Br itain’s top-selling aviation monthlyEDITORIAL:
Editor – Chris Gilson
Deputy Editor – Steve Beebee
Contributing Editor - Dave Unwin
Group Editor - Nigel Price
General enquiries to:
Editor’s Secretary: Tuesday Osborne
FlyPast, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK
Tel: 01780 755131 Fax: 01780 757261
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.flypast.com
DESIGN:
Art Editor – Mike Carr
PRODUCTION:
Production Editor – Sue Blunt
Deputy Production Editor – Carol Randall
Sub Editor - Norman Wells
Production Manager – Janet Watkins
ADVERTISING AND COMMERCIAL:
Commercial Director – Ann Saundry
Group Advertisement Manager – Brodie Baxter
Advertisement Manager – Alison Sanders
E-mail: [email protected]
Sales Executive - Susan Scott
Ad Production Manager – Debi McGowan
Ad Production Controller - Cheryl Thornburn
E-mail: [email protected]
Group Marketing Manager – Martin Steele
Marketing Manager – Shaun BinningtonMANAGING DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER:
Adrian Cox
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN:
Richard Cox
SUBSCRIPTIONS / MAIL ORDER:
Manager – Liz Ward
PO Box 300, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1NA, UK
Tel: 01780 480404 Fax: 01780 757812
E-mail: Subscriptions: [email protected]
E-mail: Mail Order: [email protected]
Readers in USA can place subscriptions by visiting
http://www.flypast.com or by calling toll free 800-428-
3003 or fax 757-428-6253 or by writing to
FlyPast, 3330 Pacifi c Ave, Ste 500, Virginia
Beach, VA23451-9828.
SMALL PRINT: While every care is taken with
submissions, the Publisher cannot be held
responsible for any loss or damage incurred. All
items submitted for publication are subject to our
terms and conditions. These are regularly updated
without prior notice and are downloadable from
http://www.keypublishing.com
We are unable to guarantee the bonafi des of
any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly
recommended to take their own precautions before
parting with any information or item of value,
including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts,
photographs or personal information in response
to any advertisements within this publication. The
entire contents of FlyPast is © Copyright 2018. No
part of it can be reproduced in any form or stored
on any form of retrieval system without the prior
permission of the publisher.FlyPast (ISSN 0262-6950), April, is published
monthly by Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100,
Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK and distributed in
the USA by UKP Worldwide, 3390 Rand Road,
South Plainfi eld, NJ 07080. Periodicals postage
paid at Rahway, NJ and at additional mailing
offi ces.
Periodicals Postage Paid at Piscataway, NJ and
additional mailing offi ces.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FlyPast,
Key Publishing Ltd, C/O 3390 Rand Road, South
Plainfi eld NJ 07080.
DISTRIBUTED BY: Seymour Distribution Ltd,
2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP
Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001
PRINTED BY: Warners (Midland) plc,
The Maltings, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY:
Key Publishing Ltd,
address as EditorialPrinted in England
ISSN 0262-Art Editor
Mike CarrAdvertising
Manager
Alison SandersFollow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ ypastof cialWelcome
I
t’s been an especially busy start to the year at
FlyPast. To implement our plans for new ideas and
features we’ve been visiting lots of exciting locations
around the country, but that means there’s been little
time for re ection. However, two of the places I visited
have left a particularly lasting impression and both
have a common denominator – the Vickers Wellington
bomber. As some of you may have guessed, I’m talking about Brooklands
Museum, near Weybridge – the site of the former Vickers factory – and the
Sir Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at the RAF Museum, Cosford in
Shropshire. Both of these sites have a Wellington, in fact the only two surviving
complete airframes of the type out of the 11,462 (some quote 11,461) built. At
Cosford is T.10 MF628, which is undergoing long-term restoration, while Mk.IA
N2980 ‘R-for-Robert’ is now the centrepiece of the new exhibition hall at
Brooklands. It was recovered from the bed of Loch Ness in September 1985.
I’ve always thought there was a certain quiet dignity about the ‘Wimpey’,
as the Wellington was affectionately nicknamed (after the Popeye character J
Wellington Wimpy). It exudes an air of dependability and rugged grace, and
while you could argue that it doesn’t have the powerful aesthetics of the Avro
Lancaster, I would say it is one of the most attractive aircraft built.
As part of the tour at Brooklands, N2980 was kindly opened up by my guides,
and after photographs had been taken, I was allowed inside. Upon entering
through the hatch under the nose, I was struck by the lack of space. Admittedly,
‘R-for-Robert’ is only partially restored, with much of the geodetic structure on
show, but climbing aboard was a feat in itself. Then, hunched over – I am quite
tall – I tried to move aft into the fuselage but it was very slow going.
It then struck me that if I had been a crewman and the aircraft was in such
danger that it needed to be abandoned, I would have had little chance of escape.
The multitude of projections, the main spar just behind the cockpit and the
cramped interior, would have probably sealed my fate. It was an incredibly
sobering thought, and a saddening one, because many Wellingtons were lost in
active service, with inevitably fatal results.
We are currently celebrating the RAF’s centenary in a variety of ways –
you’ve no doubt noticed our specially branded features and artwork in previous
issues – but that moment at Brooklands afforded me a moment of re ection, to
think of the great men past and present who comprise this noble service. It was
also my way of saying a quiet thank you to those who didn’t return.
I strongly recommend you visit Brooklands Museum and N2980. Who could
fail to be moved by the old warhorse looking more digni ed than ever in her
new setting?Chris Gilson
EditorGroup Editor
Nigel PriceDeputy Editor
Steve BeebeeBelow
Vickers Wellington Mk.IA N2980 ‘R-for-Robert’ in its new
home at Brooklands Museum. DARREN HARBAR