Scale Aircraft Modelling - Volume 30 Number 6
It never ceases to amaze me just how much aviation heritage can be found in the UK. We all know about the prestige museums, some with state funding. But less publicised are many of the collections run as charities and kept going by an army of unsung heroes who work for nothing and are driven by enthusiasm for the subject. I found some of the set-ups fascinating reading. For instance, take my local museum - Aero-Venture at Doncaster, incorporating the Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group. When you read the entry for you will find out who owns what. You will also find that either members of the staff of volunteers own many of the exhibits and their contributions are an important part of the collection. This is just one example, and this sort of thing happens all over the UK. As the book states, there are 700 aircraft types around the country, with this volume listing some 5,000 individual aircraft entries.
This edition has 320 pages, including 64 pages of colour photographs. And, if you own one of the books in the series, then you will know what to expect. If you are new to the game, you will find it divided onto areas, mainly counties, the other being Scotland, Wales, Isle of Wight and Isle of Man. Each location lists the aircraft (of parts of), by series or registration; also included are previous locations. Not all these are museums or airfields. For instance, a SAN Jodel D.117 (G-BKIR) can be found at `Birds Edge' on the A629 north-west of Penistone.
It will be obvious when you peruse this book that an awful lot of people contributed to its content. To ferret out airframes or part-airframes scattered about the country, in back lots and gardens, is a mammoth task, which gives a new meaning to the work research.
This is not an item for the bookshelf, but something to be kept in the your glove compartment, because wherever you go in the UK, you will not be far from some aviation relic.
Ernie Lee
Review
The information herein is unbelievable. This is an enthusiasts book par excellence. I find it difficult to know where to begin, it covers so much. I know that it's the 21st edition and I think the best ever.
If ever there was a bedside book this is it. One can browse to ones heart\'s content.
There'll be aircraft in places you didn't know existed, and the types of aircraft are, of course, legion.
Ken has been composing these books for some 34 years now, so he knows his stuff. A nice little touch is when he manages to put in a little humour.
The object of W&R is to outline, in as much detail as possible, the status and whereabouts of all know PRESERVED (i.e. in museums or other collections, under restoration etc) INSTRUCTIONAL (i.e. static airframes in use for training) & DERELICT (i.e. out of use for a long period of time, on a fire dump, scrapped or damaged etc) Aircraft in the UK & Ireland & HM Forces based on Crown Territory. Where information permits, all aircraft that fall in to these categorises are included, with a few exceptions.
W&R is handy if you think you'd like to visit somewhere new - what's there? Is it worth while? For example, say you've heard of Brooklands, I know that there's much more there than the aircraft; but W&R lists some 38 aircraft from an AV Roe biplane 9rep) via the wellington N2980 from Loch Ness; to the Concorde Show. On other entries for example, on page 148 listed is N6812 Camel 2.F1 - "F4043 flown by Lt Culley, this Beardsmore built Camel was flown off a lighter (Ed. The Camel 2F.1 N6812 now in the IWM, Lambeth. This was flown off of our? Lighter Towed by HMS REDOUBT on 11 August' 18 - show down Zeppelin Z53." The amount of information on so much is incredible.
There are two large colour sections of so many aircraft; several appendices and indexes of Types and locations.
Perhaps you can tell that I`m very impressed with this delightful book!!