ago). The reason the plastic ones came in being, was to minimise the cost (easier to just a maintain fibreglass shell and a couple of tyres) and also a certain company who refurbishes spitfires offered a sum of money for the old ones (so I was told at the time). This also explains why we never got the one at Staxton Wold. I remember at the time there was only JJ working in station MEF at the time and I don't think he was too keen on the extra work. Satellite_Driver, if your wondering, I was the JT MEF Heavy on the T91 throughout the 90's (the one with the flat top and big quiff).:ok:

[NutLoose]

I remember when the US Airforce went to move one of theirs, one of the team hopped into the cockpit and the seat went off killing him, it had never been disarmed, an urgent call went out to all Stations in the States and ours were checked also to ensure none of the Gate Guardians had live seats left in them.... I believe some more were found in the US.

Also I think the Spit that was on the gate at Coltishall many moons ago had a padlock fitted on the canopy after some one was found "sleeping it off" in the cockpit :D

foldingwings (http://www.pprune.org/members/81264-foldingwings)

Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NOTTINGHAM
Posts: 320


The Buccaneer at Honington, now the Rockape HQ, was officially designated by the then Staish:D as a war memorial to prevent its removal at a time when the engineering hierarchy (ahttp://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/censored.gifoles) decided that gate guardians were too expensive to maintain and should all be removed. Many are now plastic because of that ground-pounder intervention about 15 years ago!

Foldie


Far from that it was brought about by the amount of by now rare Spitfires and the likes being left to crumble on the gates..... I for one thought it was the best thing they did to bring them inside and down off their poles, so that they could be used as exchanges etc to bolster the RAF Museums fleet of rare and exotic RAF aircraft which otherwise would have been financially none viable. A plastic Spitfire conveys exactly the same sentiment and appearance without endangering a precious asset.

[ExRAFRadar]

Civvie airfield Shoreham on the south coast has a Tornado on the approach road.

Not sure if it is a plastic one, and maybe related to some sort of Eng firm down there I suppose.

[gravity victim]

A smart operator did a terrific deal with the RAF to provide the plastic Spits in exchange for the real (if tatty) things. Made a bomb selling on spares I believe.

[XV277]

Historic Flying IIRC - but it was just a few of the gate Spits in return for a lot of plastic Spits. Some of the ex-Gate guardian Spits were used in exchanges, a couple given to other museums (The mk 21 now in Glasgow Art gallery for example) and I beleive a couple may still be in storage.

[Krystal n chips]

A bit off topic, but in the late 70's, 17 at Bruggen had a Gannet in one of the revetments.....I suppose it was scrapped at some point unless anybody knows otherwise ?

[NutLoose]

:}Twas not there in the early 80's when I was there or I never saw it, just a bunch of dead frightnings cluttering up the place that they used to warm under with a blow torch every now and then to fool the Russian satellites........ NOT.

We had a Hunter outside 20 sqn carpark, but the less said about that Sqn the better.....

431MU not to be outdone had a Big truck parked up on a ramp as their "Gate Guardian", their argument being if every one else could have one then they would too

The Jaguar mounted on a pole outside SHQ which was cobbled up from several crashed bits and the trainer off QRA? I believe ended its days, first at Colt and now in Norwich, still balancing on a pole and defying its service career by actually looking fast.... Still, looks ain't everything :}

[Four Types]

When I was a nipper we would travel to N Wales on holiday (we were poor!) and each time we passed RAF Sealand my mother would point out the Spitfire. It was eventually replaced by a Hunter. I was wondering where said Spitfire ended up, I Googled it and lo and behold it is flying again (No CR_S) and is now flown by my ex-Boss!...small world eh?...but you wouldn't want to hoover it!

Another point, the Hunter that replaced it was painted in my old Sqn colours.

[bluetail]

You should get yourself a copy of my book

RAF Gate Guards 'Signposts to History'

Published by Airlife

All you need to know about Gate Guards, there are still some copies around, PM me if you want to know anything specific, i still have most of my research data.

