NELSAM, Sunderland and Teesside, 28th August 2023
Sept 17, 2023 16:15:59 GMT 1
vanguard, philglt, and 4 more like this
Post by viscount on Sept 17, 2023 16:15:59 GMT 1
NELSAM, USWORTH, SUNDERLAND, Tuesday 28th August 2023
My first visit to what, at the time was NEAM, since the early '80s when I attended an early meeting of the BAPC with Phil Butler, Ken Ellis and possibly Brian Billington on behalf of the MAS. Well remember the long drive home in PHB's Maxi in heavy rain with failed windscreen wipers, manually swept back and forth by two passengers using pieces of string through the windows. The North East Air Museum has grown to become the North East, Land, Sea and Air Museum at its site alongside a huge Nissan factory on what was formerly Usworth Airfield.
OUTSIDE
G-ARPO HS.121 Trident 1c Northeast colours. Wings and tail on the ground
WJ639 39 EE Canberra TT.18 7 Sqdn, very recently refurbished
"XE620" B H Hunter F.6A 8 Sqdn. (XE606), recently acquired, ex Waddington.
XL319 Avro Vulcan B.2
XP627 H Jet Provost T.4 (composite a/c), grey/day-glo
(42157) 11-ER F-100D Super Sabre French AF, code 11-ML visible on other side
IN THE MAIN HANGAR
"G-ADVU" HM.14 Flying Flea
"G-AFUG" Luton Minor fuselage visible only
G-APTW WS-51 Widgeon
(G-ARAD) Luton Major fuselage visible only
G-ATDD Beagle B.206 cockpit/nose section only
"G-AVYW" Brookland Mosquito (G-AWIF)
G-AWRS Avro C.19 Anson ex TX213, long-term restoration in progress
G-OGIL Short SD.330 Gill Air
(SU-ALM) DH.106 Comet 4C cockpit and forward fuselage only
WL181 X G. Meteor F.8 92 Sqdn
WZ518 B DH.115 Vampire T.11 yellow T-bands
XJ917 H:S B.171 Sycamore CFS, day-glo scheme
(XN503) H. Jet Provost T.4 cockpit section only, on loan from BDAC
"XS933" EE. Lightning F.53 11 Sqdn (ex ZF594 & Saudi Air Force)
ZD582 002 Sea Harrier F/A.2 RN
A-522 EMA Pucará Argentine Air Force
E-419 H. Hunter F.51 Danish Air Force
16171 FU-711 NA F-86D Sabre USAF
26541 541 F-84F Thunderstreak Greek Air Force
SA Jetstream C-10A cockpit EMU, exterior in RAF red/white cols
also two further autogyro frames in addition to the Brooklands Mosquito.
NAVAL TYPE 'S' HANGAR (WORKSHOP)
"G-AAAH" DH.60 Gipsy Moth fuselage visible only
G-APKM Auster J/1N less engine, ex storage, of local significance
"5191" M.S. Type N suspended from roof
H. Hurricane in progress, new build framework, FSM
(WB685) DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 a composite aircraft, only the fuselage evident, ex storage
WT913 Slingsby glider composite, WT913 fuselage, WT917 wings
ZE204 FC Panavia Tornado F.3 25 Sqdn.
ROMNEY NO.1
WG724 932:LM WS-51 Dragonfly RN
XG680 438 DH Sea Venom FAW.22 RN
XN258 WS-55 Whirlwind HAR.9 RN Rescue
(XN696) 751 DH.110 Sea Vixen RN, nose only
ROMNEY No.2
XM555 Saro Skeeter AOP.12 Army
"XZ177" SA Gazelle AH.1 Army (was once XW858 & G-BAGJ)
Some good aeroplanes, however exhibited rather closely packed in the rather gloomy hangars. Some of the exhibits could do with a good clean. While there was a workshop with a number of projects, there was little evidence of work actually in progress there, although around the site there was one person applying new registration decals to the recently refurbished Canberra outside and two guys on the Avro C.19 in the main hangar. However the entrance fee was the lowest of the 10+ museums visited in a week.
There was more to see than just aircraft with buses and trams, commercial vehicles and a row of the various motor cars produced by the factory next door, along with work actively in progress on an historic wooden vessel in a H+S sealed compound.
Pleased that I made the effort to get there and had an enjoyable look around, but doubt I'll be rushing back.
W&R 28 of 2022 amendments: The Auster and Chipmunk are no longer in deep store, but on view in the workshop.
Gipsy Moth fuselage G-AAAH in the workshop is an addition. As is Hunter "XE620" (ex Waddington)
Did not note seeing: the Spitfire Vb FSM coded AZ:G, or any of the other aircraft listed as being in 'deep store'.
G-ARPO DH.121 Trident 1c in yellow Northeast colours. Good that the aircraft fuselage is stood on its own undercarriage, not so good that the wings, fin and tail-planes are at ground level, where they have been for some time judging by the weed growth around them. For some reason I thought the Trident was fully assembled, so was disappointed that it was not complete and dominating the site along with the Vulcan.
Mighty Vulcan XL319. Good to see a Vulcan without a clutter of other aircraft exhibits around it.
Former French Air Force NA F-100D Super Sabre in fading French Air Force markings
EE Canberra TT.18 WJ639/39 in 7 Sqdn markings. Clearly recently repainted, indeed the last of the transfers had only just been applied to the nose wheel door before I snapped this photo.
Sat on its own in a corner was recent arrival Hawker Hunter F.6 "XE620" in 8 Squadron colours, recently arrived from RAF Waddington.
Although tucked in a corner of the main hangar, it was good to find a Short SD.3-30 G-OGIL in Gill Air colours in preservation. A British airliner which many museums made no attempt to preserve.
Another surprise was this Comet 4C forward fuselage, which the interpretation board announced was formerly United Arab Airlines/Egyptair's SU-ALM ('61-76). It failed to note that it was one of many Comets acquired by Dan Air at Lasham, which although registered G-BEEX was only used for spares until broken up 8.77, which explains how it found its way into preservation in the UK.
16171/FU-711 a NA F-86D Sabre in USAF 'Sabre Knights' aerobatic team scheme
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak 26541/541 in it's Greek Air Force markings.
Second Avro C.19 under restoration in 2 days. This one formerly TX213 and then on the British register as G-AWRS. Clearly a long way still to go, the rebuild is more advanced that that at Montrose.
Panavia Tornado F.3 ZE204/FC formerly with 25 Squadron somewhat shoe-horned into the Museum's workshop hangar
A Hurricane FSM project in the workshop
Recently brought out of deep store, Auster J/1N G-APKM has local 'provenance' being flown from Usworth by the Sunderland Flying Club throughout most of the '60s decade.
A Gipsy Moth replica marked as G-AAAH 'Jason' in the workshops and not listed in Wrecks and Relics.
As the NELSAM title, North East Land, Sea and Air Museum suggests there is more here than just aircraft, with commercial vehicles, buses, trams and motor cars are displayed, some restored, some in need of much work.
Just inside the Museum entrance from the car park is this compound with a major wood-work active restoration in progress. What is it is explained far better on the image than I could caption. An interesting project.
