Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Last Sunday and Monday, Karl and I headed south to Hertfordshire and Surrey, to visit two important aviation museums, each with some very rare exhibits.
Whilst the De Havilland Museum is dedicated mainly to aircraft produced by that famous company, the Brooklands museum is a much larger site, once the location of the Vickers Armstrong factory, which later became Vickers Weybridge site, and was also the 'birthplace' of British motor racing, with part of the World's first purpose-built race track still preserved, and a fantastic collection of racing cars from the 1920's to the present day, which will be covered in Part 2.
But first, I'll start with the DH Museum, and I'm sure Karl will add some pics once he has some time after moving house.
Part 1 - The De Havilland Museum.
This is a relatively small Museum, situated in the grounds of Salisbury Hall, near Hatfield, England, and was, of course, where the DH Mosquito was designed and first built.
Although small, it is very well laid out, and there are lots of interesting, and rare, airframes and artefacts well displayed in the packed hangar and other buildings, with a new hangar currently under construction.
Salisbury hall itself is now a private residence and, although not open to the public, it's frontage can be clearly viewed as one enters and leaves the museum grounds. It's over thirty years since I last had the opportunity to visit here, and there have been many improvements since then, and, at present, it is the only place where three Mosquitos can be seen together, including the prototype, W4050.
So, on to the first set of pics, with the Mosquitos in the main hangar. Due to the construction of the new hangar, the aircraft here are currently crammed in, and photography was slightly difficult.
PIC 1. The prototype Mosquito, W 4050, in its later guise as a test aircraft for the two-stage Merlin engines, when camouflage was added to the upper surfaces of the original overall 'prototype yellow' scheme.
PIC 2. Mosquito B.35. This was converted into a TT35 target tug, and later converted back to bomber configuration for display. From memory, this is one of the aircraft which appeared in the movie '633 Squadron'.
PIC 3. It was only possible to photograph the nose of the now restored FB.VI which, during my last visit, consisted of a bare fuselage and some bits and pieces.
PICS 4 to 6. This is the 6 pdr Molins gun, fitted to the 'TseTse' Mosquito. The breech and ammo feed are huge, and the wing and undercart of the FB.VI in the background give some idea of its size and bulk.
Pics 7 and 8. Rear views of the B.35.
More to follow soon .......................
Whilst the De Havilland Museum is dedicated mainly to aircraft produced by that famous company, the Brooklands museum is a much larger site, once the location of the Vickers Armstrong factory, which later became Vickers Weybridge site, and was also the 'birthplace' of British motor racing, with part of the World's first purpose-built race track still preserved, and a fantastic collection of racing cars from the 1920's to the present day, which will be covered in Part 2.
But first, I'll start with the DH Museum, and I'm sure Karl will add some pics once he has some time after moving house.
Part 1 - The De Havilland Museum.
This is a relatively small Museum, situated in the grounds of Salisbury Hall, near Hatfield, England, and was, of course, where the DH Mosquito was designed and first built.
Although small, it is very well laid out, and there are lots of interesting, and rare, airframes and artefacts well displayed in the packed hangar and other buildings, with a new hangar currently under construction.
Salisbury hall itself is now a private residence and, although not open to the public, it's frontage can be clearly viewed as one enters and leaves the museum grounds. It's over thirty years since I last had the opportunity to visit here, and there have been many improvements since then, and, at present, it is the only place where three Mosquitos can be seen together, including the prototype, W4050.
So, on to the first set of pics, with the Mosquitos in the main hangar. Due to the construction of the new hangar, the aircraft here are currently crammed in, and photography was slightly difficult.
PIC 1. The prototype Mosquito, W 4050, in its later guise as a test aircraft for the two-stage Merlin engines, when camouflage was added to the upper surfaces of the original overall 'prototype yellow' scheme.
PIC 2. Mosquito B.35. This was converted into a TT35 target tug, and later converted back to bomber configuration for display. From memory, this is one of the aircraft which appeared in the movie '633 Squadron'.
PIC 3. It was only possible to photograph the nose of the now restored FB.VI which, during my last visit, consisted of a bare fuselage and some bits and pieces.
PICS 4 to 6. This is the 6 pdr Molins gun, fitted to the 'TseTse' Mosquito. The breech and ammo feed are huge, and the wing and undercart of the FB.VI in the background give some idea of its size and bulk.
Pics 7 and 8. Rear views of the B.35.
More to follow soon .......................