As for the Spit,s and Hurricans being removed in the 80,s and replaced by plastics, selling the family silver came to mind, I even got a letter in Air Clues on the subject,

[doubledolphins]

Once upon a time all sorts of places had a spitfire. Even the ATC Squadron in Worcester had one. Situated at the Gate to Perdiswell Park. Used for elementaryflying training during the second world war and asorted sports ever since.They were cheap, had no further use and would certainly never fly again. Then the Worcester one and a few other as unimportant as it went to star, on the ground, in the Battle of Britain movie in the late 60's. Local wisdom has it that it was blown up in the raid on Duxford sequence. It was replaced by a Javelin that subsequently went away about ten years later. The fact was that all these spitfires would never fly again as their main spars had life expired. Then, in the early 80's, some one discoverd a set of jigs for making spitfire main spars and all of a sudden these aeroplanes had a future and a VALUE! So they were all sold, re-spared and most of them are flying again in private hands. (And some sharp cookie came up with the idea of GRP models to replace them,)

As to RN Shore establishments, most of the Figureheads at gates, well near the Main Masts to be more accurate, (that's flag poles to you land lubbers), are from former ships of the same name as the establishment.

Can't speak for the Army but the guns over looking the parade ground at BRNC were captured by young officers and cadets in the War against Zanzibar in 1896. (The shortest war in history, Zanzibar surrendered after 38 mins.) They have provided hours of fun and entertainment for cadets/midshipmen over the years, polishing them before breakfast.

[fallmonk]

Slightly off post ,
But does anyone know remember the Buccaneer jet sitting in the forecourt of the (i think) Esso petrol station in Elgin, its also called the buccaneer service staion , i used to deliver there and was always a pleasure to look at , at one point he had steps you could climb to look in the cockpit(lit up) but under H&s he had to remove them :{

The story i was told by Ian (owner) was he bought it from MOD/RAF on the deal it was delivered down from lossiemouth witch is only up the road BUT mod being wot they are they flew it down to i think he sayed somewhere in Wales to de-arm, de-radar etc it , was told it was ready to be picked up from Wales! he pointed out it was in the contract it was to be deliverd , so the RAF had to transport on a artic up to him! where as far as im i know its still there ,

Any one based in lossiemouth prob has past if , and if you go into the shop he has a rather large whisky collection with strong RAF conections , diff sq whiskys , very nice !

[bluetail]

The Elgin Buccaneer is still there, at the Elgin Service Station, complete with sharks mouth and lots of bolt on (even a Targetting pod)

All completely true about towing it down the road from Lossy in the dead of night, it didnt come from Wales, best bit of the tail was that local plod insisted that a Qualified Bucc pilot sat in the cockpit to man the brakes, they wouldnt let a groundy sit in it.

Strange people are Plod

[ZH875]

The shortest war in history, Zanzibar surrendered after 38 mins.

I have heard that the French have tried many, many times to break that record.:E

[JAVELINBOY]

The Worcester Spitfire was indeed taken away and used in the Battle of Britain Film for ground shots it then graced the gates at RAF Locking and finally ended up in the Glasgow museum. The Javelin that replaced it at Worcester now resides in York, last saw it at Fairford a few years back when it was transported down for a RIAT.

[NutherA2]

......have heard that the French have tried many, many times to break that record.
.......and succeeded, surely, at the battle of Twickenham, 15th March 2009, surrendering after about one minute?:ok:

[GalleyTeapot]

Why is Kinloss about the only military place I have ever been that has no gate guardian of any kind?

[BEagle]

Whereas at Brize?

Or do all the ancient airliner-derived tankers sitting on the aerodrome count in lieu?

When the VC10 reaches its OSD, a way simply has to be found to putting one in a suitable location as a gate guardian......

[The Helpful Stacker]

When the VC10 reaches its OSD....

