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Re: Cees, to continue the thread on Hampden(s) at.........

Posted by PeterA on Mon Sep 30, 2002 09:47:25 AM

In reply top Cees, to continue the thread on Hampden(s) at......... posted by Tony C on Mon Sep 30, 2002 08:30:24 AM

Perhaps I can add a bit of clarity here. I organised the Rotterdam to UK sector of the recovery of P1344 from Russia and conducted the negotiation for the exchange with the RAFMus./Historic aircraft committee of the MOD/Ministry 'Bean Counters' at Harrogate etc.
My interpretation of Hampden events in chronological order is as follows.
1) The pieces of AE436 were recoverd from the mountain in Sweden and split between the RAFMus and a Swedish Museum/Group.
2) The RAFMus had a high quality front glazed section and frame and donated it to the Vancouver Hampden group and that is now incorporated in P5436. The RAFMus little realised, at that time, they would have a need for it.
3) Brian Nicholls persuaded the RAFMus to release or loan their parts of AE436 for him to initiate a static rebuild at East Kirkby. This involved basically making a new front fuselage section in a purpose built jig.
4) After some visible progress Brian managed to persuade the Swedish Mus/Group also to release their parts of AE436 to East Kirkby. At this point Brian was cursing the donation of the front glazing.
5) In 1991 P1344 was recovered from Russia to Rotary Farm, UK, and stored pending lengthy negotiations.
6) P1344 was finally exchanged and moved to nearby Cardington and the rear fuselage, showing the weather exposed serial from a donated Hereford, L6012, was placed on display at Hendon.
7) 2002 - Pieces of rear fuselage and empennage group of P1273 were recovered from Russia by the Hunt Brothers. These are available to interested parties at commercial rate.





: East Kirkby, I have had a restless weekend thinking about
: this matter.
:
: I seem to remember that during one of my visits to Hendon,
: there was a rear/tail section of a Hampden in the Bomber
: Command Hall, very near the rear turret of that Halifax. A
: lso, on the 25/09, Paul Millan said that the RAFM hold one
: frame and that bits of another are at East Kirkby (via th
: e RAFM).
:
: Now the RAFM state that the airframe held in their collect
: ion is a Hampden TB.1 (P1344) while Lincs Aviation Heritag
: e state that the parts held in the Blitz Exhibition are AE
: 436.
:
: So on this basis, if you are correct and the the fuselage
: that is being rebuilt and the remains of AE436 are the sam
: e aircraft, where is P1344.
:
: Or (please) are there two Hampdens at East Kirkby?
:
: Tony

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