Warplane Worksop, More 4 - Spitfire XIV

[treadigraph]

This is rather nice, restoration led by Mr Grace - needs a log in, hopefully non-UK residents can see it too.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/...mand/73860-001

[ShyTorque]

Warplane Worksop, More 4 - Spitfire XIV

I thought this was about a previously secret project at Worksop/Scofton disused airfield…..

[treadigraph]

Ah, my fingers are clearly in Notts today...

[Flugzeug A]

There was a silver aircraft with a bubble canopy & radial engine in the background a couple of times.
It wasn’t mentioned when they introduced some of the others in the hangar.
Was it the secret project or a Sea Fury?

[treadigraph]

Flugzeug, think it was an ex Indian Air Force Tempest II.

Edit: Probably MW401/G-PEST. MW763/G-TEMT was also visible, this aeroplane is very nearly ready to fly and had been expected to in August. Both were part of the cache of 6 bought back to the UK by Doug Arnold in 1979 and sold on to Chris Horsley and Nick Grace, then Autokraft, then Gerry Cooper and now owned by Graham Peacock/Anglia Aircraft Restorations.

[Flugzeug A]

The semi secret project!
( I thought it was up the road at Gamston for a while. )

[treadigraph]

Indeed, both Tempests were at Gamston. Which is almost Worksop!

[Flugzeug A]

Originally Posted by treadigraph

Indeed, both Tempests were at Gamston. Which is almost Worksop!

Sorry all , I wasn’t being pedantic , just trying to nail my confusion.
The ex-girlfriend’s father was a national service pilot & was on Meteors at Worksop / Scofton.
The land was rumoured to now belong to the Budge family but it was a while ago that I heard thus.

[treadigraph]

No worries, my tongue was happily cheek-bound acknowledging my titular typo - which I can't correct...

[jumpseater]

Originally Posted by Flugzeug A

Sorry all , I wasn’t being pedantic , just trying to nail my confusion.
The ex-girlfriend’s father was a national service pilot & was on Meteors at Worksop / Scofton.
The land was rumoured to now belong to the Budge family but it was a while ago that I heard thus.

The other half confirms there was a Budge connection to Scofton, Tony Budge bought Osberton Hall, the ‘house’ on the estate in the early noughties.

[Flugzeug A]

I worked in Retford for a while.Some of my colleagues had used the abandoned but partly still existent runways ar Scofton to race their ‘bikes on in the 70s & 80s.
I was of their age group & had done the same but those of us near Newark went to Fulbeck every weekend for some 2 wheeled fun.
Fulbeck now sadly dug up an’all
Ho-hum....
Sorry for the drift folks

[Quietplease]

I did the asymmetric course at Worksop on Meteor 7s and 8s early 1957. Gamston was our satellite field.
A year or so ago there was an amendment to the 1/2 mil chart "Worksop, remove disused airfield symbol, no longer visible from the air". It never was visible, the industrial smog, aided by the coke stoves that supposedly heated the elephant hutted mess, was so thick that the vis seldom got over a mile or two.

[jumpseater]

Originally Posted by Quietplease

I did the asymmetric course at Worksop on Meteor 7s and 8s early 1957. Gamston was our satellite field.

As a model builder and Worksop being close to me I have been thinking about building a Meteor in the markings of the training school there. The only images I have found are unsurprisingly monochrome. Would you happen to have any images of your time there, and can you recall the colour scheme? I'm assuming the fuselage banding was yellow in colour. Many thanks js

[Quietplease]

As far as I can remember it was the yellow stripe ahead of the fin and a similar one outboard of the engines. It was so long ago but I can remember the thrill for a twenty year old with 225 hours to climb up into that Mk8.

[Flugzeug A]

Quietplease , thanks for your posts.
I regret that I never spoke at length with the late Donald Atherton about his experience as a pilot.
I still find the Meteor accident statistics from your period frightening!

[jumpseater]

Originally Posted by Quietplease

As far as I can remember it was the yellow stripe ahead of the fin and a similar one outboard of the engines. It was so long ago but I can remember the thrill for a twenty year old with 225 hours to climb up into that Mk8.

Thank you