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What's your best piece of aviation memorabilia


Ronnie

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I've got a starboard forward window frame from a Ju 88C-0 that crashed in Norway. SWMBO makes me keep it in the attic :(

I think you should knock a hole through the living room wall and make a window out of it :wicked:

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A very nice former Stirling/Halifax and Lancaster Flight Engineer gave me his old escape kit with rather outdated tablets for water purification, waterproof caper et al cramed into a small plastic container so I have never opened it! A couple of silk escape maps and some red bomb pins he had made into a key ring.

Oh - and an intact glass Spitfire Windscreen dug up at an airfield somewhere and donated to me by a client. Bloody heavy thing

Edited by JohnT
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HI All

Just thought I would share my most treasured parts I have around the my house.

I lost my farther in the Falklands back in 82 and after tracking down one of the last Lynx Helicopters he worked on I not only got the chance to fly the old girl but when they de-mobbed it a year ago I got to have some parts of it.

I was let loose on the cab and got the cyclic lever,switches from the dash,temp sensor from passenger door,Compass from the dash top and the green nylon cover that goes over the floatation bags.

I was then in for a very special present when I was presented by the boss of 815 Squadron a rear tail rotor cut down with the clock from the dash installed in it. It is a very nice part and is on show in the lounge.

I hope you like the pictures

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I have a tyre from the tail bumper wheels from Concorde, courtesy of Flight International - they did a reader survey of the Top 10 aircraft of all time and the people whose list was closest to the overall result got a prize (even ones like me who worked for the publisher at the time)

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A couple of exploded .50 cal shells from a B-17 wreck site in the Cheviots

Some small metal and wood fragments from a Vickers Warwick wreck site in the Cheviots

Various inert postwar aircraft cannon shells

A used Bofors 40/70 shell case

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I have an incidence switch off the nose of a Bloodhound Mk2 Missile somewhere, (probably got 2 actually) that I got when we scrapped them. I also gave my dad a "Bloodhound Altimeter".......an altimeter that was fitted to the Missile Overall Test Equipment (MOTE) to test that certain functions occured at certain altitudes.

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I have this from a Jaguar, but I dont know what it is?

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also a small part of a Sea Venom fuselage.

I have a personalised signed copy of Eric Browns book, plus a signed copy of Alan Bean (Apollo 15) book of paintings.

Julien

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I have a tyre from the tail bumper wheels from Concorde, courtesy of Flight International - they did a reader survey of the Top 10 aircraft of all time and the people whose list was closest to the overall result got a prize (even ones like me who worked for the publisher at the time)

Clearly a stitch-up and against the spirit of the competition. You should send it to me immediately. :D

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Here's my favourite piece of aviation memorabilia - a set of passenger seats from ex RAF 101 Sqn VC-10 C.1K XR807 which was retired from military service to Bruntingthorpe airfield last year for dismantling. I have a love of VC-10s and XR807 in particular. This was the aircraft I first flew on as a 15 year old air cadet back in 1977. I seem to remember that flight was a training flight for a new captain recently assigned to 10 Sqn (with whom XR807 flew for most of it's life). We cadets were to act as live ballast - to give the kite some weight as we proceeded to fly a succession of circuits and bumps around the Brize circuit. I was to come face to face with XR807 in October 2007 - exactly 30 years later. On this occasion my work provided an opportunity to fly on this aircraft on an AAR sortie over central France where we were to refuel a succession of FAF and FN Mirage 2000s, F1Cs and a pair of Super Etendards. I for one am getting increasingly depressed about the pending withdrawal from service of the Queen of the Skies, but at least I have a not so small momento which takes pride of place in my modelling shed, to always remember this great and iconic British aircraft.

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This is a great thread, please keep those aviation artefacts coming!

Mark

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Some very nice collections.

I have a patch given to me at Lossiemouth in 1986, Its American from the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.

I was told it was off Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski flight suit. I have no way of proving this, Or do i even know if Gabreski flew in this squadron.

The person who gave me the patch has sadly long passed away, He served in Korea though.

Maybe someone could shed some light on the matter, Or let me know of other famous pilots with this squadron.

I will post a picture of the patch when im back home.

Link here to squadron and patch emblem: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/67th_Network_Warfare_Wing

Any help or information would be great.

regards

Terry

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Some great stuff here!

My best piece of memorabilia is very personal. It's my certificate for my first solo given to me on 24th September 2009 after soloing in Cessna 152 G-BVTM at Royal Air Force Halton Aero Club - one of the oldest flying clubs in the UK.

