The People’s Mosquito

[CJS]

Do you think it will be possible to donate to one or the other when the VTTS juggernaut inevitably swallows the PM into its wild and gnashing jaws (by the way, that's just a bit of friendly Friday evening hyperbole and exaggeration )?

Some might not want any of their 558 donation to be spent on the Mosquito or vice versa.

[Brevet Cable]

'within a matter of years' is just about as woolly as a time frame can get. Two? Five? Ten?
Edit - have now read the 558 posts. Mods - do the two need merging now I wonder?

Be a bit difficult to merge the two , I'd have thought , given that one topic's supposed to be about an Avro Vulcan & the other's about a DH Mosquito......

As for 'TPM's plans ( the link is also on here , about the 9th or 10th post down ) , I wonder will they now rethink the timeframe given that it originates from before their initial partnership with VTST ?

[CJS]

'within a matter of years' is just about as woolly as a time frame can get. Two? Five? Ten?
Edit - have now read the 558 posts. Mods - do the two need merging now I wonder?

one topic's supposed to be about an Avro Vulcan & the other's about a DH Mosquito......

For now BC, for now

[Timc]

I know exactly what you mean Chris, and your sentiments haven't been "lost" on hopefully the majority of people, still interesting to know whose now "piggy backing" who within the grand scheme of things?!

[Dragon Rapide]

I haven't been aware of this project during the Summer months and the airshow season and I wondered if they have been present at any shows with a stall to attract interest and holding out their begging bowls. If not it would seem a considerable opportunity lost.

[Brevet Cable]

Info is on their website : http://www.peoplesmosquito.org.uk/2016/04/25/2016-airshow-attendance-dates/

[Dragon Rapide]

Thanks BC - should have looked there first! I hope they had a successful season. Not being into social media I seem little aware of them. They don't seem to generate much broadstream awareness which they will need for the very large amounts of cash required.

[MicrolightDriver]

I haven't been aware of this project during the Summer months and the airshow season and I wondered if they have been present at any shows with a stall to attract interest and holding out their begging bowls. If not it would seem a considerable opportunity lost.

Why use a pejorative term like 'begging bowls' when you're actually pointing out / advocating that TPM should have been out there collecting?

[Dragon Rapide]

Ooops!! Slapped wrist time for DR. Some people are quick to jump on here.....!!

That was not my intention at all and I applaud them and anyone else making efforts to fill their coffers - god knows I've contributed to a few over the years!!!

[planenuttoo]

Having been a lull in the news on this project which naturally will depend on the contributions, I have sent an email (in the last few days) to the team as to progress and intend to add relevant information to this topic if I receive it.

[HeyfordDave111]

Their website is lacking any type of progress report on the rebuild of the aircraft, and status thereof.

Postings regarding stories etc.

Where's the meat in this sandwich? Let us hear what is happening.
Nice pic of the main spar found at Colt though.

[MicrolightDriver]

Ooops!! Slapped wrist time for DR. Some people are quick to jump on here.....!!

That was not my intention at all and I applaud them and anyone else making efforts to fill their coffers - god knows I've contributed to a few over the years!!!

Sorry, it wasn't meant to be a jump! It just struck me as an example of how this kind of terminology seems to have become so much the norm on ukar that we barely realise its happening.

[Dragon Rapide]

I am afraid it's a term I have used utterly non-perjoratively for decades. An example perhaps of the 21st century mode of hypersensitivity. Anyway no blood spilt and hope they had a successful season.

[Thoughtful_Flyer]

I haven't been aware of this project during the Summer months and the airshow season and I wondered if they have been present at any shows with a stall to attract interest and holding out their begging bowls. If not it would seem a considerable opportunity lost.

What I find interesting with these projects is why they never seem to capture the imagination of the seriously wealthy, of which there are many.

Reading the website it is claimed that it will cost c. £7 million to get to an airworthy aircraft then around £250K a year to operate. I don't know if these figures are realistic or wildly optimistic but that is relatively petty cash to a significant number of people.

For example, it has been widely reported this week that J K Rowling has just sold a yacht which she has owned for a matter of months for £15 million and she started out writing children's books in a cafe whilst on benefits!

That is a mere rowing boat compared to the super yacht owned by some business man pictured mored next to HMS Belfast.....

[Pen Pusher]

I wondered if they have been present at any shows with a stall to attract interest

Stall at Duxford 'Meet The Fighters' show.

