Why don't we buy a Mossie for the BBMF?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bournemouth
Age: 76
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why don't we buy a Mossie for the BBMF?
I was at the Virginia Beach Military Aviation Museum last week:-
Military Aviation Museum | Home
Certainly I can recommend a visit if you are in the area as the planes are easily accessible to a point where you can walk up to them in the hangar and actually touch them. Spitfire, Hurricane, Aerocobra etc etc. All in suburb condition.
However what took my eye was an immaculate Mosquito, it last flew in July this year and like any of the planes in this collection is up for sale:-
Va. Beach museum owner selling plane collection | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
I began to think and realised that the UK actually is quite a rich nation wouldn't it be great if our Leader put his hand in his pocket (or discounted the Indian aid by a few million) and handed it over to the BBMF to add to their flying collection?
What's your views?
Military Aviation Museum | Home
Certainly I can recommend a visit if you are in the area as the planes are easily accessible to a point where you can walk up to them in the hangar and actually touch them. Spitfire, Hurricane, Aerocobra etc etc. All in suburb condition.
However what took my eye was an immaculate Mosquito, it last flew in July this year and like any of the planes in this collection is up for sale:-
Va. Beach museum owner selling plane collection | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
I began to think and realised that the UK actually is quite a rich nation wouldn't it be great if our Leader put his hand in his pocket (or discounted the Indian aid by a few million) and handed it over to the BBMF to add to their flying collection?
What's your views?
Last edited by andyl999; 3rd Sep 2013 at 15:38. Reason: add picture
Well our PM certainly has no power or jurisdiction to do such a thing with tax-payers money.
However, it would certainly be a nice gesture on behalf of many of those multi-billionaires who live in UK but don't pay UK taxes. It would certainly get them a lot of very favourable publicity.
However, it would certainly be a nice gesture on behalf of many of those multi-billionaires who live in UK but don't pay UK taxes. It would certainly get them a lot of very favourable publicity.
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Odiham
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
in the grand scheme of things it won't cost too much will it?
'The only airworthy Mosquito in the world' - it would be lovely to see it flying in formation with the Lancaster, the Spitfire and the Hurricane........
'The only airworthy Mosquito in the world' - it would be lovely to see it flying in formation with the Lancaster, the Spitfire and the Hurricane........
Originally Posted by andyl999
I began to think and realised that the UK actually is quite a rich nation wouldn't it be great if our Leader put his hand in his pocket (or discounted the Indian aid by a few million) and handed it over to the BBMF to add to their flying collection?
What's your views?
What's your views?
The other big issue is this a/c couldn't be operated on a UK CAA permit, because it's effectively a new build that hasn't been built to original specs (modern glue) so even though the BBMF operate on mil reg, I'm not sure how support from BAe to the BBMF would be arranged unless BAe did the new calcs inspections etc to OK it etc.........any currect/ex-BAe bods on here care to comment on such a theoretical proposition...?
BBMF came oh so close to getting RR299, but it sadly crashed a few months short of being handed over to the flight by BAe at the end of that years display season or so the story goes.
The other big issue is this a/c couldn't be operated on a UK CAA permit
(disclaimer - joke. O Tempora O Mores)
Last edited by Fox3WheresMyBanana; 3rd Sep 2013 at 10:36.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Somewhere flat
Age: 68
Posts: 5,555
Likes: 0
Received 42 Likes
on
29 Posts
The country must be broke - the football clubs only spent £630,000,000 on new players during this transfer window!
(I wonder how much of this we will get in tax? - charge the clubs VAT at 20% and we could get 633 Squadron - never mind a solitary Mossie).
(I wonder how much of this we will get in tax? - charge the clubs VAT at 20% and we could get 633 Squadron - never mind a solitary Mossie).
Originally Posted by wokkamate
'The only airworthy Mosquito in the world' - it would be lovely to see it flying in formation with the Lancaster, the Spitfire and the Hurricane........
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bournemouth
Age: 76
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Keep answering please
Yes I understand all the issues but this is an opportunity?
The BBMF I think has stagnated and a Mossie would fit in nicely (along with a few more WW2 planes).
Concerning the PM and what he can do, he appears to be able to magic money to many places including monies to kidnappers etc. There are many sources of government monies that are routed to obscure uses, however I understand the politics.
Perhaps we could have a Vodafone Mosquito?
The BBMF I think has stagnated and a Mossie would fit in nicely (along with a few more WW2 planes).
Concerning the PM and what he can do, he appears to be able to magic money to many places including monies to kidnappers etc. There are many sources of government monies that are routed to obscure uses, however I understand the politics.