Will that be just before the world's oil supplies run out?:rolleyes:

[ZH875]

Will that be just before the world's oil supplies run out?:rolleyes:


Just after..........:eek:

[bluetail]

Kinloss & Brize Norton are the only two stations never to have been guarded.....but

Kinloss actually nearly had a gate guard in the late 70,s early 80,s a Shackleton T4 was prepared and almost got put in place, unfortunately it got damaged in a storm and interest subsequently wained it ended its days on the fire dump

Brize Norton has nearly had 2, the first was the Avro York currently residing at Cosford, it spent a few years in bits on the far side of Brize before moving to Cosford, then it was rumoured that a Britannia was to be put in place, this unfortunately fell through.

St Mawgan currently home to a Shackleton AEW3 looking like a MR2, is also interesting as it never saw a days service at the place. It will be interesting to see what happens to it now the place is shut, its rumoured to be going to one of several places because it was one of the last to get its main spar sorted and is probably taxiable.

[Wee Jock McPlop]

Demolish the Gateway 'Hotel' and in its place you could put the VC10. Kills 2 birds:

a. Brize gets its long awaited 'Gate' Guard.:ok:

b. The Gateway no longer exists.:D

Job done. Outbreak of morale on both counts.

Jock

[Fuel_on_Mixture_Rich]

Is there still a huge scrap pile of broken-up buccaneers at Williamsons scrapyard on the edge of Elgin? Forgot to look last time I was up there. There must have been a few there because it really was a large pile (mid-90's) and it made the local press when they were getting them down there IIRC.

On the subject of far-north gate guards, there a F-4 at Benbecula outside the "Eyrie" club at the road end. I think that went around 2000, not long after the Eyrie club did (It's now the Uist Community Horse Riding School). I'm sure that no F-4's ever got off the ground from there!

ps - first post. :}

[Rigga]

Marham has three "Gate Guardians" though only two can be seen from the gate! The Tipp't-up Tonka (on a stick), the Parade Square Victor (looking the wrong way!) and a back-yard Canberra - hidden on a back road. They may be more?

In the mid 80's there was a Gannet in 431 MU's lower yards - it was later sold to a museum - in Germany I believe - but I'm not sure.

Nobody's mentioned the Whirlwind at Odiham - I remember doing all the Mods required to get it ready to put into long term storage!!!

[Tankertrashnav]

Back in the '70s Marham also had Valiant XD818 which now resides in the RAF museum (or was the last time I visited). It lived outside the Ops block, so not strictly a gate guardian I suppose, and was painted in camo, although it was repainted in anti-flash white when the museum took it over. At one stage the 4 engines which had been sitting in it for years were removed, sent to Rolls Royce for refurbishing, and flogged to the Swiss to go in their Hunters, as I remember. I went inside it one day (cant remember how) and was amazed how roomy it seemed down the back compared to the claustrophobic Vulcan and rather cramped Victor

[tezzer]

Got a picture here of me standing under said Valiant, at an ATC summer camp. probably about 1974

[BEagle]

The Marham Valiant was also a film star in its own right - it acted as the 'Badger' in a SSVC movie about air defence. Complete with surly looking 'Russians' in leather helmets peering out of the windows pretending to look at the F4 which had just intercepted them.

I had a good look around the Valiant when doing the AAR introduction course at the AAR school; it was indeed a lot roomier than the Tin Triangle!

I wonder which Arfur Daley managed to flog the engines as 'nice little runners, squire, fully reconned by Rolls Royce' to the Swiss?

[bluetail]

I knew the Crash & Smash Team Chief who moved XD818 from Marham to Hendon, he told me that when they got the wings off out of interest they decided to NDT the main spars to see if they were cracked, they were not.

"Beagle I had a good look around the Valiant when doing the AAR introduction course at the AAR school; it was indeed a lot roomier than the Tin Triangle!"

I agree with you, there is a Valiant Cockpit at Dalcross Airport that I spent some time trying to restore, lots of room I agree much more than the Vulcan, but you have to be slim to get between the seat to get to the flight deck.

