As said we had to make some decisions on how to spend our day today. Since Frank and Hielko had never been to Weston we decided to make that our main goal today.
Dart Business Park, Topsham (50º 40' 57.50" N, 3º 26' 48" W)
XV359/R-035 Buccaneer S.2B std, 809 sq mks
XZ378/EP Jaguar GR.1A std, 6 sq mks
ZD612 Sea Harrier F/A.2 std, 899 sq mks
It was still freezing cold, but a good start of the day! Those three are stored in a corner of the industrial estate here, just east of Topsham. They have moved a bit since the Google Earth image has been taken by the way, but they are still in the same area.
The next one was a gamble, and it didn't work out unfortunately. At Thorns Cross Farm in Chudleigh two old aircraft should be stored (a Swallow and an Auster). We found the right place, and finally spoke to the son of the owner. He confirmed his mother had two old aircraft stored which used to belong to her husband, but she was not really willing to show them to people apparently. We left our phone number just in case, but were never called.
Exeter
x-xxUN L-39 Russian mks
We tried to get access to the Hunter Flying Club here, but since we didn't have an appointment they didn't have time for us unfortunately. The weather was horrible by now (rain and cold) and the only interesting thing we saw (apart from the civil stuff for Frank) was this grey Albatross with a red star on the tail. Anyone who can id it please, please, please?
Dunkeswell
(43-1923) L-3C u. rest (G-BRHP)
G-AHCR Auster I (ex LB352)
G-AYPT L-18C (c/n 18-1533) in register as L-18C, so ex mil?
G-AHVV Tiger Moth (ex EM929)
G-ALNA Tiger Moth II (ex T6774) probably based at Sywell
The Aeronca was a nice surprise! I did some searching on the web and found out it's actually a real USAF plane, nice! I only just noted five minutes ago that I already had this on my list as being present here, but I never knew what an L-3 was.... Also present was Curry Wot C-3009/G-BFWD, which is a replica afaik (but happy to be corrected). Wasp XT788 often lives here, but not when we are here apparently. No sign of L-4 G-BGSJ, anyone who knows where this is?
Very nearby is Yarcombe, but when looking for the best way to go there I noticed another airfield marked on my map called Upottery. We had a quick look here, only to find a deserted old WWII airfield. Funnily enough I bought the DVD of Band of Brothers on our way back at the airport, and when watching this at home the first airfield I saw was Upottery! When we headed for Yarcombe we had to use some really narrow typical English roads, which drove Frank to referring to them as "Dads Army roads"
Watchford Farm, Yarcombe
R-151 L-21B G-BIYR, GPLV mks
S4-A07 CASA1.131E (G-BWHP, ex E.3B-513)
G-BTDT CASA1.131E (ex E.3B-505)
G-BJFE L-18C (ex MM52-2422)
We had to ask for directions a few times, and finally met the owner of this private strip. We needed to convince him of our noble intentions first, but when we had done that everything was possible. Our main goal here was the Dutch Super Cub (which used to live at Dunkeswell but moved here some time ago, just like Super Cub BJFE), but the rest was good as well of course. Also present were Swallow G-ADPS and Pa.17 G-BLMP, but again I'm afraid those don't have a mil history, and replicas N500 and N5199. Tiger Moth G-ADJJ was confirmed to be an inhibitant, but that was away for heavy maintenance.
And then it was time for the big museum.
The helicopter museum, Weston-super-Mare
AP506 C.30A pr, fuselage and other parts, no mks
WG719 Dragonfly HR.5 pr, no mks
XD163/X Whirlwind HAR.10 pr, CFS mks
(XE521) Rotodyne Y pr, parts only (too small to "count"?)
(XG452) Belvedere HC.1 u. rest, bare metal
(XG462) Belvedere HC.1 pr, nose, no mks
XK940/911 Whirlwind HAS.7 pr
XL811 Skeeter AOP.12 pr, no mks
XL829 Sycamore HR.14 u. rest, Royal Flight mks
XM328/PO-(6)53 Wessex HAS.3 u. rest, which unit used this code?
XM330 Wessex HAS.1 pr, RAE mks
XP165/1 Scout AH.1 pr, ETPS mks
XR486 Whirlwind HCC.12 pr, Royal Flight mks
XT190 Sioux AH.1 pr, no mks
XT433/AU-422 Wasp HAS.1 pr, HMS Aurora mks
XV733 Wessex HCC.4 pr, 32 (TR) sq mks
XW839 Lynx pr, HMS Thunderer mks (which squadron was this?)
(XX910) Lynx HAS.2 pr, no mks
ZE477 Lynx 3 pr, no mks
A41 SA.318C pr, no mks
9147 Mi-4 pr, Czechoslovak AF, no mks
108/CDL SO.1221S pr, which squadron used this code (Jean?)?
81+00 Bo.105M pr, no mks
96+26 Mi-24D pr, no mks
05 SM-2 pr, Polish AF, no mks
07 ye SM-1 pr, Rus AF c/s but Polish AF 2007, no mks
51-16622/622 HUP-3 pr, RCAF, no mks, marked as 53-16622
66-16579 UH-1H pr, no mks
67-16506 OH-6A pr, MD-NG mks
G-EHIL EH.101 pr, ex ZH647
Also preserved is the tailboom of a Lynx with Danish serial S-192 on it, but afaik that never existed. What's the story behind this one? And another Danish tailboom present is that of S-55 S-881.
I visited here once before, and at that time we were allowed to have a look round in the storage yard behind the museum. Unfortunately we found out that those visits are not allowed anymore, so we had to take a few good looks from outside.
I just found out that I don't have the (complete) notes of the storage, so I'll have to get those with my fellow travellers first.... To be continued!
Nearby, in private hands, is a Sea Harrier we still needed.
Wedmore
XZ494/128 Sea Harrier F/A.2 std, 800 sq mks
Stored in a barn, and definately not visible without a key! The owner bought it as an investment, and is still looking for a few parts.
We finished the day at the nearby airfield of Halesland, where a Venture (G-BTTZ) should live. The place was locked up, but we peeked inside the hangar through some gaps. No sign of a Venture, and there didn't seem to be enough room left for one either. Can someone confirm or deny it's here?
So not a bad day after all, The great "shock and disappoinment" came later though, when we learned that this afternoon both MoD Diamonds had been outside and visible at Bournemouth. We had been thinking of going there to see if we would get lucky, but since the odds seemed so small we decided against it! I know it's a matter of winning some and loosing some others, but still.....
As always corrections, additions and comments are very welcome.
That´s all folks!
Hielko Overeem, Frank Mink & Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation