Canadian Mosquito Heading to Britain...

[daveymac82c]

Greg and Mike,

I totally agree. Ed Russel and Vintage Wings are doing a pretty good job of importing warbirds into Canada.

This conversation kinda makes me think of all the Japanese warplanes that are in the US, Australia, Europe (the continent that is), Canada, etc, etc, but so few remain in Japan.

Cheers,

David

[Bruce]

A few observations:

This is a British built Mossie (RS700), and saw no service with the Canadian Air Force. However, for most of its flying life, it served in Canada, with Spartan.

From all the information to hand, this aircraft is very stripped out, but all the parts are present. The basic airframe appears to be in very good condition, and on a par with the better preserved aircraft I have knowledge of.

Just because it is (allegedly) heading to the UK, it doesnt mean the buyer is either British, or based here! (I have no knowledge of who it might be!!)

There are plenty of examples of aircraft being imported into Canada in recent years. The Russell collection is a good case in point. Why on earth should all the traffic be one way?!


Bruce

[51fixer]

A point I will bring up from personal experience. (This should make for an interesting discussion.)
Given the age, materials and method of construction I would venture a guess that the possibility exists that little of the wood structure would be structurally sound to the degree it was designed. If it goes to Britain the CAA will not issue a permit to fly unless the structure can be assessed to be in as strong a condition as the original and will be able to maintain that level of strength for a significant period of time. Look at the recent developments of the other British aircraft being grounded. The UK version of the FAA is significantly more intrusive and demanding than here in the US. Over there it is not a situation where an A&P signs off an aircraft as airworthy, the CAA says prove it with engineering and paperwork. A CAA authorized pilot must make the test flights on a new restoration to prove it meets the specs, the CAA must approve of all documents and engineering before issuing the Permit to Fly.
I would venture a guess if this aircraft is restored to flight a new airframe would be built like the one currently being done for Fighter Factory.
We have been restoring a P-51 here and this is what I have found; It is cheaper to build all new. (Whether it all fits together is another topic) Do not even try to harvest any riveted or glued together part off of a structure. If someone has the tooling, formed parts and the experience have them build new using new parts. Take the original and donate or sell the worn out, corroded or rotten original structure. Harvest what parts, doors, landing gear, ect off to use in the new airframe.
Extending that logic here the best case would be Canada gets a bare shell of the original wooden structure which it could find or build enough un-airworthy pieces to make a great static display. Even if it is hung from the cieling without the landing gear installed. The new owner ends up with a great new build airframe and used all the components such as landing gear, motor mounts, ect off the the original.
Canada gets something and the world of Warbirds also gains a flying wonder.
(I now have my armored underware on, go ahead, let me have it.)
Rich

[BLR]

Isn't KA114 a far more Canadian Mossie? It was sold in 2004(?) to Jerry Yagen in the US and no one batted an eye. Now look at it, instead of deteriorating in storage it's getting much needed TLC and now has a better chance of long term preservation.

Brian....

[Seadog]

I know for a fact that this aircraft was contracted for sale a few years ago and the City of Calgary pulled the committment after the board of the Museum had decided, for good reason in their mind, to sell the airframe. Politcal pressure from the City put an end to the sale despite the fact that contracts had been signed and hands had been shaken.

They, the Museum, don't have the money to restore it and the money they could have received from the sale would have gone towards preserving other airframes of arguably more provenance and relevance to the aeronautical history of Calgary and Alberta. The vote on the Museum's board was unanimous except for one dissenter whose name has come up here.

Now, apparently it is up for sale again. I think it is outrageous that the Museum and the City can now decide to sell the aircraft after they renegged on a previous committment. The only reason the previous buyer was willing to let matters rest was the belief that the airframe would not be sold at a later date and that fighting the City of Calgary was probably fruitless . I am pretty sure that the previous contracted buyers will not stand for it to be sold without a fight.

[daveymac82c]

Interesting input. I'm interested to see how it all turns out.

-David

[peter]

Well lets wait and see what happens, I have yet to see any mention of her being rebuilt to fly!?

[Jack Cook]

Here's my question.
So the city owns it. What's to keep them from keeping the $$$
and putting it to other uses????

[n5151ts]

the museum can murder other planes (this comment is based on the images posted above)

[Mike]

I'm not sure that they're 'murdering' any of the airframes in their care. They had a nicely-restored selection in the hangars when I visited in 2000, and are doing the best they can, with a largely volunteer workforce, with those outside.

The Mosquito has been kept indoors in dry storage for many years in an unrestored state. Without them taking it on, it would have rotted away into nothing more than a pile of corroded metal fittings long ago.

[bdk]

...expressing outrage that a vintage plane owned by the City of Calgary could be sold to a collector in britain and shipped out of the country.

He says the Nanton Lancaster Air Museum has offered to take the plane, restore it, and display it, free of charge.

I'll bet that there are lots of museums willing to take it free of charge! In fact I may start my own if they want to give it away to me!

Is this sale to someone in Britain a foregone conclusion or is this person just theorizing?

[peter]

Oh theres more to this than we have been told I am sure... Wait to see what the press releases in the next day or so...

[warbird1]

Now, apparently it is up for sale again. I think it is outrageous that the Museum and the City can now decide to sell the aircraft after they renegged on a previous committment. The only reason the previous buyer was willing to let matters rest was the belief that the airframe would not be sold at a later date and that fighting the City of Calgary was probably fruitless . I am pretty sure that the previous contracted buyers will not stand for it to be sold without a fight.

Oh great, another legal battle. Here is Swamp Ghost all over again - people fighting about ownership and control. If that's the case, it could be years before anything happens.

[Firebird]

If it goes to Britain the CAA will not issue a permit to fly unless the structure can be assessed to be in as strong a condition as the original and will be able to maintain that level of strength for a significant period of time. Look at the recent developments of the other British aircraft being grounded. The UK version of the FAA is significantly more intrusive and demanding than here in the US. Over there it is not a situation where an A&P signs off an aircraft as airworthy, the CAA says prove it with engineering and paperwork. A CAA authorized pilot must make the test flights on a new restoration to prove it meets the specs, the CAA must approve of all documents and engineering before issuing the Permit to Fly.
I would venture a guess if this aircraft is restored to flight a new airframe would be built like the one currently being done for Fighter Factory.

Bruce is best qualified to clarify this, but from his comments on other forums, I got the impresion that for the UK, the BAe/CAA situation would mean the opposite being true? It's a 'new build' Mossie that would not get BAe/CAA approval, and for any chance of a Mossie flying in the UK it would have to be an original with traceable history, which makes this one very attractive....????

I have to say, I can't see what all the fuss is about, yes it's been looked after in so much as it's been stored OK, but nothing has been done with it for so many years, and isn't likely to be, so either they should donate it to another Canadian musuem that WILL restore and display it as a priority....or sell it to someone that will.
The worst thing is do nothing with it and then moan about anything positive happening with it.

[Anowreck]

It's obvious: we get the Mossie....the Canadians can have Douglas Bader's leg.

(http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19112)