Duxford October Bimbles ~ *UPDATE 3~31Oct15*

[Pen Pusher]

Another quiet sunny day at Duxford and following its initial engine runs yesterday, Bronco/G-BZGL was towed to the end of Runway 06 for about an hours worth of engine runs before returning back to ARCo. Having been emptied of American Air Museum aircraft, the T-33 was returned to Airspace for temporary storage and was joined by the FSM Spitfire from hangar 4 for a corporate event that was due to take place. TFC had a bit of a hangar shuffle and the final glazing supports were finally fitted in place at the AAM this morning.













Brian

[Pen Pusher]

A bit of a shuffle around in 5 hangar with the T-33 and F-100D receiving a bit of attention and the He162A all on its own in the spray bay. In hangar 2/North, the east end had been cleared for the motorbikes auction on Tuesday as part of the H&H car auctions that were taking place in AirSpace and the west end of 2 hangar was a bit packed with war birds. Outside, B-17/Sally-B had its wingtips clipped ready to go into hangar 2 for winter maintenance and the Catalina was towed out onto the airfield for a final engine run of the year before it goes inside for the winter. Outside AirSpace, as the inside was being cleared of the auction paraphernalia, Lot 64 a 1931 Cadillac 370-A V12 Coupe caught my eye more for the bullet riddled front windscreen than any thing else.













Brian

[wallace]

What is the future like for the T-33 and F-100 now that the American hangar has been closed off?
Looks like the hangar supports could be removed from the T-33.

Nice set of pictures, as ever Brian, keep them coming.

[Pen Pusher]

Not sure what's happening to the T-33, both are still owned by the USAF Museum or what ever they call themselves now, but the F-100 is going back to to America. Or that was the last plan I'd heard.

Brian

[Pen Pusher]

Had several visits to Duxford since my last posting but not a lot is happening at the moment. Today the Catalina joined Sally-B in hangar 2/north for winter maintenance and in hangar 3, the French registered Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 has had its Wright R-3350-26WD engine removed. It developed a problem while displaying at the Flying Legends air show and I was told metal parts were found in the engine oil system. In hangar 5, the deconstruction of the F-100 is continuing prior to its return to the US.













Brian

[Wissam24]

Hadn't realised the F-100 wasn't going to the States..how come?

Nice photos, I like the one of the Dragon starting up.

[Pen Pusher]

It and the T.33 belong to the USAF Museum and are only on loan. I had heard the F-100 was going to another museum but the Americans vetoed it.

Brian

[Wissam24]

I hadn't realised that. Pity.

[Pen Pusher]

from the Duxford web site

Boeing B-29A Superfortress(United States Navy)
Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II ‘Warthog’(USAF Museum)
General Dynamics F-111E(USAF Museum)
Hawker Hunter F6(USAF Museum)
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (USAF Museum)
Lockheed T-33A(USAF Museum)
Lockheed U2C(USAF Museum)
McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle(USAF Museum)
North American F-100D Super Sabre(USAF Museum)

Brian

[Wissam24]

US Navy?! Wiki lists them as only having 4 in the first place!

[boff180]

US Navy?! Wiki lists them as only having 4 in the first place!

From Warbirds Wikia for the serial number...

• Aircraft assigned to the 371st Bombardment Squadron, 307th Bomb Group, 307th Bomb Wing at Kadena AB, Okinawa in March 1952.
• Flew 105 combat missions over North Korea carrying the name "It's Hawg Wild" before the Korean armistice agreement was signed in July 1953.
• Sent to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California as a target in November 1956.
• Donated to the Imperial War Museum by the US Navy in 1979.
• Recovered from China Lake on November 16, 1979 after being made flyable and flown to Tucson, Arizona for further restoration by Aero Services.
• On February 16, 1980, the aircraft was flown to Flint, Michigan.
• On March 2, 1980, the aircraft arrived at Duxford via Loring Air Force Base, Maine; Gander, Newfoundland; Sondestrom Fjord, Greenland; Keflavik, Iceland; and Mildenhall, UK.
• Severe corrosion was found in the bomb bay area requiring extensive repairs.
• Exterior was eventually repainted in its wartime color scheme and the aircraft was fully restored.
• On permanent indoor display at the American Air Museum, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, England.

[Pen Pusher]

H5612/15: Exercises will take place
Q) EGTT/QWELW/IV/BO/AW/000/015/5205N00008E002

DROPPING OF POPPY PETALS FROM AN ACFT WI 2NM RADIUS OF 520525N
0000752E (DUXFORD AD, CAMBRIDGESHIRE). 2015-11-0197/AS 6.

LOWER: Surface, UPPER: 1,500 Feet AMSL
FROM: 01 Nov 2015 10:45 GMT TO: 08 Nov 2015 11:30 GMT

Brian

[Pen Pusher]

Surprised to see this morning the Biggin Hill two seat Spitfire/MJ627 sitting on the grass next to the control tower all ready to go but not going any where because of the mist covering the area. It cleared enough early afternoon for flying to start. In hangar 2, winter maintenance continues on the multi-engined war birds with the Catalina down to one engine. In hangar 3, the broken French Sea Fury now has a museum information board, just like the 'permanent' residents. The Quilt Show was in full swing in AirSpace but again couldn't see any aviation related quilts.















Brian