Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Whilst at the RAF Museum at Cosford yesterday, I took the opportunity to find out the latest situation on the Dornier Do17 discovered in the Goodwin Sands, off the south coast of England.
It is planned to raise the aircraft at the earliest suitable spring tide, originally planned for late March, but more likely to be early May, this year.
Detailed planning has taken place, and, with the benefit of experience gained over the years, and consultation with other recovery organisations, systems are in place to help preserve the aircraft even whilst in transit and storage, before proper restoration work begins.
Once the airframe has been raised from the sea, it will be transported to Cosford in a saline solution, to minimise the risk of the original paint flaking off, which can happen within minutes of exposure to the air.
The extremely helpful member of staff I spoke to, Ian, took me 'behind the scenes', to where two huge polythene 'tunnels' have been erected, ready to accept the Dornier on arrival. One of these will house the airframe whilst it is cleaned and so on, whilst being retained in a saline atmosphere which will gradually be 'diluted'. The second 'tunnel' will then be utilised, where the saline will gradually be replaced by fresh water, until the aircraft can be moved into the permanent restoration hangar.
the Museum at Cosford is located on an active RAF airfield, and is an 'out-station' of the main RAF Museum at Hendon, London. It is here where the more rare aircraft are displayed, with types such as the Messerschmitt Me 410 and Mitsubishi 'Dinah', both the only surviving complete examples of their type, can be seen, along with a fascinating collection of experimental aircraft, missiles and other rare aviation gems.
(I'll be posting a new thread, giving a pictorial tour of the Museum, very soon.)
Sir Richard Branson, a keen supporter of the Museum, has launched a public appeal to raise the remaining £250,000 needed for full restoration, and, as I understand it, has already donated a substantial personal sum, to help cover this extremely costly process.
The restoration will take place at Cosford, and I believe the ultimate aim is to display the restored aircraft in the planned new extension to the Hendon facility upon completion.
Regular updates can be found, along with a link to underwater video footage of the Dornier, by visiting the Museum's web site at:- Cosford Air Museum West Midlands days out in Shropshire - RAF Museum
It is planned to raise the aircraft at the earliest suitable spring tide, originally planned for late March, but more likely to be early May, this year.
Detailed planning has taken place, and, with the benefit of experience gained over the years, and consultation with other recovery organisations, systems are in place to help preserve the aircraft even whilst in transit and storage, before proper restoration work begins.
Once the airframe has been raised from the sea, it will be transported to Cosford in a saline solution, to minimise the risk of the original paint flaking off, which can happen within minutes of exposure to the air.
The extremely helpful member of staff I spoke to, Ian, took me 'behind the scenes', to where two huge polythene 'tunnels' have been erected, ready to accept the Dornier on arrival. One of these will house the airframe whilst it is cleaned and so on, whilst being retained in a saline atmosphere which will gradually be 'diluted'. The second 'tunnel' will then be utilised, where the saline will gradually be replaced by fresh water, until the aircraft can be moved into the permanent restoration hangar.
the Museum at Cosford is located on an active RAF airfield, and is an 'out-station' of the main RAF Museum at Hendon, London. It is here where the more rare aircraft are displayed, with types such as the Messerschmitt Me 410 and Mitsubishi 'Dinah', both the only surviving complete examples of their type, can be seen, along with a fascinating collection of experimental aircraft, missiles and other rare aviation gems.
(I'll be posting a new thread, giving a pictorial tour of the Museum, very soon.)
Sir Richard Branson, a keen supporter of the Museum, has launched a public appeal to raise the remaining £250,000 needed for full restoration, and, as I understand it, has already donated a substantial personal sum, to help cover this extremely costly process.
The restoration will take place at Cosford, and I believe the ultimate aim is to display the restored aircraft in the planned new extension to the Hendon facility upon completion.
Regular updates can be found, along with a link to underwater video footage of the Dornier, by visiting the Museum's web site at:- Cosford Air Museum West Midlands days out in Shropshire - RAF Museum
