Aircorps at national museum.

[Tony Kearns]

Hi RMR,
Yep that's the one, 168. I think its last flight was at the 75th at Baldonnel. I understand that it has less than one hour on the airframe remaining. It is still looking good in the museum.Mick O'Malley did the flight after Flight Hearty and his crew did the restoration. It is very interesting that a video exists (existed), any chance that a copy could be located and donated to Mick Whelan at the museum?
Tony K

[Flyboy]

Is that a strange looking prop on 168 ?

[RMR]

Hi Tony,
            i was asking the old man,he has photos somewhere,they were in cessnas with the chipmunk leading,i thought we had a video somewhere of it as my dad brought the video cam to work with him that day but as he said,god knows where it is now,more than likely recorded over.HE was telling me that he did the stitching on the wings,an old practice!!   BTW,Is there a bfts emblem missing from the engine cowling?

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi Flyboy
The prop is a Fairey-Reed propellor, which is painted black.(The white thing is a note, warning people to stop turning the prop as the engine is preserved). Most of them stayed natural Metal.The blades have a very "flat" look about them,compared to more modern blades.
Tony, I was in Gormo the day the Chippy flew with the Cessnas (I managed to get up in that formation , in Cessna 209) and I thought RJ flew it first, as he was OC Gormo at the time.Bert was the back-seater.I thought MM's licenses had lapsed and the story was that there was nobody there with a valid tailwheel endorsement, so RJ decided he'd do it, with Bert giving "encouragement" from the back.
regards
GttC  

[Claudel Hopson]

The BFTS logo dissappeared over time and I only remember it on C172 on the port engine cowling.

The logo was rsurrected when the PC9 came into service even though all the FTS buildings had the logo on display.

[RMR]

Yeah,it was RJ flying it in that formation.My aul fella was in 243 if his memory serves him correctly!
I think there was a fresh bfts logo put on 168 for the restoration...

[FiSe]

Actually, I think, that not all of Chippies had a FTS logo on their cowling, but Tony should know for sure...

On my last visit to Baldonnel my wife took this picture. We had very little time in museum and I was preocuppied with Vampire...
I don't even know number of this Chipmunk  , but it could be 168'>

[Tony Kearns]

RMR
Pity about the video.
Claudel
Chipmunk 164 in the museum still has the BFTS badge
GttC
The prop is black when looking out from the cockpit and silver/natural metal when facing it on the ground.

Regarding the restoration of 168 I think in saying that Mick O'Malley was flying it Iwas referring to the restoration when Barney was retiring which would have been earlier.
Tony K

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all
Tony, I stand corrected.No paint on the front face, of course.
regards
GttC

[Flyboy]

GTTC, thanks for that. I couldn't understand the shape of the prop, but once you explained it was a piece of paper I went back to look at it, it is now clear as day !!!

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi flyboy
It was a common gag to take the warning note from one blade and transfer it,upside down to the other blade, giving the impression that the prop had been turned, therefore upsetting the preservation on the engine.This would drive the NCO in charge of the aircraft mad! Canny NCOs would tape the note on, many times over, and mark the prop with chalk, to prove that it hadn't been turned.
regards
GttC