And its so special because since the age of four I wanted to be a pilot - but was told at 17 it would never happen. Not only was I binned for RAF Aircrew (my dream) but also for Commercial - and even a Private Pilot's Licence (one weak eye). Thanks to some far sighted bods at the CAA and LAA a new licence was introduced called the National Private Pilot's Licence with more sensible medical rules - and I was IN!

So 'impossible' dream achieved - having been told all your life that you'll never fly solo - to actually do it was really rather special - and I was grinning like a Cheshire cat for at least a month afterwards. And - yes - I did get my licence (as many here already know) - but my First Solo certificate is just the best aviation related momento I have.

Oh - and the wording at the bottom:

"This certificate shall mark the auspicious event and bear witness to the skill and precision of the holder who, nothing daunted, did clatter off into the blue yonder, circumnavigate the airfield and land safely, proving the age of miracles is not yet dead."

So true - and still makes me smile like a Cheshire cat! :)

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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A number of pictures taken at Bardney (IX Squadron) by my Granddad and his crew in 1943 and then sent to my Nan, the most significant one shows all seven of them with W4964 WS-J which he piloted on five occasions. It is also believed to be the earliest known picture of W4964.

Stuart

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A couple of bits from me firstly my old flying helmet and gloves from my time on Police Air ops

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Secondly a print the "Dover Tour" signed by Chris "duster" Chapman and Claire "riddler" Trudby of the 492nd Fighter Squadron Lakenheath

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I have this VFP-63 Sqn plaque thanks to my Friend John Biday in the USA. We dont know what it was presented for but its going to make a great model stand!

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I have a few patches but these are the only ones I know are genuine; The F-22 was obtained direct from the Sqn. The "can Do Easy" are a current patch and a 60's Sqn patch, direct from a ex aviator, I really need to get these mounted as the old one is getting fragile. The Centennial Naval Aviation one is also a correct Aircrew one I am told.

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Have a few Sqn T shirts from Mildenhall airshows, 555 Triple Nickel MiG Parts Distributor! and 37 Bomb Group Tigers are 2 of the better ones.

I am jealous of those VC-10 seats!

Julien

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The one thing I chairish the most is an original picture of the first B-1B arrival at Dyess AFB in 1986. It originally hung in the nuclear alert facility. I found it at a Goodwill store for five bucks.

RYAN.

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I have a few bits, "J" Herc Pitot tube Scrapped item, various Puma Helicopter parts, a nose wheel, which I took off a Mig 27 at Balad, Iraq, RB199 Tonka combustion turbine blade, many chaff tubes(empty) and many other bits that I have forgotten about, but still have around the house.

SF

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Some great collections there. I've been lucky enough to collect up a few bits and bobs over the years picking my favourite is tough.

Vampire T11 XE921 Gun fairing

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Lightning Radome

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And what looks like my own bone yard at the moment while my storage is sorted, Canberraman may want to look away. I have probably the last mortal remains of VC10 C1K XR807, Canberra TT18 WK122, USMC McDD Harrier AV8B 163423 and Comet C4 G-BDIT formally XR395 which was the first delivered to the RAF and oddly as G-BDIT it starred in the Madness Wings of a Dove music video while at Blackbushe.

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As for favourites it's either my VC10 Conway LP Compressor blade or my HP Victor K1 panel which is currently getting a little liver by the day!!

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There at my mum and dad's house so I can't get a photo at the moment. But my Dad aquired some parts off a Mil-8 that was blown up in a James Bond film (I think it was James Bond?) Plus some other parts from films, he has a Beech 18 column too..

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And what looks like my own bone yard at the moment while my storage is sorted, Canberraman may want to look away. I have probably the last mortal remains of VC10 C1K XR807,

Aarrgh!! What a sad end to such a graceful aircraft! (But should you ever run out of space for your mini aircraft museum Mike, then I'll happilly take the VC-10 panels off your hands for a small fee ;) )

Mark

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Among my bits and pieces, I have a Jaguar ventral fin, a Canberra control column, and a bright orange knife used by F1-11 crews - there's peculiar blade curved through 180 deg. Apparently

it was for cutting parachute lines (don't know how true that is though).

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I have a small piece of the skin of C-47 42-100591 that served on D-Day, at Arnhem and in the Berlin Airlift. She still flies locally as Tico Bell.

David

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