Warbird Information Exchange

... the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton and I have two questions!

1. Will the Blackburn Skua ever be rebuilt?

With the exception of the cockpit area, the majority of the airframe seems to be there and surely it would be possible to scratch build the missing sections?

2. Will the Wyvern be painted?

Anyway, for those interested, follow the link below.

Tony

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...and pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in Space cos there's bugger all down here on Earth!

I found this museum to be the most fascinating of all the UK aircraft museums. There were many unique examples and I thought they were well presented, with an astounding variety. Naturally I would have preferred to see the Skua restored, but then again it is preserved right now, and I actually found the display quite interesting.

Hi Tony,

The Skua is probably going to stay like that for the forseeable future, as there's other semi-extinct a/c higher up any restoration queue; starting with a Baracuda. If you realise that the Fairey Albacore they have on display was basically a similar wreck, and is now a complete (beautifully restored) a/c, it IS possible, but like many museums, they have few staff, resources and time, and a long list!

The Wyvern WAS painted, once upon a time, but it wasn't the correct scheme for that a/c. They stripped it as there isn't an appropriate scheme for it they would be happy with applying. I personally like it like that!

IMHO the FAAM is the best (static) a/c museum in the UK in terms of the balance between what they've got and what they make of it, and they show up the RAF Mausoleum as being very poor in terms of presentation and putting their product in front of the customer. They are the 'we try harder' museum!

'Leading Edge' and 'Carrier' are both world class displays, and are really a bonus to the museum. A couple of us recently visited it, and though one of my friends and I would class ourselves as 'cynical old journos' we were (re-)impressed with Carrier - not easy to do!

HTH
James K

Hi bdk and JDK (any connection here)

I have to agree that the FAAM is one of the better UK museums although my only concern is its location, as it's bloody miles and a 3 hour journey from where I live . The one thing that is shared with Hendon, is the darkness which is not good for photography but does add to the atmosphere and does not put me off. Also, having done the 'Carrier' experience on several occasions, I tend to take to short tour!

As for the Skua, it would be nice to see it restored because isn't it the sole surviving example?

The restoration waiting list, I seem to remember reading that the Barracuda is planned, along with the Corsair which is currently being preserved (I attempted to did take a photo but being behind glass, did not come out too well) and the Wildcat, which will be preserved in a similar manor to the Corsair, so it is likely to be some years before any restoration of the Skua, could be carried out!

I also think that a (Sea) Gladiator is being restored and there was a tubular frame, on wheels, in the same room as the Corsair but I didn't see any identification markings!

The Wyvern, as can be seen from the number of photos I took, is one of my favourites and it would be good to see it in the colours used, while in operational/Squadron use but as you say, it does look good in its current state.

If I have one complaint, it is the Swordfish display!

For an aircraft which was heavily used during 1939-45, the airframe on display is tucked up in a corner and not easily viewable but this is only my opinion and overall, this Museum is strongly recommended to all who have not yet visited.

Tony

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...and pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in Space cos there's bugger all down here on Earth!

I don't think so, but I guess that we are all related at some level!

My complaint trumps yours a hundredfold! All of the UK museums are about the same distance away from where I am in the Western US...

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...and pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in Space cos there's bugger all down here on Earth!

The my complaint would trump both of yours being from australia and living in a place, even though a capital city, where the warbird activity is about as low as it could get as far as flying aircraft is concerned.
main items of interest here are craft in transit normally, unless you include static restorations.

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Jeff

Hi Jeff

Where are you mate , I am in Brisbane .

I accept what you say but I would also say that we are very lucky in AUS at present - our scene here is far healthier than it has ever been - we can winge about all the stuff that has gone O/S etc but the truth is we are experiancing here in Aus a real boom time

7 Flying P51s with 4 or 5 on the way
2 Flying Boomerangs with 3-4 more on the way
1 P40 with 5-6 more on the way
1 Spit with 6-7 more on the way
5 p39s on the way
3 Bostons on the way
Worlds lsat flying Hudson
Soon the worlds last flying Beaufort
Zuccoli Fiat
3 sea Furies
1 Firefly
1 Yak 3
1 Yak 9
6 Wirraways
Soon 1 Corsair
Perhaps 2-3 P38s
2-3 P47s on the way
Plus a lot of stuff we don't yet know about and all the static aircraft on display or under restoration.

Yep I think we have a lot of people to be proud of here

Regards
John Parker

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Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

I'm in adelaide John, all I can think of flying around here regularly is 3 nanchangs down south goolwa way and that's it. aside from that there's the static restorations at classic jets at parafield and the SA air museum at port adelaide and lincoln nitsche ( sorry if the spelling is wrong ) at lyndoch.

I know I haven't seen much else other that except for attractions at the fly in at parafield and the regular RAAF stuff through Edinburgh in months. oh and the "in transit" stuff but not too much of that since it is so far from east to west and back again here. Thinking about it I think that the only things like that recently, well reasonably, is the HARS connie.

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Jeff