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Post by viscount on Oct 21, 2023 11:04:55 GMT 1
SOUTH YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM (SYAM), DONCASTER
Wednesday 30th August 2023 I knew from a report in the past on this section of NWAN posted by "Airbus A.346" that the South Yorkshire Air Museum exhibits a large number of aircraft whole and partial. SYAM was a treat with plenty of well presented aircraft and artifacts, some familiar, some requiring a stop to read the interpretation display boards. Many restored with high quality finish, some displayed 'as is' (eg the Blackburn B.2, Tempest and Dragon Rapide fuselage) which were all the more fascinating for not having being restored. Having visited the Norfolk and Suffolk Museum summer '22 at Flixton and found a hangar absolutely stuffed full with an amazing collection of exhibits, after my SYAM visit I found myself reflecting on which had the most aircraft in the space available. Possibly Flixton won, but SYAM presses them hard and they have many more exhibits. Both amazing collections to visit and spend time wandering around finding aircraft once familiar and others previously unknown. Never mind Heathrow, Manchester, Mildenhall, Coningsby etc for watching aeroplanes, there are fascinating collections all around the UK just waiting for your visit.
MAIN OUTSIDE COMPOUND & VARIOUS SPACES
G-APMY PA-23 Apache 160 United Steel
G-DDCD DH.104 Dove 8 at one time a Speke regular as G-ARUM
N4565L Douglas DC-3A Dakota fuselage only, bare - stripped of paint.
'WV314'/B H. Hunter F.51 RAF, 92 Sqdn. Formerly Danish AF E-424
XM350/89 H. Jet Provost T.3A RAF, red/white training colours
XP706 EE. Lightning F.3 in sections
XS735/R HS.125 Dominie T.1 RAF, 45 Sqdn
XV677/269:CU W. Sea King HAS.6 RN
XV752/B HS. Harrier GR.3 RAF, dual marked 9075M
XX495/C HP.137 Jetstream T.1 RAF, 45 Sqdn
XZ246/434:EE W. Lynx HAS.3(ICE) RN, HMS Endurance
(AE-406) Bell 412 painted as DHFS, fuselage pod only
4-A-116 Aermacchi MB.339A Argentine Armada (Navy), whole fuselage only
COCKPIT & NOSE SECTIONS OUTSIDE (mostly under 'lean-to' shelters)
(HB-NAV) Beagle B.121 Pup 150 nose and cockpit, trailer mounted (G-AZCM)
(HB-XMO) Enstrom F.280C whole fuselage pod, no rotors or tail
WH779 EE. Canberra PR.7 nose section, 13 Sqdn
WJ565 EE. Canberra T.17 nose section
WJ975 EE. Canberra T.19 nose section
WT319 EE. Canberra B(1)6 nose section
WT536 EE. Canberra PR.7 nose section
XH584 EE. Canberra T.4 nose section
XL388 EE. Avro Vulcan B.2 nose section, 9 Sqdn
XN511/12 H. Jet Provost T.3A nose section, red/white.
'XN979' HS. Buccaneer S.2 cockpit section only
(XV280) HS. Harrier GR.1 nose section, trailer mounted
XW666 HS.801 Nimrod R.1 crash damaged cockpit section
XX736 SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 nose section, mobile
XX888 HS. Buccaneer S.2B cockpit section only, 16 Sqdn, mobile
N-302 H. Hunter T.7 R.Netherlands A.F.
·····/855 EE. Canberra ·.·· Royal Navy
WORKSHOP
Through an open door:
G-AHHP Auster J/1N complete, fabric covered fuselage
Auster metal fuselage frame only
XV139 Westland Scout AH.1 Army
INDOOR, DISPLAY ROOM
Bleriot XI replica
G-ACBH Blackburn B.2 fuselage in 'as found' condition. Also wearing G-ADFO.
