Ok, I have looked up everything I needed (or could find), so I'm ready to post the rest of the log.
After the visit we had at Samlesbury we headed north for the museum at Carlisle.
Solway Aviation Museum, Carlisle (7-6)
WE188 Canberra T.4 pr, 231 OCU mks
(WZ824) Grasshopper TX.1 pr, no mks, parts of WZ784
(XS209) Jet Provost T.4 pr, no mks, as 8409M
(ZF583) Lightning F.53 pr, 11 sq mks
WS832 Meteor NF.14 pr, 85 sq mks
(XV259) Nimrod AEW.3 pr, nose, no mks
XV406/CK Phantom FGR.2 pr, 64 sq/228 OCU mks
WP314/CU-573 Sea Prince T.1 pr, 750 sq mks
WZ515 Vampire T.11 std, in parts
XJ823 Vulcan B.2A pr, 27 sq mks? (a Dombo elephant)
WV198 Whirlwind HAR.21 pr, no mks
The Grasshopper is preserved with just one wing; stored in another building is one wing of WZ792.
After this museum we aimed to mop up a few serials we missed during our Scottish trip last year, so we headed for Wigtown where a Gazelle (XW866) should be based. We found the farm, but according to the people living there it doesn't live here (although it often operates from here). One lady said it lives in Dalbeattie. The long drive to get here was very pittoresque, but still a bit disappointed we went on fot the next aircraft.
Lennox Plunton Farm (7-6)
G-COPS L-4H ex 44-79615
Nobody was present when we rang the doorbell, but luckily the neighbours were outside having dinner in the garden and they could tell me where the hangar is. This is opposite the farm in the fields and not visible from the road; all you can see is a windsock. We walked up the hills (between the sheep), found the hangar, and saw the Cub through cracks in the doors. Another gap filled!
Very nearby is a Meteor preserved, so that was our next aim.
Brighouse Bay Caravan Park, Borgue (7-6)
(WS792)/K Meteor NF.14 pr, 85 sq mks, carried 7965M
On our way back to Dumfries, where we would spend the night, we first had a very nice and late dinner and then passed Dalbeattie. Since I had marked the airfield Falgunzeon very nearby this village we thought that our missing Gazelle might be stationed here, and we decided to give it a try. This was much easier said than done though, since it took us an hour walk up the hills to get here! And the only thing we found was a few gliders and a Piper Cub (G-AFGM, no military history afaik). Well, you can't have 'em all; and the walk was nice
If someone knows where the Gazelle DOES live I would be very happy to hear from him by the way.Next morning we started at the museum at Dumfries. Frank and I had already done this last year, but then in the dark and from the outside. So we had missed the Spitfire that is under restoration here, and obviously nothing was photographed then. We arrived rather early, hoping we could get in before official opening time, and we were not disappointed.
Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, Dumfries (8-6)
(XT280) Buccaneer S.2B pr, nose, 208 sq mks
XL497/041 Gannet AEW.3 pr, 849 sq mks
? Horsa pr, fuselage part only
WT746/X Hunter F.4 pr, no mks
XP557/72 Jet Provost T.4 pr, no mks
(XX483)/563 Jetstream T.2 pr, nose, 750 sq mks
(ZF584) Lightning F.53 pr, no mks
WL375 Meteor T.7(mod) pr, RAE mks
(P7540) Spitfire IIA u. rest
Wa576 Sycamore 3 pr, no mks
XD547 Vampire T.11 pr, no mks
(XT486) Wessex HU.5 pr, no mks, fake camo c/s
FT36 T-33A pr, no mks, fake camo c/s
318/8-NY Mystere IVA pr, EC2/8 mks, serial from cockpit
Q497 Canberra T.4 pr, ex Indian AF, no mks, fuselage only
35075/40 J.35A pr, F16 mks
54-0005/HA F-100D pr, 174 TFS mks, real id French AF 42163
(68-0060) F-111E pr, escape module, no mks
A nice collection, and still glad we did the nightly visit last year since the museums Canberra nose WJ880 had already left for Newark to take part in the Cockpit Fest there next weekend! The museum also used to have a Chipmunk (WD386 with the tail of WD377); this has gone to be restored to flying condition according to the staff. We'll have to wait and see I guess!
All satisfied here we started our trip southbound again, with a stop at Spark Bridge.
Spark Bridge (8-06)
(XM144) Lightning F.1 pr, nose, 74 sq mks
XM172/172 Lightning F.1A pr, 56 sq c/s
(XS922) Lightning F.6 pr, cockpit, no mks
Also present here is the cockpit of a twin Harrier which is just a training rig. Neil Airey is the owner of all those beauties, and he welcomes visitors. Only thing he askes is to make an appointment (which we did luckily), so give him a call or send an email (lakeslightnings@hotmail.co.uk or 07799-275508). They are also expecting a Hunter in the next few weeks, this comes from Coventry and according to my database this should be WT711.
We had one more point of interest left, the nearby museum at Haverigg.
RAF Millom Museum, Haverigg (8-6)
(XN597) Jet Provost T.3 pr, cockpit, no mks
(P9451) Spitfire IA pr, cockpit, see below
(XD425)/M Vampire T.11 pr, pod, no mks
XM660 Whirlwind HAS.7 pr, no mks
23380 CL-13 pr, ex CAF, rear fuselage
(43-22336) A-26B pr, wreckage (also parts of 43-22298)
The Spitfire cockpit wreck was said to be from P9451 according to an info plate, but the one at Hooton park has the same id! Which one is correct, and what's the id of the other one?? Also present is a Tornado cockpit in Saudi c/s, this apparently comes from a training rig. Missing some aircraft that were on my list for this location, we found out from the lady at the counter that they have another facility in nearby Millom! We were already getting late for our return flight, but we had to pay this location a short visit obviously. It's not really a place you come very often here!
RAF Millom museum, Millom (8-6)
(WN516) Balliol T.2 std, cockpit, no mks
(WD377) Chipmunk T.10 std, cockpit, no mks
(ZE352) F-4J(UK) std, nose, 74 sq mks
(WD889) Firefly AS.6 std, cockpit with rear fuselage of VT409, no mks
WF714 Meteor F.8 std, in parts, real id WK914
WK198 Swift F.4 std, fuselage, all yellow
XN298/10 Whirlwind HAR.9 std, no mks
X(K6)37 Vampire T.11 std, in parts, no mks
The nose of the Meteor was just loaded onto a trailer, also underway to the Newark Cockpit Fest. On the net there is some disagreement on the exact mark of teh Firefly cockpit, I see both AS.5 and AS.6 quoted many times. Anybody with the definitive answer?
And after this extra stop we had to hurry to the airport of Liverpool for our flight home. We got there in time, and that was the end of another nice trip!
Again comments, additions and corrections are very welcome.
That's all folks!
Frank Mink & Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation