Morsels of aviation history, en route
in England & France (Normandy)
=Sep. 2013=


Photos © Ruud Leeuw

 

A tourist visit to England focussed mainly on general history, castles & pubs - but a few aviation items passed our way too.

Classic Air Force museum, Newquay
NEWQUAY, CORNWALL - a visit to the Classic Air Force at RAF St Mawgan. MY REPORT
 

 

Privat collection at Newquay
Leaving RAF St Mawgan after our visit to the Classic Air Force, I noticed this trailer and decided to have a closer look. I couldn't find identifying details on this nose section though; a recent addition? A car was parked nearby fully loaded with art work, so I presume the owner tours air shows and such.

David Carter helped me on the identity of that cockpit section 'on tow':
"The aircraft cockpit on the trailer is a de Havilland Vampire T.11.
I cannot find any details of this particular aircraft but it is not the only Vampire in Britain to be displayed this way.
The Vampire T.11 was a trainer developed from a single-seat, single-engine fighter that first flew before World War II ended, which gives a perspective on the age of the design. It had a twin boom layout with the pilot in a central nacelle and the jet engine behind. Typically for de Havilland, the airframe initially made of moulded plywood like the Mosquito.
The T.11 trainer version was very much a jet trainer it its own right and remained in service long after the fighter was withdrawn. Only the centre nacelle of the T.11 was plywood, the rest aluminium.
In my country, Australia, the Vampire was the standard jet trainer for the RAAF and the RAN until replaced by the Macchi MB326. The last was withdrawn in 1971.
There are Vampires on  the air show circuits of several countries including Australia."

EMAIL

 

Old prop
Various props were laid out near the house, behind the trailer.

Spitfire replica at St Mawgan
In the garden I noticed this rather outsized garden ornament: a Spitfire!

Spitfire replica
It appeared to be a replica, in Polish markings. I don't think anyone would keep an original Spitfire out in the open.

The owner, Barry Wallond (aviation artist), has his own website SPITFIRE CORNER - www.wallond.com

Spitfire replica at St Mawgan, Cornwall
The Spitfire has been decorated in Polish markings. There's also a forward fuselage of a English Electric Canberra.
I couldn't get any closer for fear of tresspassing, so I couldn't get any markings on the Canberra. Quite a garden

While googling I came across the following information (www.bywat.co.uk/wd954.html):
"CANBERRA B.2/T.4 - WD954. This cockpit is now (was) owned by Mr Barry Wallond (R.I.P.) . Barry will eventually have it in his garden (he lives near RAF St Mawgan) as company for his replica Spitfire.
This B.2 was awaiting collection in December 1951 WD954 was initially taken onto the charge of Controller (Aircraft). Loaned to the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment WD954 from may 1952, it was flown out to Kenya in the September to undertake tropical trials for the type.
After returning from these trials WD954 was transferred to the charge of the RAF and was immediately converted to T.4 configuration.
In December 1959, WD954, still as a T.4, moved overseas, being transferred to Edinburgh Field, Australia, for pilot training duties.
The original B.2 nose section (and I think this is what we see in above picture - Webmaster) was allocated as a ground instructional unit to No 2 Radio School at RAF Yatesbury in 1960.
In 1970 it was moved to the Fire Fighting School at RAF Manston for a period before ending up at 71 Maintenance Unit at RAF Bicester. In 1971 the nose became the property of the Lincs Aviation Museum, Tatershall but was moved, in 1988, to the Licolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. Then to the Cockpit Collection, Chadwell Heath, Essex in June 1989.
It became the property of Mr Nigel Towler who sold it on the Sam Churchill of north London. In November 2002, WD954 moved again into the ownership of Paul Spann and Lisa Seed of Rossendale (Lancashire)".
No information on when it moved to Mr Barry Wallond in Cornwall.

UPDATE on Mr Wallond through posts on Facebook (June 2024):
'It was owned by an artist and aircraft enthusiast, Barry 'Baz' Wallond AKA Spitfireman, who passed away.'
'Barry’s replica spitfire is currently being restored at Spitfire Visitor Centre Hangar 42'
'The Spit is now in the care of the Spitfire museum, @Blackpool Airport. Barry or Baz to some, and I served in the RAF together and later worked together in civvy street. He was a decorated Coast Guard. Sadly missed.'

 
 

Lightning jet fighter
At Castle Motors, on the A38 passed Liskeard (before Trerulefoot), on the right side of the road driving to Plymouth,
I noticed this RAF Lightning preserved [Google Maps] Has been here since perhaps as early as 1989.

Lightning jet fighter
The tail emblem has been revised, obviously.
www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk:
"XS936 first took to the air on 31st May 1967 and was delivered initially to 60 MU.
Entering service with 23 Squadron, she also served with the 11 and 5 Squadrons and the LTF, finishing her active career with 5 Squadron. Bought by Roy Flood when put up for disposal, he had her mounted here on the forecourt at Castle Motors. The adjacent A38 road even has a 'Low flying aircraft' sign just before you reach the turnoff for the garage! For the helicopter charter operation there, sadly not for the Lightning!
She is stripped out (no engines for instance) and wears a decidedly non-authentic paint scheme but makes a hell of an impression regardless. She has been well looked after and regularly cleaned and painted over the years but recent photos have shown corrosion taking hold, with rust streaks on the missiles, various spots on the underside and along the spine." The website also has links to other websites offering images of XS936.
 

Bournemouth aviation museum
Visit to the Bournemouth Aviation Museum, near the airport (airport and museum are actually closer to Hurn).
MY REPORT
 

CL-44 Guppy stored at Bournemouth - Hurn Airport
Someone at the museum gave me useful directions how to get to this CL-44 Guppy. It has been stored here for years
and I'd had an extensive walkaround and introduction to this remarkable aircraft in MAY 2003 - MY REPORT
I could not get closer to this, seen from Bournemouth Helicopters, fenced in and
by the look of it devoid of any markings
 

We sailed with Brittany Ferries from Poole (near Bournemouth) to Cherbourg, France.
C-47 at Merville
On 25Sep13 I had a look at La Batterie de Merville for this Douglas C-47 veteran. See MY REPORT

 

 


To email me, click on the image and write the correct adress as given below
(replace -AT- by the @ symbol).

Sorry for the inconvenience, but this is because spam has increasingly become a problem.

Updated: 22-Jun-2024