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Museum of Berkshire Aviation Newsletter August 2002

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Museum of Berkshire Aviation Newsletter August 2002 I suppose the big achievement for the year has been the drawing up of the tail plane, which is now under construction. The problem here was, as usual, the lack of original drawings, and to add to the confusion, three different shapes shown on plan views in the Air Publication manual. Luckily one of these compared very closely with a drawing in the publication compiled by August 2002 A.H. Lukins “The Book of Miles Aircraft”. The recent arrival at ply covering on the rear of the Welcome to our latest the museum of a very fine scale starboard side of the fuselage Newsletter. model of the Martinet by Tony B which in turn will allow us to put also uses this version of the on the top ply. Please feel free to send us tailplane. any items of interest and The tail wheel and strut are now articles which may interest The arrival of our “New Boy” in position though they still our readers. Colin H, has been a great help need a bit of attention. My hope and his apprenticeship (he is to be able to lower the aircraft ENGINEERING UPDATE insists he is my apprentice) is temporarily onto its’ wheels progressing well. Colin’s latest perhaps by the end of the year. effort has been to produce the We will then know that we can MILES M.25 MARTINET ribs for the tail plane, (see move it around if necessary. RESTORATION PROJECT photo), and Dennis H is now in the process of fitting these to I have recently found some very By Ian S the spars which are set up on interesting photographs that I the assembly bench in the think are worthy of being Looking back at the preceding workshop. I think we have also printed in our newsletter. The issues of our Newsletter is one managed to capture Ted P photographs portray workers way of assessing the true back from the Mini Link Trainer who were helping with the progress of this project. Time project for a time, where in fact construction of the Miles Master passes so quickly, we we have all been helping out in 1939. It is especially sometimes tend to during the year. John Kite will interesting to see these, as they underestimate our be putting in a full report on this show some of the very items we achievements. as it now nears the last part of have been reproducing. What a the control system stage. wonderful comparison they The port side of the fuselage is make. now completely ply covered. Looking forward, I am hoping Part of the starboard side will we shall soon be finishing the The man working on the rudder remain uncovered is also shown in his while we continue peacetime occupation with some of the of cabinet making. interior fitting out. Their skills were in This includes the great demand during control runs which the war years both by have now been set Miles Aircraft and de out. The rudder bell Havillands, where crank and many were also intermediate bell helping to build the crank assembly have Mosquito. now been fabricated and fitted. August 2002 / Page 1 ENGINEERING UPDATE By Geoff E The Gannet has now been painted in its original colours scheme and final markings are almost complete. If we get any decent weather this summer we can finish this part of the project. Despite our best efforts the vandalised rear canopy was We are at present finalising the beyond repair. We managed to control system and the control obtain a new canopy by electronics, this has caused us swapping a surplus forward a few headaches but is now canopy with the chaps who are close to being finalised. refurbishing their Gannet at Membury. Our next big problem is room to operate. We don’t have room in The next task is to restart the the hanger and it is most interior refurbishment. As you difficult to open the hanger probably know, the forward doors to get the aircraft outside cockpit instrument panel has every time we want to operate. already been rebuilt. We are As a result, a mini-portable hoping to make up the full hanger, to be sited outside the complement of instruments by museum, is being considered doing another swap with the THE MINI LINK TRAINER and the Woodley Carnival guys at Membury who need PROJECT committee have been asked if some propeller blades, we just they would help towards the happen to have some spare. By John K cost of purchase. The chaps have done a good The airframe is now fully Thanks are due to the following job of cleaning the Gannet. The completed and painted in its Wednesday Team lads who Herald lads have had a field final livery of red fuselage with ably assisted in this project day on their aeroplane and they white stripes and white wings both look very smart. with red stripes and is mounted Denis H on the bomb trolley. Ted P The chaps working on the Geoff E Student are now back with us The ‘trainer’ was entered in the Ian S and are carrying on with their Woodley Carnival on June 8th, Dick G monumental task of in the pilots seat we had Prince Brian H remanufacturing and repairing Charles and in the rear seat the John H parts of the aircraft which are Queen, who, as we proceeded Graham H either missing or damaged. This along the route waved to the Frank J is all being done without access crowd. John G to any drawings. I must say that Alan F I think they performing miracles Our entry was well received by considering the little information the spectators as indicated by Thanks are also due to Brian L that they have. applause as we banked round for his machining capabilities. the roundabouts and levelled Unfortunately the Herald out for the straights !! We also We have had two requests from donation box was ‘borrowed’ in had several people approach schools who asked if we could June. The box was eventually us and mention how nice it was hire out the trainer to them for found outside the Museum, to see something novel and their school fete. minus its contents. original in the procession. August 2002 / Page 2 Margaret has been invited to the RAF stating that because of up the engine to clear the the Woodley Open Day in my absence I would be C.TED plugs, before taking off. Woodford Park on September (Ceased training) for flying, and 7th, and we are going to book a to report back to Cardington in On one occasion, I must have pitch in the marquee. This Jan 1943 to commence my put too much weight on my event, in conjunction with the proper service life. hand when jumping and I Woodley Horticultural Society, cracked the plywood fuselage. is held to promote interest in After a spell at Blackpool, After the pilot throttled back, I local organisations. Lots of where we had the usual drill ran to the cockpit and reported, other local organisations and weapon training, I was sent so that the flight exercise was display at this event. It is to Squires Gate, Blackpool, to aborted. worthwhile attending to promote train as a flight mechanic the museum and try to raise our engines. Another time, an aircraft was profile in the community. being taxied back to the flight Our intake was told that after and ran off the tarmac into soft our 16 weeks training we would ground. So a two-six was MARTINET AT WAR … AIR be posted overseas. So as I shouted, and all the spare FRAME MECHANIC was still under 21 yrs old, I mechs went to push. I got persuaded my parents to give under the wing and put my back By L.A.C. Charles Ashton permission to marry my fiancé, into the main plane and pushed as I was 4 months short of 21, upwards. I felt something crack, In 1941 at the age of 17½, I they did so, and we were and once again, I had damaged registered for military service at married on Dec 27th 1943. an aircraft so I was not very a church hall in St Albans, popular. which was the nearest depot to On my return to PDC my home town of Watford. Morecombe, we found that all However, on many occasions, Having witnessed some of the married men were to be taken we ground crew, were allowed air action which took place in off the draft (which incidentally to go up with the pilots the sky around London, I stated ended up in South Rhodesia) permission, when a fighter my preference would be with and I was posted to No 4 Air simulation exercise was being the RAF. Of course being Gunnery School at Morpeth, flown. This was good fun, young and impressionable I Northumberland, where I was because many of the pilots volunteered for flying duties, introduced to the Miles Martinet. were on 6 months screening and the first choice would be after a tour of operations. They pilot. We had these aircraft on A really threw the Martinet around Flight and they were used as the sky, diving on to the Anson Some weeks later, I received a drogue target towers and also with the cadet gunners. The travel warrant, and orders to to simulate fighter attacker onto pilots tried to make us sick, but report to Cardington for medical the Anson aircraft of B Flight, luckily I never was.
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