G-AEJZ HM.14 Pou-de-Ciel
(FX322) NA Harvard II cutaway, centre-section only
LB314 Taylorcraft Plus D RAF camouflage (ex LB314, G-AHHX, D-ELUS, OY-DSZ)
SN280 Hawker Tempest V cockpit framework
SECOND INDOOR DISPLAY SPACE, CORRIDOR SHAPED
- - /W:F Monet Sonerai project RAF camouflage finish, "MisFire", no tail or outer wings
Slingsby Swallow glider nose section only
G-ARXB Beagle A.109 Airedale nose & cockpit section only (formerly EI-BBK)
(G-ATXH) HP.137 Jetstream 1 nose section
G-BCLW AA-1B Trainer fuselage, bright red.
VP519 Avro C.19 cockpit only
(WD935) EE. Canberra B2 nose section
(WJ476) V. Valetta T.3 nose section
(WK626) DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 RAF, entire fuselage, no wings
XA293 Slingsby Cadet TX3 Air Cadets, little more than a box with seat and tiny windscreen
XE797 Slingsby Cadet T.31 Air Cadets, cockpit pod only
(XL149) B. Beverley C.1 RAF, 84 Sqdn, just the cockpit section
XM511 H. Jet Provost T.3 nose section
MAIN HANGAR
(G-AHED) DH.89 Dragon Rapide whole fuselage, no fabric covering.
G-ARYZ Beagle A.109 Airedale whole fuselage, no wings
G-AVAA Cessna F150G complete a/c
G-BNAA Stolp Starduster Too whole forward end and wing centre section
(G-B)TYX Cessna 140 forward fuselage and cockpit area
G-DELB Robinson R.22 whole machine
G-MMDK Mainair Tri-Flyer
G-MVNT Whittaker MW-5K Sorcerer suspended from roof
G-MYJX Whittaker MW-8 suspended from roof
(G-OPFW) HS.748-2A Parcelforce, just cockpit section
EI-JWM Robinson R.22 no engine and other parts missing
F904 1/2 scale SE.5a Scale replica
K.158 Austin Whippet replica post WW I biplane
WA662 G. Meteor T.7 RAE Llanbedr aircraft, complete
WB733 DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 RAF, red/white training cols (G-BTDE)
WJ903 V. Varsity T.1 RAF, 6 FTS, whole nose section
WL131 G. Meteor F.8 nose section
(WT741)/791 H. Hunter GA.11 Royal Navy, 738 Sqdn, nose section
XA862/704 WS-55 Whirlwind HAR.1 Royal Navy, cockpit section only, no cabin. Dark grey and duck-egg green
XA870/911 WS-55 Whirlwind HAR.1 Royal Navy, orange/black arctic high-viz cols.
XE317 Bristol 171 Sycamore HR.14 RAF, yellow 'Rescue' scheme
XE935 DH.115 Vampire T.11 RAF, yellow T-bands
(XG297)/Y H.Hunter FGA.9 RAF, 20 Sqdn, nose section
XJ398 WS-55 Whirlwind HAR.10 RAF, 202 Sqdn, yellow 'Rescue'
XM651 Saro Skeeter Army
XP190 Saro P.531-2 (Scout) Army, earth/green camouflage
XP3457N WS-55 Whirlwind HC.10 RAF/UNO camouflages, 84 Sqdn
XP902 W. Scout AH.1 Army, very front end only
XS231 BAC Jet Provost T.5A RAF, red/white training cols
XS481 WS-58 Wessex HU.5 Royal Navy
XT241 Westland-Bell 47G Sioux HT.1 Army, Blue Eagles team colours
XX411/X Westland Gazelle AH.1 Army
XX669/B SAL Bulldog T.1 RAF, Birmingham UAS, complete aircraft
ZD938 PANAVIA Tornado F.2 RAF, 229 OCU nose section
ZE294/DD PANAVIA Tornado F.3 RAF, 11 Sqdn, rear end and fin.
WS-55 Whirlwind HAS. RN, cockpit and top of the cabin. Dark sea grey top and duck-egg green sides.
