Adler's Warbirds

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules


Well said Terry!
I don't get a chance to see museums like these but a few years back I visited the Australian War Memorial and couldn't believe how dark it was in the aviation hall. Struggling to see/photograph the Me-163 and Me-262 I leant forward, tripped a sensor alarm and got bounced by security guards.
Temora Aviation Museum was not as dark but they shine multi-coloured lights on their aircraft. Looks odd and hard to photograph.
Asked a curator why they do this, he smiled and said "you'll find photographs of the aircraft for sale in the gift shop..."
 
Hawker Sea Fury F.B.11
SN: UNK

Current Location: Somewhere in Europe. I took these pictures at an airshow in Germany.

The fighter is an original Hawker Fury FB10 ISS (Iraqi Single Seater) built for the Iraqi Air Force around 1948. The Fury ISS was unofficially known as the Baghdad Fury. In total the Iraqi Air Force ordered sixty examples of the Fury ISS that were operational well into the 1970s. When the Iraqi Air Force disposed of their remaining Furies in 1979, American warbird collectors bought Iraq's remaining 24 fighters and all spares and shipped them to Orlando, Florida, the United States.This particular Fury was dismantled and stored in Orlando. And although sold, she also remained stored with her next owner in Nyack - New York until 1987. From 1994 it was in Fort Worth, Texas were she was restored to flying condition and also the original Bristol Centaurus engine was replaced by a Pratt & Witney R3350, that is why there is a 4 bladed propellor instead of the original 5 bladed. In this configuration her first flight was made in early 1996.

 
Hawker Tempest TT.5
SN: NV778

Current Location: RAF Museum Hendon, London, England

Built at Hawker's Langley, Berks factory and delivered on 25 November 1944. On 05 January 1945 it was assigned to Controller, Research and Development (CRD) Napier's engine development establishment at Luton Municipal Airport. In February 1945 it was then reassigned to No. 56 Squadron in Volkel, Netherlands. From 09 September 1946 until 24 March 1950 the aircraft remained in storage. It was then converted to a target towing aircraft.

 
Hawker Tempest II
SN: PR536

Current Location: RAF Museum Hendon, London, England

Built by Hawker Aircraft at Langley. It served with No.5 Squadron RAF, based at Peshawar (now part of Pakistan) and several other Indian bases at this time. On 20 Sep 47 PR536 was one of 124 Tempest II aircraft handed over to the Royal Indian Air Force from RAF stocks in India. Given RIAF serial HA457. A further 89 Tempest IIs were supplied to India by Hawkers' in 1948-1949 being refurbished as RIAF HA547-645 from ex-RAF aircraft stored at 20 MU, Aston Down. An additional 20 were purchased direct from the RAF (20 MU) in 1951.

 
Hawker Typhoon
SN: UNK

Current Location: Le Mémorial de Caen, Caen, France

This aircraft is replica that was made from parts and components of Typhoon parts.

 
Hawker Typhoon Ib
SN: MN235

Current Location: RAF Museum Hendon, London, England (May be that is on currently on loan to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, Canada)

This is the only surviving original Hawker Typhoon. The aircraft was built at the Gloster Aircraft factory in Hucclecote, and delivered on 08 February 1944. It was assigned to No. 51 MU at Lichfield on 16 February 1944. MN235 was selected for evaluation and comparison testing in the United States, and taked to No. 51 MU, Sealand, which was the specialist packing unit on 12 March 1944 to be prepared for shipping. The aircraft embarked aboard the SS American Manufacturer on 24 March 1944, arriving in New York on 16 April 1944, and reached Wright Field in Ohio on 06 May 1944.

 
Short Sunderland Mk. V
SN: ML824

Current Location: RAF Museum Hendon, London, England

Aircraft was delivered on 30 June 1944, after being built at Shorts Factory at Queen's Island, Belfast, Ireland. It was originally built as a Mk. III, but was converted to the Mk. V standard between June and November 1944. It was then assigned to No. 57 MU in Wig Bay. ON 11 February 1945, it was assigned to No. 201 Squadron at Castle Archdale, Northern Ireland. The aircraft flew a total of 11 operational flights including 10 U-Boot patrols, and one convoy patrol.

 
Great pics in the halls of my old employer.

A bit on the Halifax I, there was at one stage the intent to restore it to its former glory, and you can see that from the Merlin in front of it and its front turret, which was used as a travelling exhibit to promote the building of the Bomber Command Hall at Hendon. The plan was that the RAF was going to carry out the restoration, but there was no funding in the budget for it and it remained in store at an RAF base (can't remember which one) until being positioned in the Bomber Command Hall. Surprisingly, there was some resistance to the decision not to restore it, with veterans and members of various societies having invested much money into getting it restored - people are still vocal about it to this day. I had a look round the interior once; there's not much in there and unfortunately it is suffering from corrosion, despite the best efforts of the preservation team.

In post #303, no mention of the arguably more interesting and more historic forward gondola of the airship R.33? The largest surviving component of a British rigid airship.

I should mention the Typhoon's spinner came from a Shackleton. If you get the chance to look at it closely, you'll see that it originally had cutouts for four prop blades, but has been recut for the Tiffie.

Nice silhouettes of a Sunderland, Seagull V and Lysander! Great now the've let light into the far end of the BofB Hall.
 
Last edited:
The Typhoon also has a 'mocked up' radiator from a truck (Bedford, from memory) with the trunking made from linoleum. The cowling panels were also fabricated, and lack the internal stiffeners, as the originals were missing when the aircraft was returned to the UK from trials and storage in the USA, and at least one control surface (I think an aileron) is a mock up.
The blind flying panel of the instrument panel also had a yellow surround applied when in the 'States.
The aircraft is currently on loan to Canada, and the BoB hall is being stripped out, closed to access, ready for the planned 'rejuvenation' of the museum, with it's proposed glass tower.
 
Hmm, I still don't like the sound of that glass tower, Terry; more like an ivory one. Good info on the Typhoon; it was one of the aeroplanes I didn't get to sit in whilst working there.
 
I agree - I have a feeling the finished project is going to be an icon to the 'luvvy' world of arty-farty 'designers', but a bl**dy eyesore and sacrilege for aviation enthusiasts and historians !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Similar threads

Adler's Post-War and Modern Military Aircraft
2 3
Replies
44
Views
5K
GreenKnight121
Geedee's (and everyone else's) 'OMG, I forgot the colour !' Warbirds
17 18 19
Replies
370
Views
33K
Crimea_River
Adler's Helicopter Pics.
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
17K
parsifal
CC's Warbirds
2
Replies
21
Views
8K
cheddar cheese
Wildcat's Warbirds
6 7 8
Replies
146
Views
18K
ww2buf
W
Menu
Log in
Register