[tezzer]

As requested.

http://i518.photobucket.com/albums/u348/tezzer_02/valiant/valiant-1.jpg

[adminblunty]

Loader (when DCINC) instigated the move to get the Hurricane for High Wycombe. If I remember correctly when he was CINC he asked for the Spitfire at Colt to be moved to High Wycombe. I always thought it a strange move. Perhaps the Bomber command memorial should be at High Wycombe as well. The only outward sign of bomber command is on the main gate pillars, which have the bomber command crest. There were 2 bomber command crests on the back gate, they were nicked 4-5 years ago.

[Pontius Navigator]

Many are now plastic because of that ground-pounder intervention about 15 years ago!

You may recall the sell off was to raise funds to rebuild the Hurricane that was Cat V at Wittering. Probably a good deal all considered.

Still it led to what is perhaps the worst plastic gate guardian of them all, you listening Benson?

The Benson PRU Spit, on its airfix plinth, has a twisted and anhederal tail. It looks awful and is really disgraceful.

[Pontius Navigator]

Is there still a huge scrap pile of broken-up buccaneers at Williamsons scrapyard on the edge of Elgin?}

On the road to Lossie, at what was the BP Stn but is now the Fox or some such there is a Buccanneer. Better, when filling your car up, if you look up, you will see a Pavespike suspended from the roof. It is all coroded and salt stained :}

[bythebackdoor]

One could argue that Lyneham has two,
1. the rather sad looking comet in need of some tlc
2. 47 AD C47 Dakota again now starting to look in need.
perhaps someone could drag one of the lifex Klassics from round by the washdown and make it three.:ok:

[ACW599]

>The Benson PRU Spit, on its airfix plinth, has a twisted and anhederal tail. It looks awful and is really disgraceful.<

Not as bad as the abomination outside SHQ at Cosford. This has slight anhedral on the mainplanes and looks thoroughly sorry for itself. A sad metaphor for the state of today's RAF, perhaps.

[ZH875]

perhaps someone could drag one of the lifex Klassics from round by the washdown and make it three.:ok:


So many aircraft so little time. Which one would you pick, and why?

[bythebackdoor]

Perhaps, as 197 is about to go to the strip in the sky, we could use that.
It's a nice shade of green un like the two by the washdown, which look like they haven't seen the inside of a paint shop since losing their two tone paint.
I did hear that 197's fate lies with QQ for testing? but that may just have been a rumour.

[PPRuNe Pop]

There is a Hunter at Ford open prison - I think of 802 Squadron.

Looks absurd at times especially on Sunday market days but..........there is a large lump of runway still intact.

[Once_an_Erk]

Appropriately enuough Scampton has had 2 Lancasters at the gate. The first - Queenie" is now in the museum at Hendon - the second is now at East Kirby doing the taxi runs at the Lincs Museum.
When Queenie was there, underneath her was a Grand Slam, a 4000lb cookie, a 2000lber and a 1000 lber. The 2000 had a slot cut in it and the public (who could park in a layby made just for the purpose) were invited to contribute to the RAFBF. One day a civvy came up to the guardroom and said they couldn't get any money in because the slot was blocked. For whatever reason, nobody had bothered emptying the thing for years. When it was opened up over £1000 was extracted.

[Once_an_Erk]

Slightly off topic - - When the Korean War broke out, the Americans were severely embarrassed by a lack of tanks. On the other hand practically every small town in the USA had a WWII Sherman mounted in front of the courthouse.
Hundreds of these were quietly retrieved, refurbed and shipped to Pusan.
In the field they were known as Pedestal Tanks.

[billynospares]

197 is indeed going to QQ for teardown and ageing aircraft audit

[Oldsarbouy]

I remember a Lincoln gate guard at Locking when on an ATC Summer Camp there in 1958.
There are plans, finance permitting, to install a Nimrod near to a crash gate at Kinloss where it will be visible to passers by. It will be fitted out with u/s kit and, it is hoped, open to visitors. Unfortunately there isn't a big enough space near the main gate