The Travels of Tel's Tin Tent.

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Moving into the next hangar, and some mixed exhibits, including the oldest flying aircraft in the World.

Pics 1 and 2. Complete Link trainer equipment.
Pic 3. General view down one side of the hangar.
Pic 4. Southern Martlet from 1929.
Pics 5 and 5. Blackburn Monoplane, 1912, the World's oldest British aircraft and engine still flying.
Pics 7 and 8. The World's oldest flying aircraft and engine, the 1909 Bleriot XI.
Pics 9 and 10. A 1910 Deperdussin and its Anzani three cylinder engine.

As mentioned earlier. all of the aircraft in the Collection are airworthy, although the oldest aircraft normally only take to the air in still, summer evenings, at events hosted at Old Warden two or three times a year.
Back soon with more selections from this amazing Collection ...............


 
Thanks Geo.

More cars and aircraft, including the 1939 Hillman Minx Staff car and the beautiful 1937 Railton. The biplane is a faithful replica of a 1920 Sopwith Dove, a two-seat variant of the WW1 Pup.
Not sure if the Anson is the one that used to be overall blue, with a civilian registration, now in the colours of RAF Coningsby.
Still more to follow ...............


 
Thanks Hugh.

The final selection from Old Warden and this particular travel outing - not sure if I'll get "out and about" in the Tin Tent again this year, although Karl and I may visit another museum at some time over the winter.

Pic 1. DH Dragon Rapide.
Pic 2. Wallis autogyro 'Little Nellie', from the James Bond movie "You only Live Twice". I have dubious memories of this little craft, as it did a 'strafing' run against a car, at my local airshow in 1982, when I was on Fire Crew duty. The car was wired with pyrotechnics, and when I attended to extinguish the resulting fire, the fuel pump 'blew', dousing me in burning fuel. Luckily, another crew member turned his 'branch' on me, dousing me in the protein foam we used back then, so I was only slightly singed. But I smelled of pig sh*t for the rest of the day !!!
Pic 3. DH Moth.
Pic 4. Another view of the Sopwith Dove.
Pic 5. 1924 Hawker Cygnet
Pic 6. This Blackburn B2, and a Chipmunk, were towed from the Engineering workshop as we sat on the cafe terrace having a coffee.
The B2 is one of only two still in existence, and still flies regularly. The other example is a static restoration. I'm not sure that this is actually a Blackburn design - it;s not ugly !!
Pic 7. The Chipmunk and B2 from the terrace.
Pic 8. Chipmunk undergoing engine tests.
Pic 9. The B2, having problems starting, with the airfield control tower behind.
Pic 10. A view down the line of hangars from the entrance end of the field.

I hope you have enjoyed what has just been a peak at the impressive collection at Old Warden, a place well worth a visit.


 
Well, this should have been the time for further adventures in "The Travels of Tel's Tin Tent", but with the Covid 'lock down' still in force, I wasn't expecting to get anywhere this year.
I was considering maybe selling the camper van later this year, and perhaps replacing it with a caravan, permanently sited at the camp site Karl and I use near Duxford - great for the airshows, and a handy base for touring around East Anglia and the south.
Coincidentally, a chap left a note on the van on Thursday night, asking if it was for sale, so I contacted him, and he came around today, keen and with no problem re the asking price "as it stands", having already informed him that it needed a couple of minor jobs doing, and a new MoT (annual 'safety' test certificate in the UK) in mid June.
Went to start it, and although it turned over without a problem, the compression dropped, and oil was leaking out of the front of the engine block, either from the head gasket, or possibly a cracked block !
The potential buyer is still prepared to buy it, and tow it or trailer it away, and has made an offer that, considering the fairly steep cost of repairs, in relation to the value and age of the van, although a fraction of what the selling price would have been is fairly reasonable. No doubt he could drop in a recon engine, or strip and sell the parts, but I'm considering this, but need to talk to my mechanic friend first.

So, the van is dead, but the Travels will still continue, hopefully, using the Nissan X Trail I recently bought, and, if possible, from a caravan based "Somewhere in England", although I don't expect to get anywhere until probably next year, when ( or if ! ) the Covid situation has improved enough to allow free travel.

In memory of "The Tin Tent", and many pleasant journeys around parts of England, here it is, during it's last proper outing in September last year, turning off the runway at the former 8th USAAF airfield at Framlingham.
Let's hope that the X Trail gives me the same pleasure and trouble-free touring.


 
Well the x-trail will be getting alive on a not so good road towards an old runway, cameras locked and armed and with a promise of an almost cool beer in the back.
I am sure we will see this comming soon as we will see those fine pictures you take.

Good travelin'
 
Thanks very much chaps.

A bit of an update - my friend who does all the servicing and repairs for me, came and checked the Tin Tent today. With a bit of boost using jump leads, it started almost straight away, and ran smoothly. There is definitely an oil leak problem, although not as bad is it was yesterday, being some misting, and a drip from somewhere.
The top end of the engine will need to be stripped to check whether it's the head, just the gasket, or a crack somewhere, itself a fairly lengthy job.
As my friend was interested in having the van for his own use, he made me a better offer, which includes the next service and any work needed on the X Trail, free of charge, which I've accepted.
Overall, I will have saved the cost of the repairs (and possibly further problems in future), as well as the cost of insurance, UK road tax, and winter storage, and will have some cash and a free service on the X Trail , and know that the van will be repaired, used, and looked after, rather than stripped for parts , so not a bad outcome considering.
 
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