Slingsby glider pale fabric, red bands, suspended from roof
Benson B.8 gyrocopter yellow framework
Cayley glider replica
Compared with W&R 28 2022 list, I did not spot: (NB However, could well have walked past some, while cockpit sections are very mobile).
G-AVTT Erco Ercoupe 415D
G-BUUV Lindstrand LBL.77A Hot Air Balloon
G-MJKP Hiway Skytrike
···/404 Slingsby Dart 15
Slingsby Swallow a second one, the other is noted as seen
Schleicher K.8b
EI-BBK A.109 Airdale actually was PRESENT, now marked as G-ARXB
N9399 DH.82A Tiger Moth fuselage
WB969 Slingsby Sedburgh TX.1
WE987/DZX Slingsby Prefect TX.1
WT534 EE. Canberra PR.7 cockpit
XS216 H. Jet Provost T.4 cockpit
XV281 Harrier GR.1 forward fuselage
There are many additions to the 2022 W&R 28 listing and a few additional codes etc. FOOTNOTE: REFLECTIONS ON MY MUSEUM RECENT VISITS:I was surprised, late on a Wednesday afternoon how many visitors there were around the SYAM, Doncaster. Might have been an Asian religious festival, but it was a delight to see so many extended families, often 3 generations walking around together taking an interest, the adults all smartly traditionally dressed, the men in white linen, ladies in saris, with well-behaved families in tow. Contrasted two days later at Newark, at a similar time of day with two kids tearing around screaming at each other in an otherwise empty display hangar. I could not locate either a member of staff or the (un)responsible parents. Called out that aeroplanes have sharp edges and can hurt, got a reply 'we can do whatever we want try stopping us', so I left the building. Mind you, on a fine Saturday morning I was again delighted by the number of visitors, this time at the East Midlands Aeropark, with many families around the tables and on the slopes of the bank facing the active airport with picnics spread out and happy kids interacting socially. |
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Post by viscount on Oct 21, 2023 13:03:46 GMT 1
SOUTH YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM, THE OUTSIDE DISPLAY AREAS  Jaguar GR.1 XX736 of 56 Sqdn and XX888 Buccaneer S.2B of 16 Sqdn, noses, both close to the entrance and mounted on wheels  Hunting Jet Provost T.5 XN511/12 cockpit section. Confusingly Jet Provost T.3 cockpit section XM511 is also on site  An impressive row of 6 Canberra noses all lined up under shelter.  At the end of the row of Canberras this impressive Vulcan forward fuselage, mounted at undercarriage height XL388  This Hawker Hunter T.7 cockpit section belongs to N-302 of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.  It is not just military hardware, but some civilian types too that become trailer mounted exhibits. This Beagle 121 Pup fuselage is HB-NAV, and before that G-AZCM.  An interesting Westland Lynx HAS.3S(ICE) XZ246/434 that served on HMS Endurance  Rather sad to have this exhibited, the cockpit section of Nimrod R.1 XW666 which crashed 16th May 1965 while serving with 51 Sqdn.  It is not just aircraft sections that can act as memorials, this rather fine seat commemorates the contribution of The Parachute Regiment to the Falklands War of 1982.  Around corner and further aircraft cockpit sections, a Harrier GR.3 and a former Royal Navy 'pointy' Canberra nose.  A Piper PA-23 Apache 160 in a museum? Well, why not - it is certainly an important type being at the start of the popular and long lasting Apache/Aztec series of metal twins. G-APMY was one of the first Apaches to be imported into the UK in May 1958 via Ireland (as EI-AJT to get around UK import restrictions), so now 65 years old. As EI-AJT it visited Speke on a demonstration flight from Dublin 7th May 1958 and on 30th September 1958 now as G-APMY made the first of many calls at Liverpool with new owners United Steel, from Ringway to Walney Island (Barrow-in-Furness). A corporate aircraft long before the term was invented, transporting managers and specialists between factory locations.  