Bristol fashion

[IanP]

Isn't William Njurmi talking about Finland's Bulldog Mk.IVAs ? He didn't mention the Gladiator. Or am I missing something ?

He was indeed - or that's what I read it as, too. My response was to Tom's post, one above mine.

Cheers,

Ian P.

[William Njurmi]

Yes, I understood this is an Bulldog thread.

[hairyspin]

Dear me, I must have been out in the sun overmuch this week. Pass the Sanatogen.

[BendyFlyer]

Interesting. I didn't know that. We'll have to start tracking it down!

Bazzar, it was a very unusual aeroplane to see drop into a city airport like at the time. From memory it was just a plane silver and white and I am pretty sure it was ex RAAF. How he came by it I don't know, I only had a quick chat with him and asked him about maintenance, he said it was not a problem at all. Then again there were lots of vintage engineers about then who did there trade back in the 30's. Got me thinking now might go and make a few inquiries myself. Hope he did not prang it and shove it a shed to be forgotten. Happens in the bush, came across a brand new Beech BE 58 once at Inverell in NSW some twenty years ago. Bee Farmer bought it, who knows why, did not have a pilots license, had it delivered and there it sat inside a shed. Anyhow I digress and well off topic.

Looking forward to this one too. First the Lancaster, going to be a great year for sim models. Keep up the good work guys.

[BendyFlyer]

Bazaar, I know age is catching up with me some days, but the more I think about the more I am positive it was a Bulldog you could not miss that profile and the pugnacious look they had. The only known other Bulldog is a collection of recovered parts (probably either the RAAF Museum or AWM has it) from a crashed Bulldog. Because this one was so rarely seen living out west somewhere between Mudgee and Rylestone, either most people never knew about or have forgotten. The aircraft had no radio, which was allowed then, so he would ring up for a clearance into Bankstown and arrive at the set time as instructed. Guess it either got wrecked or is still in a shed some where. Can't think of any other Bristol aeroplane in OZ that was a bi-plane, single seater, with a big radial at the front and was definitely a Bristol. Anyway I have hijacked this thread enough. A treasure hunt for somebody and unlikely to be found via the Google I guess.

[manfredc3]

Looking forward to this one

[bazzar]

Bazaar, I know age is catching up with me some days, but the more I think about the more I am positive it was a Bulldog you could not miss that profile and the pugnacious look they had. The only known other Bulldog is a collection of recovered parts (probably either the RAAF Museum or AWM has it) from a crashed Bulldog. Because this one was so rarely seen living out west somewhere between Mudgee and Rylestone, either most people never knew about or have forgotten. The aircraft had no radio, which was allowed then, so he would ring up for a clearance into Bankstown and arrive at the set time as instructed. Guess it either got wrecked or is still in a shed some where. Can't think of any other Bristol aeroplane in OZ that was a bi-plane, single seater, with a big radial at the front and was definitely a Bristol. Anyway I have hijacked this thread enough. A treasure hunt for somebody and unlikely to be found via the Google I guess.

It's probably under a tarp next to a complete Bugatti T 35 and his old Alfa 2800C he forgot to register....got to be worth fifty bucks....

[UnknownGuest12]

Yes, a beautifull work of art.

Although I would like very much to have a Japanese one, namely the Nakajima KI.84 Hayate (Frank). Just a little change of Continents, of course if there is enough documentation to build one.
Best regards

[Nick C]

This looks stunning Baz. Are you including the Hanger?

[jeansy]

Interesting. I didn't know that. We'll have to start tracking it down!

The RAAF only had 8, its serial was A12-07

[BendyFlyer]

Yes the crashed one was not recovered for nearly 70 years so I understand by that time there was not much left of it. The rest were supposedly scrapped late WW2 era. Over the years I have discovered that scrapped meant a lot of things, like Sid Marshall at Bankstown who had an ME 109 and Spitfire Mark IX RAAF both supposedly scrapped. The Messerschmitt was a captured one from the Middle East campaign (Now at the AWM) and the Spitfire was surplus after WW2 and was bought for 'scrap' value by Sid. Sid also had a Mitsubishi Zero, where he got that from I have no idea. When he died the collection was broken up and the Spitfire spirited out of the country, where to I do not know. It was in pristine condition never having been flown except for delivery and testing To be able to sit in it when Sid let me was something else. Most people are unaware but there is a pristine Beaufighter ex RAAF in a shed at Camden in NSW also a scrap buy, again zero hours disposed of post WW 2.

My hunch is the old bugger bought the Bristol like that, it was marked off as 'scrapped' and nobody cared after that, the Ledger balanced. It is the same as any old WW1 type. I am also pretty sure it was a very early Bristol (WW1) that was in a shed at a private boys school at Bathurst in NSW for years where I played football as youngster on and off, locked up but open grated doors exposed it to the elements and dirt, so the boys could not get at it. It vanished as well where to nobody knows or where it is nobody knows either. Bur you could not miss that big 4 blade wooden prop and that profile. Probably a heap of stuff like that about in OZ actually, anyway that would be another detective story too. Trouble is nobody was really interested in these old birds until really the 1980's partly because the regulatory authorities made it impossible to fly them (They wanted full x-ray examination of every metal part in the Spitfire for example before they would think about it and there was no experimental category to allow anyone to fly it). Similarly where are all the ex RAAF P-51s that were around and about in the 1960's and 1970s'.

FWIW it is one of the things that I enjoy most about simming, you actually get a chance to see what these aeroplanes were like even if it is VR. So my hat off to the AH folks for doing this one and all the others they have done ( Quite a few grace my computer hangar).

[AussieMan]

Sid also had a Mitsubishi Zero, where he got that from I have no idea.

Sid Marshall did not have a Zero. It was a Nakajima KI43 Oscar. Col Pay finished up with it and swapped it for a Kittyhawk from NZ. The Oscar has been restored and is on the airshow circuit in New Zealand.

Most people are unaware but there is a pristine Beaufighter ex RAAF in a shed at Camden in NSW also a scrap buy, again zero hours disposed of post WW 2.

A fellow by the name of Thomas (an aeronautics teacher at Sydney Technical College) owned the Beaufighter. There was a Mustang (A68-118 I think) which was acquired by Jeff Trappett and is now airworthy and on the Australian airshow circuit. When changes were made to Camaden airport the collection was moved to a shed in Narellan. The collection also contained a complete Vultee Vengance (A27-299 I think)

Similarly where are all the ex RAAF P-51s that were around and about in the 1960's and 1970s'.

There are about 10 P-51s airworthy in Australia with a couple more coming on line in the next couple of years.

[bazzar]

We've commenced the finishing work in the cockpit.

[DaveWG]

Lovely work, that looks superb.

[dharris]

As always, a stellar job of rendering. Amazing workmanship and always appreciated. Still use your "Connie" and think it was, and is, the best one out here. Thanks again for your contribution to the sim community all these years.

[bazzar]

Thanks so much for the kind words. We were about to revisit the Connie but got pipped at the post as it were...

[dharris]

Understand how that can happen. Looking forward to any improvements you can make to the old girl. Our local museum, has an WV now and considering volunteering to help with the restore.

[huub vink]

Wow, that cockpit is really breathtaking! Superb work

Huub