My personal mini ww2 aircraft relic museum

Mosquito MM150 added.

Any other collectors on the site?

Cheers Chris

Chris,

I was looking for more information about the aircraft your collection come from and stumbled upon this regarding Mosquito MM150.

I realise the post is from 2004, and that your collection is no doubt a tribute for those aircrews and a passion for you, but worry that excavation has been conducted unofficially, distressing and offending the aircrews relatives, with parts being hauled away for profit (Like dogtag thieves over the eastern front who destroy graves searching for artifacts) Likewise it is also an illegal offence to remove items from military crash sites (Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (PMRA) )

Mosquito crash site and crews' graves

Hi Alex,

Thanks for highlighting that thread for me. Confirms even more to myself why I don't get involved with recovering them myself. The source of my relics belongs to an archeological society and has been involved with many digs. Although I can't verify, he does always stress about the issuing of an MOD licence. What's more they didn't cost me a penny as I exchanged them for a number of my relics.

It is shocking what you can find on eBay though. I was looking through ww1 items a couple of months ago. As my great uncle Joseph Henton was sadly killed and never found in one of the battles for Ypres. (Name on the menin gate). Some sick individual was selling an actual whole cross from a grave. It even listed the soldiers ID number etc. I reported it to the commonwealth graves commission but never got a response.

Cheers Chris

I think there are two types of collectors as well.

1) There are those who will turn over a site in search for really significant parts of aircraft, any aircraft and aircrew items.
For no other reason than to sell on the market or to keep vast personal collections. I believe these types have no reason other than money and the value of each item as a reason for recovering/collecting. This would be the type who wouldn't think twice about pulling wreckage from already known memorial sites (B-17s in the Peak District come to mind).

2) (me). Collects (via purchase or exchange) small usually Non verifiable parts of aircraft alone. From that either creates small tribute boards or as in my case also models as accurately as possible to serve as a memorial. Taking for example my B-17 from the Time Team
Dig. An aircraft which without my research would only ever be remembered to future generations as a serial number and a tv show and an aircraft type.
I can now ensure that there is an accurate, visual reminder of this aircraft and it's crews loss for generations to come. (I am forming my collection with it in mind for my children to inherit it when I finally kick the bucket in around 60years and then to stay in the family).

Looking to the future, how long is it before a lot of crash sites are built over, get destroyed by agriculture or become simply not relevant to the times (as you see increasingly with ww1 sites that people constantly seem to dig up on the continent) I for this reason want to ensure that something exists and is not forgotten for future generations. This is why I want to gather as much from as many as possible but also represent as many different types as possible.

It also surprises me how much you see for sale from the D-Day beaches. These surely can't have been recovered with permission.

I forgot to add that ultimately I would like my whole collection to be housed within a museum on display for others to view enjoy and remember. I will approach my local museum in Coventry when I have most of it modelled and framed. The other part of my collection that I am creating a saving fund for is to purchase a willys jeep and get that to full working order.

Cheers Chris

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing.

Hi Chris, Nice collection mate! A friend of mine stumbled across this forum and sent me the link... Being a collector myself (Australian WW2) I know I shouldn't ask this but is there anyway you would part with those bits from LK-901 ? I only ask as my Uncle was 38363 Flt/Sgt Keith Edward Jeffery who was killed on that plane. I have always wanted to get out to Scotland to see the crash site and try to bring a piece home and visit his grave but I doubt I will be able to do so any time soon. Anyway would love to hear back from you and if you don't want to part with them I will understand.

Regards Luke.

Welcome aboard Luke, and a big to your uncle.

I really like thread Chris, keep up the good work.

vikingBerserker said:

Welcome aboard Luke, and a big to your uncle.

Click to expand...

Thanks Viking it is nice to be here mate! Thanks for the kind words too.

Hello Luke, yes I would love to send you one of the pieces. After all I really do only collect these and model them as a lasting memorial so would be fitting to send you a piece.

PM your details and we can sort something out. Be sure to check back in on the site though as I will model LK901 in the near future.

I picked these particular pieces up on eBay last year (I don't physically collect them). It may also be worth over time checking the serial number on eBay as I am sure more piece would be offered for sale in the future.

Cheers Chris

Hi Chris, Thanks for the generous offer! I will shoot you a message a bit later... Also I will keep an eye on ebay.
I would love to see the model of LK-901 when you are done! Do you know if any pictures exist of the plane? I have tried searching for a picture over the years but have never had any luck... I have done a bit of research on the crash a few years back, but did not find out a great deal other than what was on the net.
It was quite an upsetting time for the family when Keith was killed it was a bit of a tragedy too as he had 2 years combat experience flying before he was transferred the Heavy Conversion Unit only to be killed in a training accident not long after... He was one of 4 brothers serving in WW2 his eldest brother Harold who served in the army was listed as MIA presumed dead 2 years earlier at El Alamein, the last anyone saw of him he was badly wounded and left behind when the Germans over ran their position. But luckily he was saved by an Italian medic and ended up in a POW camp in Germany and survived the war, he was released in 1945. His younger brother Bill also served in the army and was badly wounded at Tarakan in Borneo in one of the last battles fought by Australians in 1945, and the second youngest Raymond was a LAC in the RAAF and served in Australia and the Pacific, he survived the war.

Cheers Luke.

Hi Luke,
unfortunately I have not been able to locate any photographs of this aircraft or of the crew. I usually keep checking the following site for information I am not able to find. Keep an eye on it as you never know what can turn up even after all of this time. - Latest News . Maybe even contact them as the site is under reconstruction and has nowhere near all of the information uploaded.

It's sad to hear of your family losses and I hope you can find out more information. If I ever find out any more I will message you or post up in this thread.

Can anybody else on here help?

Cheers Chris

Interesting relic's, I like the idea of scale models to show what the aircraft would have looked like....