'WV324'/B Hawker Hunter F.51 in 92 Sqdn markings. Airframe was formerly Danish Air Force as E-424  XM350/89 Hunting Jet Provost T.3  A Douglas DC-3A Dakota fuselage (a Dakota constructed 1939 pre-War for Eastern Airways who flew it until 1953). An interesting airframe history, mostly recently registered N4565L after a number of years in Argentina. Came to the UK to be used in several films.  HS.125 Dominie T.1 XS735/R, a code it wore for many years with 6 FTS at RAF Finningley.  Jetstream T.1 XS495/C, mostly recently in service with 45 Sqdn, Cranwell  Lighting F.6 XP706 dismantled with the fuselage and wings evident.  Dove 8 G-DDOD, ex G-ARUM and a regular at Speke with the National Coal Board in the later '60s and '70s.  Aermacchi MDB.339A 0767, coded A-4-116 in Argentine Navy markings. An aircraft brought to Britain at the conclusion of the Falklands war in 1982.  RAF Harrier GR.3 XV752, also marked 9078M  Royal Navy Sea King HAS.6 XV677/269. |
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Post by viscount on Oct 21, 2023 13:04:25 GMT 1
SOUTH YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM, PART TWO
INDOOR EXHIBITION GALLERY  LB314 A Taylorcraft Plus D/Auster 1. Post war to G-AHHX, D-ELUS and OY-DSZ (which is applied to the camouflage underside of the wing).  Cutaway of the fuselage section of NA Harvard II FX332. Although built 1944 did not see service with the RAF, and in 1949 was passed onto the French Air Force and somehow survives back in the UK. The more interesting WWII in this image is over on the left, the remains of the centre section of Hawker Tempest V SN820.  Tucked away in a corner in almost every aviation museum is an example, be it a '30s original or a more recent replica, is a Mignet HM.14 Pou-de-Ciel or more usually just referred to as a 'Flying Flea'. Many more built than ever flew! G-AEJZ is a genuine 1936 built example and did (legally) fly.  Another type widely found in museums, although very few are 1910 originals. This Bleriot XI is a replica constructed 2010/2011 at the time of the centenary of the type.  Fascinating original piece, with a story to tell through the flaking original paint. A Blackburn B.2 G-ACBH of 1932, however G-ADFO is also evident. Odd as the two registrations are supposedly different airframes, with quite different histories. INDOOR EHIBITION, LONG GALLERY  A never completed homebuilt Monet Sonerai, finished as a traveling display exhibit "Misfire" and now in SYAM.  A sight immediately recognisable to many ATC cadets of the '60s and '70s is this cockpit section of a Slingsby XE797.  A view down what I terming a 'long gallery'. Prominent is Chipmunk fuselage WK626. In the left corner of the image, a candidate for the smallest cockpit exhibit in SYAM. What looks little larger than a cardboard packing box is the very front end of an 'Air Cadets' Cadet glider, XA293. The other candidate must be the very front end of a Vampire jet fighter in the photo of Meteor T.7 WA669. Also in this image a Swallow glider cockpit, a Valetta accredited to WJ476, while at the far end is desert camouflaged 84 Sqdn Blackburn Beverley cockpit XL149, while the red nose ia AA-1B Trainer G-BCLW.  Black night bomber scheme on a Canberra B.2, WD935. The red nose behind is AA.1B Trainer G-BCLW.  Nose and cockpit section of Beagle A.109 Airedale G-ARXB. MAIN DISPLAY HANGAR  I can recall seeing this Gloster Meteor T.7 flying at RAF Valley while in service with the RAE Llanbedr in this attractive white and blue scheme. Good to see it in the dry and in safe hands.  A fair amount of Robinson R.22 EI-JWM is present as a 'sit-in' exhibit.  Another fascinating one this. A Dragon Rapide fuselage, G-AHED. While operated by Marshall's of Cambridge this visited Speke a number of times during the 1950s. Somewhere I have a 1955 photo of this on the apron at Liverpool. The cockpit section beyond in red 'Parcelforce' is HS.748 G-OPFW, another regular at Liverpool Airport during its flying career.  A complete example of a Robinson R.22 G-DELB, rebuilt for display following an accident on 27th December 1997.  DHC.1 Chipmunk T.10 WB733 in red/white training colours. Whole fuselage only on display. At one stage civilianised as G-ATDE.  