Brian

[Seahornet]

...Where's the meat in this sandwich?...

Since it's a DH Mosquito that we're discussing, shouldn't that be "Where's the balsa in this sandwich...?"

[Stagger2]

[quote="What I find interesting with these projects is why they never seem to capture the imagination of the seriously wealthy, of which there are many.

Reading the website it is claimed that it will cost c. £7 million to get to an airworthy aircraft then around £250K a year to operate. I don't know if these figures are realistic or wildly optimistic but that is relatively petty cash to a significant number of people..[/quote]....Edited

Wish it was that simple TF. Sadly it's a fact of life that rich people only stay rich because they don't throw their money away! There has to be a mechanism for increasing their bank balance by investment generation, positive exposure of another of their money-making business's or attractive tax breaks which aid the previous headings.
TPM. is just another money-pit to most wealthy people....unless of course, your name happens to be Didi Mateschitz & Red Bull aircraft are your penchant?

[Ian G]

They had a stall at the Cosby Show as well

[planenuttoo]

Certainly the group have been attending airshows, but there is no current news on progress, though the acquisition of funds is paramount.

[Pat Murphy]

I wondered if they have been present at any shows with a stall to attract interest

Stall at Duxford 'Meet The Fighters' show.

Brian

Indeed and quick chat with one of the volunteers revealed the following:

Cost? About £6.5 million
Timescale? Flyer by 2021

They also now have full charitable status and can begin looking for corporate sponsors, lottery funding and such like. Good luck

Meanwhile on an airfield at Ardmore, New Zealand, work continues apace on the second one from their hangar. TV959 is about to fly. I was lucky enough to visit in January and the progress since then has been amazing . They said October to fly, I said which year, jokingly. It looks like they'll beat that. Details on The Warbirds Over New Zealand forum, including a video of her taxiing. First flight imminent....

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/22621/again-mosquito-avspecs?page=12

[planenuttoo]

I have now received a reply from the "The People’s Mosquito" and am informed that

"on the website the affiliates program has grown and you will find new updates on there.

Are you on our Facebook Group? I appreciate not all are on all the social media platforms, but we post many updates and news on here mostly airshow news and progress on the project.

In addition to this we have launched ‘The People’s Mosquito Club’ which for £25 for a one year membership will issue via the website exclusive articles first. We have several hundred members signed up to date since its launch in early summer. Details are on the website if you are interested?"

There will be more information coming shortly but I think that the project is moving forward, though slowly, due to having to ensure that requirements of the CAA will be confidently met. Funding is essential, and any project must have an assurance of funding before taking actions.

[Dan O'Hagan]

Sadly, the ham-fisted project launch in 2011 caused irreparable damage to the project's credibility within the hobby. Alienate your core supporter base, and it'll be a struggle.

Granted, they've made strides since then on the PR side, but I fear the damage was long done.

If a Mosquito ever flies under their banner, I would be astonished.

[Dragon Rapide]

Yes they could not have made a bigger pig's ear of it if they'd tried. I do wish them well, though, but I am not expecting to see a home grown Mozzie fly in my lifetime.

[GertrudetheMerciless]

Sadly, the ham-fisted project launch in 2011 caused irreparable damage to the project's credibility within the hobby. Alienate your core supporter base, and it'll be a struggle.

Granted, they've made strides since then on the PR side, but I fear the damage was long done.

.

I know a couple of the people on their team who volunteer their time to the project and travel with the stall to the shows. Unfortunately without an ambitious individual with deeps pockets I believe they will struggle.

I don't always agree with Dan but I think the first point is very valid; the original launch left an awful lot to be desired and should have been done once some meat had been put on the bones and a little more groundwork performed. That said, they damage wasn't necessarily irreparable.

[Brevet Cable]

Not sure about irreparable, but it definitely wasn't the right way to launch a project...even if a large part of the problem was caused by the snide and insulting comments made by some posters ( and that wasn't just on this forum )
At least they are now being a lot more professional in their approach, presumably thanks to the involvement of VTST.
I note on their website that they appear to taken some of VTST's fundraising ideas on-board, particularly with their current 'Wing Ribs Campaign' ( which has already raised almost £42k of it's £50k target ) and the establishing of an on-line shop.
Given the difficulties VTST & other 'restoration'/RtoF projects have encountered with regards fundraising, I feel the big task will be if and how they get the national media involved and - more importantly - keep them involved.