Perhaps we could have a Vodafone Mosquito?
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
'The only airworthy Mosquito in the world'
Mosquito FB.26 N114KA is based at Virgina Beach painted in Royal Air Force markings as KA114. Manufactured in Canada in 1945 KA114 never saw combat in Second World War and in 1948 was sold to a farmer in Alberta, Canada, where it deteriorated in a field until purchased by the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transport in 1978. It was bought by the Military Aviation Museum in 2004. Restoration work was done over an eight year period by AVspec in New Zealand. Most of the metal parts were reused, and Glyn Powell, of Auckland, New Zealand built the new fuselage, wings, and tail sections from wood. It took almost three years to build the wooden airframe. The Mosquito is painted with the markings of 487 Squadron RNZAF as EG-Y in honor of the Royal New Zealand unit flying Mosquitos during WWII. Registered in New Zealand as ZK-MOS the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued the aircraft a Certificate of Airworthiness in September 2012. It took its first flight in over 60 years on 29 September at Ardmore Airport near Auckland, New Zealand. It arrived in Virginia Beach in March 2013 and was registered in the United States as N114KA, it received its FAA Certificate of Airworthiness on 30 April 2013. It is the only airworthy de Havilland Mosquito.
Originally Posted by ORAC
It is the only airworthy de Havilland Mosquito.
There were rumours that Rod Lewis had done a deal to buy the Mossie, but that doesn't appear to have happened, and Jerry seems to be more keen on the idea of parking KA114 up indefinately than selling it on to someone who will fly it...........although I'm sure if the required US$10m was forthcoming it would be sold in a flash.
It's possible that by the end of the year, the only airworthy Mosquito may be a different one as the first post restoration flight of Bob Jens B.35, VR796 in Canada is getting very close.
Recent photo.....
Sadly though the rumour is this aircraft after having a close on 20 year restoration back to flying condition, will undertake a single flight and then be permantley grounded......
Again leaving the world without a flying Mossie
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,763
Received 2,750 Likes
on
1,171 Posts
The BBMF I think has stagnated
As said the Mossie has not been done to a recognised approval, hence why it couldn't do its delivery via here in its way to the USA.
Wasn't there originally plans i read somewhere for the BBMF to have been gifted the BAe Mossie before its tragic loss? It wasn't far from coming to fruition at the time.
Last edited by NutLoose; 3rd Sep 2013 at 11:17.
Thanks Coffman - I'm certainly up for it.
I've ferried a Cessna 152 across the Pond via Greenland; a Mossie should be a doddle.
My granddad was in charge of the engine electrics at Salisbury Hall during WWII, so there's a family link too.
I've ferried a Cessna 152 across the Pond via Greenland; a Mossie should be a doddle.
My granddad was in charge of the engine electrics at Salisbury Hall during WWII, so there's a family link too.
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chilling out on the water if it's warm enough
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The BBMF I think has stagnated and a Mossie would fit in nicely (along with a few more WW2 planes).
Hats off to the crews on Saturday at Dartmouth, particularly the Lanc who transited nice and low over my back garden, (50.496N, 3.547W on the way to Bournemouth presumably).
Shivers down my spine for ages at the engine sound and even a black labrador woofing at them as they went over
Last edited by Chainkicker; 3rd Sep 2013 at 12:25.
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London
Posts: 314
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BBMF obviously doesn't have enough funding to acquire a Mosquito. Besides, the Lancaster was a pretty big exception to the "BBMF" mission, but to add another non BofB aircraft to the collection would be stretching a point. Likewise, the general public knows what a Lancaster and Spitfire look like (and a Hurricane to some degree) but a Mosquito? Maybe not.
Personally, I don't know why the whole lot isn't sold off. It's not as if they wouldn't re-appear in civilian hands, and the cost of operating the Flight could be saved. BBMF is a great idea and I agree with its aims, but as the subject of this thread illustrates, you get into a situation where lots of aircraft have a legitimate claim to preservation and operation by the RAF. It would be difficult to argue that a Spitfire is somehow more significant than lots of other aircraft types, so given that the RAF can't operate them all, why operate any at all?
Personally, I don't know why the whole lot isn't sold off. It's not as if they wouldn't re-appear in civilian hands, and the cost of operating the Flight could be saved. BBMF is a great idea and I agree with its aims, but as the subject of this thread illustrates, you get into a situation where lots of aircraft have a legitimate claim to preservation and operation by the RAF. It would be difficult to argue that a Spitfire is somehow more significant than lots of other aircraft types, so given that the RAF can't operate them all, why operate any at all?