Kes Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I'm currently reading 'Faster than the Sun' the autobiography of Lt Cmdr Peter Twiss OBE DSC&bar, He mentions while preparing for the attempt on the 'World air speed record' with Fairey Delta 2 of some essential calibration work carried out by a 'Venom aeroplane of A&AEE' which was equipped with two special aneroid altimeters and a camera operator? now this kind of thing is is precisely the type of subject I'd like to build as a future project, an important aeroplane which had it not existed maybe the World air speed record might not have been won by FD2 WG774 (I have a Frog Delta bagged kit) So, I'm wondering if anyone has details of this DH Venom? All I know is it was with A&AEE and probably a two seater?? . . . Kes (who went to smw15 kit swap today looking for another Frog/Novo FD2 and an Airfix SR53 but came home with an Airfix Short Skyvan at half the price of recent failed eBay bids!! Result!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 You were looking in the wrong place for an FD2. I saw one on one of the second hand traders today for £40! Best of luck with that, mate! But did snaffle a bagged one for a quid! How long did the queue in the kitswap take? I was in there hoovering up Spitfires, but also came out with a CMR Lancaster BII conversion for a tenner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 £40 for a decades old basicFrog but still good kit!?!? Crazy!! I picked up an MPM Meteor F8 (prone) and a Planet Models Short SC1 for less than that? There are two on eBay at the minute, one 'Buy it now' at £49.99 + £3.80 postage the other stands at £10.50 with 5 bids, mine being the fourth bid?? Both Novo repops!! Anyhoo, further development with this 'calibration Venom' research so far shows it was . . WL857 an early NF2 flown by Gp Capt Bruin Purvis who's observer was female possibly the famous wartime ATA pilot Lettice Curtis, the aircraft described by 'Flight' magazine journalist in 1957 as 'fierce yellow' still can't find a photo?? So, kit options in 1/72 for Venom NF2? how similar is the NF2 to the other two seat venoms? convertable? . . . Kes (enjoying the research) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 (edited) You can build a NF Venom from a Frog Sea Venom, although the NF3 is easier than the NF2 (Can't recall the exact 2/3 differences at the mo - canopy and radome spring to mind, along with fins) CMK do/did an NF 2 though:http://www.hyperscale.com/2012/reviews/kits/cmr228reviewmd_1.htm Edited November 8, 2015 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 Useful, thanks Dave The only Yellow Venom I've found is a Swedish target tug!! . . . Kes (whos wondering if this aeroplane was ever photographed?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 I'll have a look at Mason's book on the AAEE later 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 When we had the Purple FD.2 for a time at RAF Coningsby circa 1962 we also had the Blue Ace of Diamonds, Meteor 7.5 and a Sea Venom but it wasn't Yellow. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 You were looking in the wrong place for an FD2. I saw one on one of the second hand traders today for £40! Best of luck with that, mate! But did snaffle a bagged one for a quid! How long did the queue in the kitswap take? I was in there hoovering up Spitfires, but also came out with a CMR Lancaster BII conversion for a tenner. I remember checking off all those Spitfires and that CMR conv at the desk! You weren't the worst offender 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Hey John, as far as I've researched the purple (mauve?) colour was applied after the 'World air speed record' had been won. The Venom I'm looking for is, according to the Peter Twiss autobiography 'Faster than the Sun' and an online 'Flight' magazine article from 1957 show it was WL857 an early NF2.painted yellow flying out of Boscombe Down with A&AEE . . . Kes (who briefly met John Aero at Telford, nice chap!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Useful, thanks Dave The only Yellow Venom I've found is a Swedish target tug!! . . . Kes (whos wondering if this aeroplane was ever photographed?) One of those yellow aircraft is preserved at the Swedish Air Force Museum at Linköping. However it is now repainted in Air Force colours as a J 33 from F 1 wing at Västerås (the only unit equiped with Venoms in Sweden). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 Hey Sten, was that similar to their Svenska Flygtjanst Meteor TT7 with a Rushton winch? I have on in 1/72 somewhere? Am I right in thinking they were under civil register and not Flygvapnet? BIt like Marshals of Cambridge or FRADU?? So, no photo of this elusive Venom then? Gives me a bit of 'artistic licence' I suppose, who could tell me it's wrong? Ha! . . . Kes (former Svenska Flygvapnet modeler) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampiredave Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 The book, The Cold War Years:Flight Testing at Boscombe Down 1945-1975, has an image of WL857 on page 70 and 132. While on page 131 a brief coverage of the aircraft's trials states:Extensive instrumentation for high level instrument calibration of new aircraft was fitted to WL857 as datum; after two years of installation, fitting a Ghost 103, and calibration of equipment using five methods, the bright yellow aircraft was fully ready in 1955 only to be replaced by a Javelin in 1958. IHTH DW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 The book, The Cold War Years:Flight Testing at Boscombe Down 1945-1975, has an image of WL857 on page 70 and 132. While on page 131 a brief coverage of the aircraft's trials states:Extensive instrumentation for high level instrument calibration of new aircraft was fitted to WL857 as datum; after two years of installation, fitting a Ghost 103, and calibration of equipment using five methods, the bright yellow aircraft was fully ready in 1955 only to be replaced by a Javelin in 1958. IHTH DW Vampiredave, (great handle you've got there, do you only post after sunset? Ha!) For today at least, you are my complete hero! Many thanks! . . . Kes (who is heading for the Book Depository website) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 Hey Sten, was that similar to their Svenska Flygtjanst Meteor TT7 with a Rushton winch? I have on in 1/72 somewhere? Am I right in thinking they were under civil register and not Flygvapnet? BIt like Marshals of Cambridge or FRADU?? So, no photo of this elusive Venom then? Gives me a bit of 'artistic licence' I suppose, who could tell me it's wrong? Ha! . . . Kes (former Svenska Flygvapnet modeler) Sorry for not answering earlier. Yes, Svensk Flygtjänst is a civilian company, and all their aircraft were/are under civilian register, e.g. Fireflies, Skyraiders (ex-RN), Meteors, Venoms, Mu-2. They had four Venoms, all ex-RSwAF. Have only been able to locate one very small photo of one of them on the net. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Thanks Sten, lots of great modeling subjects out of the history of Swedish aviation . . . Kes (who has an SK37 with 'what if' in mind?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 If you have further questions, I would recommend posting them at the IPMS Stockholm forum, http://www.ipmsstockholm.se/phpBB3/ There are several modellers there who know SwAF aircraft much better than I do (my main interest is the RAF & RN) despite having served in the air force for 35 years. It's perfectly OK to use English on the forum, and most of the guys will gladly help you out if they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John R Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 There was a yellow Venom on the airshow circuit a few years ago. Could this have been the one? No idea what the reg was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) There was a yellow Venom on the airshow circuit a few years ago. Could this have been the one? No idea what the reg was. None of the Swedish Venoms has been airworthy for many decades AFIK. Edited December 15, 2015 by Sten Ekedahl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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