Open Workshop Day - Shuttleworth Collection

A grand day out at Old Warden nosing around the engineering workshop, which they open every year now at Christmas for inquisitive types for whom standing behind the barriers is not enough.

A good display of machines this year probably the best I have seen in the last 3 years of attending the event.

The Bristol Scout was great to see again now thoroughly ingrained with black castor oil and probably looking the most authentic to service use of any aircraft of the collection.




The Spitfire Vb is nearing completion. They've done some power runs but its not yet flown after its rebuild, hopefully next year




The Avro 504K was in for its yearly checks, I have to say I'm not a fan of the current scheme I still think of it in the old RFC scheme in PC10 and roundels.

A treat for me was the sight of the Avro Tutor in a state of undress I would love to build a model of it ... I filled my phone with shots just in case




Tucked away in the rear workshop normally out of sight to visitors was the Bristol monoplane now undergoing repairs after a 'heavy landing'. Incidentally I love the trophy wall behind , reminds me of a WW1 Pilots mess




Here a knowledgable Engineer explains to the pilot what wiggling the controls actual does !!

For a few extra quid you could sit in the Spitfire.. I didn't but I did climb the steps and take a few shots for Tomtit related reasons



If this wasn't enough the rest of the museum offers more Sopwith tails than you can shake a stick at and more besides





Highlight of the day for me was getting up close to the Bleriot, currently minus its engine









But the best bit was reading the pilots notes. see below... :S






'Avoid the use of the stick... [as it] will result in turn the wrong way' !!! ...errrr :blink:

'Reduce power slowly to avoid pitch-up before landing' ...it pitches UP when you reduce power !!! ...errrr :blink:

'If directional control is lost after landing and catchers are approaching the aircraft - stop the engine' ..it has marginal directional control ...errrr :blink:

Last time I was at O.W. there were no 'barriers'. Just nominal guidelines of bits of tape, often tied to the aircraft struts, and nobody objected if you stepped over and peered inside, preferably with a camera poised. Often there were trays of fabric scraps and broken/life-expired/discarded bits by the aircraft, with signs to help yourself!
I've got a CD-ROM full of images, somewhere!
Got inside the Mossie at Hatfield house, too, with no problems, up the steps and into the open under-nose hatch.
Same at Duxford, before they built the new UK hangar. Everything was crammed in so tightly there was no room for barriers - apart from in the workshops, where things were in bits.
This was before certain groups began destroying things, though!

Eric wrote: Last time I was at O.W. there were no 'barriers'. Just nominal guidelines of bits of tape, often tied to the aircraft struts, and nobody objected if you stepped over and peered inside, preferably with a camera poised. Often there were trays of fabric scraps and broken/life-expired/discarded bits by the aircraft, with signs to help yourself!
I've got a CD-ROM full of images, somewhere!
Got inside the Mossie at Hatfield house, too, with no problems, up the steps and into the open under-nose hatch.
Same at Duxford, before they built the new UK hangar. Everything was crammed in so tightly there was no room for barriers - apart from in the workshops, where things were in bits.
This was before certain groups began destroying things, though!

"before certain groups began destroying things though " ??????????? Can you clarify? Who would do such a thing ??

Following on from the workshop visit in the winter we thought it would be good to see them actually flying. The weather turned out to be too windy for the early aircraft but there was some good action to be seen at the June flying evening.

There's obviously a slight bias in the photos










The Mew Gull suffered a loss of its Air Speed Indicator during the show so after a pause it came into land escorted by the Lysander which flew at the correct approach speed slightly above correct approach angle . The Mew Gull, it appears , needs a fairly precise speed to land safely.

That Lysander is a Comet!
If I recall correctly, a 'real' Lysander's cruise speed is somewhat less than the Mew Gull's stalling speed! [badass]

That Lysander is a Comet!

Yeah not an illustrative picture...except for the Mew Gull bit. The Lysander/Mew Gull incident happened right in front of me. I thought they were just showing off at the time landing in tandem , it was only the commentary later that explained what was going on. It worked well though, the Lysander accompanied the Gull for the entire approach the Gull only overtaking once it was scooting along the runway... actually I guess the Lysander slowed down

Great photos, thanks for sharing them. The Bleriot pilot's notes are interesting and terrifying!