XE297 Hawker Hunter FGA.9 nose and cockpit section coded Y (on nose wheel door) of 20 Sqdn. Gloster Meteor F.8 WL131 is behind.  A close-packed mixtures of types a RAF Rescue yellow Bristol Sycamore, the rear and fin of Tornado F.3 'DD' of 11 Sqdn, a glider section and a Beagle A.109 Airedale fuselage G-ARYZ standing on its own undercarriage. I have a photo of this at a Liverpool Air Display in 1963.  Royal Navy Wessex HU.5 XS481 and Whirlwind HC.10 XP345/N in 84 Sqdn/UNO markings while serving in Cyprus. Also the cockpit section of Whirlwind HAR.1 XA862/704.  The front end and cockpit section of Varsity T.1 WJ903 makes for a substantial exhibit.  XX669/B SAL Bulldog T.1. in Birmingham UAS markings. May look fairly modern, but was built in 1975  Whirlwind HAR.1, XA870/911 in Royal Navy early rescue arctic high-viz scheme of orange and black., with the nose of XA862/704 beside it.  A wider view of the 'stacked' hangar. In the foreground G-BNAA a Stolp Starduster Too, a complete Cessna 150 G-AVAA and a suspended glider, with others beyond. |
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Post by mooneyncp on Oct 21, 2023 14:38:21 GMT 1
SOUTH YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM (SYAM), DONCASTER
- A DIFFERENT ANGLE
Saturday 23rd September 2023
A few from me (sorry not used to posting images) of areas around SYAM that the public don't see.  PXL_20230923_152048355 by stephen mooney, on Flickr  PXL_20230923_151430527 by stephen mooney, on Flickr Suggestion: Certainly a helicopter 'cab', Bell UH-1H/Bell 204 most likely, the other one is not so easy. Just possibly an Enstrom F280?  PXL_20230923_151616527 by stephen mooney, on Flickr Suggestion: A puzzler this, indeed is it two separate engine mounts and firewalls back to back, or just one larger aircraft piece?  PXL_20230923_151310060 by stephen mooney, on Flickr Suggestion: the 'cab' frame of a Westland Scout, not in great condition! |
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Post by mooneyncp on Oct 21, 2023 14:47:16 GMT 1
 PXL_20230923_151304081 by stephen mooney, on Flickr Fairly certain the upper piece of wing is a DC-3. If so, then the piece underneath with an engine swelling at both ends (but not very clear at the near end under the black rubber mat) is the centre section on which the fuselage sits. Presumably the other outer wing is under the tarpaulins too. W&R 28 hints that all the DC-3A N4565L is there, apart from the engines, so identification of this photo as the wings makes sense.  PXL_20230923_151301795 by stephen mooney, on Flickr The Douglas DC-3 wings are over on left, what is tall and under the pink tarpaulin, no idea!  PXL_20230923_150912400 by stephen mooney, on Flickr US Army M35 2.5 ton truck and top of a T-tail, but from what aircraft type ?  PXL_20230923_145139651 by stephen mooney, on Flickr Clearly the centre and rear sections of Lightning F.6 XP706  PXL_20230923_144750912 by stephen mooney, on Flickr The nose of Lightning F.6 XP706. In the 3 weeks between the two visits covered in this thread, the separation of nose from centre section has successfully been achieved.  PXL_20230923_145039741 by stephen mooney, on Flickr  PXL_20230923_145036435 by stephen mooney, on Flickr  PXL_20230923_145023850 by stephen mooney, on Flickr Clearly an early mark of a RAF Harrier, likely a GR.3, appears to be just an empty shell.  PXL_20230923_145016621 by stephen mooney, on Flickr Same Harrier, but what the other aircraft on the right is, is far from obvious!  Harrier GR3 and unknown frame by stephen mooney, on Flickr. Admin suggests that the frame now in the foreground is likely from an Auster type or a Beagle Terrier (which was a rebuilt Auster frame).  PXL_20230923_151611731 by stephen mooney, on Flickr |
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Post by bulldog on Oct 21, 2023 16:23:51 GMT 1
Personally I don’t really “get” the thing about just preserving a cockpit . Historically it’s just not an aeroplane. Just an opinion. Looks a good place to visit when in the area.
