Possible to go inside a Hastings?
 

Does anyone know if there are any Hastings on display in Europe (or indeed anywhere else...) where one can actually go inside?

Hastings T5 serial TG511 at the RAF Museum Cosford. It may, given suitable reasons, be possible to get a visit on board.

It is many years since I was there, but I believe the aircraft is still there.

Don't think there are any conditions whereby the RAF museum will allow anyone to board their aircraft, unless maybe you are the editor of 'Flypast' or 'Airplane' magazines for a pre-arranged official photo shoot. The same probably applies to the IWM's example at Duxford.

I have been on the majority of the aircrsft at Cosford,so if you have a valid reason there is no harm in asking. If you don't ask them the chances are always zero.

The Hastings at Newark Air Museum (TG517) used to be opened up for general public access, for a small charge, several times each year, and may still be (I have not been there for 2-3 years).
Plenty of other types to view too, and access to the Vulcan and Shack was allowed last time I was there (although Vulcan pilots seat access is for the nimble only).

And your valid reason each time was.............?

Well, I have tried twice to get inside Belfast XR371 which I flew to Kemble from Brize at the end of its life with 53 Sqn. I have also tried to get inside Argosy XP411 which I used to fly in the Middle East with 105 Sqn.

I have yet to succeed.

"It's an insurance problem" is the usual excuse.

By the way, I sent an email to Duxford, Cosford and Newark offering a Hastings captain's seat free of charge two weeks ago.

The folks at Newark responded immediately.

I have yet to even receive so much as an acknowledgement from Duxford or Cosford.

You will be astonished to learn that the seat is going to Newark!

Well that is so petty of them. It should be a privelage for them to have one its ex pilots visit the aircraft, with log books to prove. They should even take advantage and take photos "ex pilot visits..." for their newsletters/magazines/website. This to me is the most compelling reason to be allowed to visit a certain aircraft, the pilot himself.

What a load of crud ! Their loss JW. I would write to the RAF museum's director if I were you. Good luck.

I went aboard Newark's Hastings a couple of months ago when I visited. A friendlier museum you'll struggle to find!

Another BZ for Newark....
 

....a few years ago I noticed that the Varsity at Newark was the very first RAF aircraft that I flew in. I emailed the museum with the log book entry as my bona fides and asked if I could get in and bring my son and his twins with me.
It was a quiet cold winter's day and not very busy so the a/c was opened up and we had a good nose around.

The staff were were very helpful and friendly. Do go and visit. You won't regret it.

The Ancient Mariner

Sadly, this view will never be seen again! (Mount Kenya - 1958)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...on/HastKen.jpg

Truely lovely photo brakedwell. You were right hand seat ?

Yes, my first squadron.

And not a single drop of oil in sight!

Remarkable.

Jenkins, bearing in mind todays 4 1/2 hours in a jet airliner for the same trip, what was it like then in the Hastings ? Noisy, Non-stop or re-fuel somewhere, how many hours ? Intrigued to know what it was like.

My log book shows a spread of 5h - 5.30h Nicosia - Luqa and 6h - 6.30h Luqa - Lyneham. Sometimes we refuelled in Orange if the headwinds were very strong.

Having spent 9 months as 2nd pilot on a Hastings crew (lowest form of animal life in the 5 man crew - qualified only to raise gear and flaps and lower them six hours later - with an occasional exciting foray into switching the landing lights on in the dark) I wondered why anyone would want to visit the lumbering beast.

My realisation that I didn't have the patience to be a long haul pilot dawned the day my captain on a Lyneham-Malta decided overhead Luqa that we had enough fuel to continue to Nicosia (empty aeroplane). Total time 11.40

Fortunately by late middle age my metabolism had slowed to the point where long haul was a pleasant relaxation.

Coat, hat etc

My feelings exactly. I put up with the job for 18 degrading months before escaping to Twin Pioneers in the Gulf. If it had not been for our 99 sqn Chipmunks and Anson and three months flying the Levant Comm Squadron Meteors at Nicosia I would have gone round the bend with frustration and resigned my commission. :{