Baldonnel 'gate guardian'

[Silver]

I believe only the Chipmunk is (close to being?) airworthy.

Good idea about using a Dauphin.

However, I was thinking about this and -
If just the wings were removed to transport it (on a low loader) to Casement, surely it wouldn't involve much to refit the wings and bring it up to airworthy status again ?!?

[Turkey]

Well, Silver it was there last monday, a blue and yellow, stripped down fuslage from a 172, which was used in a couple of 'plane pushes a few years ago, there is no engin in it apparently, so it tends to sit back on its main wheels, and look bloody stupid.

[Taj]

There was actually a civvy cessna 150/152 series aircraft in the hanger at that time.The one that is used for fundraising is definitely a C172 minus wings and engines.
Maybe P.Doff can shed some light??

[Claudel Hopson]

The yellow & blue Cessna is one that crashed here some years ago and was re-painted for charity walks by Avionics Sqdn. The Cessna 150 that is still here force landed here a few years ago with engine failure. It's owner decided it would have cost more than the Cessna was worth to repair it and left it here.

The Museum aircraft, the Anson, Chipmunk, Provost, Magister, Fouga, Vampire were all brought up to a respectable external condition with the money that was available to the technicians who spent many hours working on them. There was a bit extra for the Anson which had it's interior done up as much as possible.

However at the last Air Show here they were left down the 'drome unattended by the Museum staff  who were re-allocated to some trivial task but left unter the supervision of Air Scouts  and when they had returned some damage had been done by civilians. They were then left down the 'drome for nearly two weeks before they were returned to relative safety during which weather damage had been done.

Since then repairs to the Museum Aircraft have not been possible as there is no funding available to do the work even though the lads want to restore them to a presentable condition.

[Silver]

Will we ever see one of the Fouga's on 'gate guardian' duty at Casement's main gate (like this NZ Vampire) ?

 

[alpha foxtrot 07]

be nice wouldn't it, the  test pilot school at edwards, got a f-22 and a f-35 as there gate gaurds

[Frank (Admin)]

Hi Alpha,

Nellis AFB outside Las Vegas has 4 large scale models of the F-16 in Thunderbirds colours as a gate guardian, I have a picture somewhere, I'll try and dig it up.


Regards,

Frank.

[p.diddy.cool]

That would be so nice!, IAC needs some good Pr, but id say anything like that is far away at the moment....

Regards P.D.C.


What will be will be..........

[John K]

Hey Guys, of course the 'Don should have a gate guardian, why not a fouga in a similar pose to the NZ Vampire? Most other Air arms have them, and it's not as if it would need a lot of maintenance, is it? Just get the lads on fire picquet to give it a hosing down every couple of weeks!

[Claudel Hopson]

Hey JK you really are showing your age. The Fire Bucket stopped here many moons ago. With the Fire Crew here 24 hrs/day they decided they didn't need a FP any more. And they even have more than 1 fire engine!

[Turkey]

Good PR is not Bal's strong point, they moved that Dove wreck from the east? side of the hangers, and put that Cessana thing that got used in those charity gigs a few years back in it's place, it would look better cleaned up a bit and with a bit of ballast in the nose to set it on all 3 wheels!

[yeehah1]

19-01-04
Amm, I wasn't aware that the public could get in to see the historic aircraft. Is it possible to arrange visits to see the aircraft?
The museam idea is an excellent one. Having visited Hendon, I would agreet hat it would be an ideal blueprint to follow with a view to setting up and running a museam to document and highlight the history of our Air Corps.
However, the main difference between us and the English is that they have a government and a people that give a damn about their history.
I do think, tough, that if the Air Corps themselves started the ball rolling in drawing attention to this idea, that maybe the public would swing in behind them and support the idea. Afterall, if presented as a tourist venue, our somewhere where you can bring your kiddies/family to for a fun ( and educational) day out, surely there would be interest.
And, what about the Lottery (or the Dublin Lottery, as it is called outside the Pale)? Isn't this the exact thing it was set up to support? With part funding coming from the Lottery and part from the Government, it might be a viable project.

But I do think it needs some of the big-wigs within the aircorps to make enough noise to get it done.

And also, it may be much more viable if it were a "combined services" museam, Army, Air and Navy, and prehaps SAR too.
One of the major factors in this is cost, so why build three when one could do?
I remmeber a few years ago the GPO in Dublin had a display of Army memorablia, such as uniforms, weapons, badges etc.
So it's not as if the stuff isn't there, nor the interest. Might be a nice memorial to all those who have served and who have the ultimate price?
However, being realistic about such a thing and given how difficult is has proven to get the Governement to spring for a bunch of new planes, I cannot see them being anyway eager to spring for  what they would see as a bunch of old ones  (broken ones at that!)

Liam. '>

[John K]

I reckon there'd be quite a few 'spotters' from the UK willing to visit a proper museum in Baldonnel, as you say Silver, a trail would be good. There are magazines that cater for enthusiasts and usually they're now retired or old enough to have the spare cash and time to spend on visiting these sites. Here in the UK there are small museums all over the place and they all seem to manage well enough. Get a petition going!

[P.Doff]

RE: MUSEUM. SEE MY REPLY ON THE 215 PICTURE THREAD BELOW!!!

[Irish Marine]

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I am glad to see that this idea of gate guardians is being mentioned. I had mentioned it in years past. I think a fouga would look great at the front of Casement!!!!!!!!

Happy year to all on this board!!!!!!!!!!!!