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Post by viscount on Oct 21, 2023 16:49:31 GMT 1
Bulldog,
It can be stored, kept clean and dry and be worked on in a standard domestic garage, is less costly to acquire, can be towed anywhere behind a car, easier to maintain and way, way easier to restore and keep in good condition than a whole aircraft. You only need to step in to 'play' pilot, not mount a vertical crew ladder!
Oh, I agree totally that it is no longer an aircraft, but it is most certainly an exhibit. However for interest and completeness I do look at them and include them in lists. Although, the nose section will never again look like the original aeroplane.
Mooney NCP,
Interesting photos of the SYAM 'back-lot'. I ran out of of time to go exploring due to chatting to a guy working on separating the cockpit section off his Lightning F.6 - until I was requested to leave at closing time. It would add a great deal of understanding to each photo if you could use the 'edit' function to go back into your posts and add a caption to explain what it is we are looking at (providing you know) as some look pretty obscure apart from a Bell 412, Harrier, Lightning and are those Dakota wings? When were you there?
Apparently they do run 'tours' through the restoration workshop by prior arrangement, although understandably were unable to provide a tour 'on the spot' for me. Brian.
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Post by mooneyncp on Oct 21, 2023 20:51:18 GMT 1
Sorry, date was the 23rd September. As to what I was looking at I was hoping to verify from the wrecks and relics. My military recognition is not that good. Taking photos (or trying to) but not logging, so put the pictures up to see if anyone was interested in what is not in plain/plane sight.
While looking around there was a gentleman working on a tail boom, if that's the word on a camouflaged Sycamore under restoration, with or in brown and yellow colours in the piece between the body and tail rotor.
Added-in on 'edit' by Admin:
"Mooney NCP". I've looked at your photos, and can make some basic recognition of types, but not of identities, even with W&R 28 (2022) as a help. I've added my thoughts as a caption to help sort out what is identifiable. Incidentally, W&R 28 in the footnotes does mention that Westland Dragonfly HR.5 WN499 is being restored to represent XB251 a Dragonfly HC.4 used in Operation 'Firedog' in Malaysia. This could be your 'boom' in a two-tone jungle camouflage scheme?
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Post by mooneyncp on Oct 21, 2023 23:58:25 GMT 1
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Post by mooneyncp on Oct 22, 2023 12:39:36 GMT 1
Thank you to all admin for clearing up my mess
steve
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Post by viscount on Oct 22, 2023 12:51:39 GMT 1
No problem Steve. Always good to have members willing to have a go at posting images, it is a learning process at first. Brian.
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sabre
Full Member
Posts: 102
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Post by sabre on Mar 2, 2024 14:44:36 GMT 1
Visited on the 29th Feb and noted one new exhibit. BAe Hawk T1 XX238. which arrived last October. and is now in the main hangar Out of the workshop and looking smart following its repaint Westland Scout AH1 XV139.
Lying in the storage yard awaiting restoration Westland Dragonfly HR5 WN499
Various sources identify the Harrier shell in the rear storage yard behind the main hangar as XV281. A pre-production Harrier GR1 now with a GR3 “nose” possibly acquired when it served with the Aeroplane and Armament Establishment.
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