Javelins
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Kent
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I seem to remember a Javelin located outside the museum at RAF Manston when I was a child (1980s). Is it still there? If not, where did it go?
Good museum, by the way. From memory, a Hurricane, Spitfire, varios other stuff including a prototype bouncing bomb.
Good museum, by the way. From memory, a Hurricane, Spitfire, varios other stuff including a prototype bouncing bomb.
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: The Deep South (Sussex)
Posts: 783
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I saved one example, XA634, when I started the Museum at RAF Colerne in 1963. It was one that had been used for research into flight refuelling and had some funny gear in the back cockpit.
I remember that it took 6 Queen Mary's from 71MU to convey the aircraft from nearby RAF Melksham. One carried the ground handling equipment for the move, one the engines, one each for the wings, one for the armament and the final one for the fuselage.
The latter looking like an attempt on the world land speed record.
I have a couple of photos of it on display at Colerne should the present owners at Finningly be interested.
I remember that it took 6 Queen Mary's from 71MU to convey the aircraft from nearby RAF Melksham. One carried the ground handling equipment for the move, one the engines, one each for the wings, one for the armament and the final one for the fuselage.
The latter looking like an attempt on the world land speed record.
I have a couple of photos of it on display at Colerne should the present owners at Finningly be interested.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lou Scannon,
Congratulations for the work you did at Colerne. I was there from '64-'70 and had the occasional look around the museum when we took aircraft for cleaning at the washpan outside. It was a very impressive collection. I didn't get personally involved as all my spare time was spent at the Gliding club. Others did and seemed to me to be doing a grand job.
Perhaps you have some tales to tell? The statute of limitations must make you safe by now.
May I suggest that you, or anyone else who is in a position to tell the tale, starts a new thread.
Mike W
Congratulations for the work you did at Colerne. I was there from '64-'70 and had the occasional look around the museum when we took aircraft for cleaning at the washpan outside. It was a very impressive collection. I didn't get personally involved as all my spare time was spent at the Gliding club. Others did and seemed to me to be doing a grand job.
Perhaps you have some tales to tell? The statute of limitations must make you safe by now.
May I suggest that you, or anyone else who is in a position to tell the tale, starts a new thread.
Mike W
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: The Deep South (Sussex)
Posts: 783
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It would be interesting to try to remember all that happened in the initial years. Paddy Hayes and John Frapwell took it over, in turn, before the collection was broken up.
You're right about the statute of limitations as I was always sailing rather close to the wind. You mention the Gliding Club at Colerne...I hope that you enjoyed using the 600 gallons of Avgas that I managed to slip you from the Valetta!
Imagine what the accounts and RAF police could have done with that deal.
You're right about the statute of limitations as I was always sailing rather close to the wind. You mention the Gliding Club at Colerne...I hope that you enjoyed using the 600 gallons of Avgas that I managed to slip you from the Valetta!
Imagine what the accounts and RAF police could have done with that deal.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lou,
It will have gone the same way as many gallons which were no longer useable in aircraft having been pumped out during fuel flow checks. Gliding in Civvie Street is just not the same although it is good to see extreme versatility displayed with commendable frequency. From within our own membership we have most trades and skills covered. Scrounging is still a well practised skill but the opportunities are less.
Mike W
It will have gone the same way as many gallons which were no longer useable in aircraft having been pumped out during fuel flow checks. Gliding in Civvie Street is just not the same although it is good to see extreme versatility displayed with commendable frequency. From within our own membership we have most trades and skills covered. Scrounging is still a well practised skill but the opportunities are less.
Mike W
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: The Deep South (Sussex)
Posts: 783
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I really should write up the story of what was probably the largest ever "illegal" museum in the RAF.
Don't really think that a post on Javelins would be the right place for it. Perhaps a magazine somewhere.
Any ideas?
Don't really think that a post on Javelins would be the right place for it. Perhaps a magazine somewhere.
Any ideas?
Last edited by Lou Scannon; 18th Jan 2005 at 18:40.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lou,
Have a practice here. Start your own thread entitled 'Museum Stories' or somesuch and give it to us first. You may get other guilty parties telling their own stories too and you can tie the whole lot into an article, or even a book, for publication later.
Please
Mike W
Have a practice here. Start your own thread entitled 'Museum Stories' or somesuch and give it to us first. You may get other guilty parties telling their own stories too and you can tie the whole lot into an article, or even a book, for publication later.
Please
Mike W
