Fate of the Lord Somers Camp carrier

[Keith Webb]

Just look at what the lucky children of the 1950s had to play on!




A friend has just sent this pic of the famous Beaufighter which was rescued by the then Moorabbin Aircraft museum and which is still in existence.

What is not generally known is that this is the second Beaufighter to have been placed there. The first was scrapped.

Does anyone know the identity (tantalisingly almost readable on the side) and what happened to it?

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Just look at what the lucky children of the 1950s had to play on!




A friend has just sent this pic of the famous Beaufighter which was rescued by the then Moorabbin Aircraft museum and which is still in existence.

What is not generally known is that this is the second Beaufighter to have been placed there. The first was scrapped.

Does anyone know the identity (tantalisingly almost readable on the side) and what happened to it?

A8-328 is that the number you want..??

[Dean (Ajax)]

Interesting, the Canadian Avation Museum in Ottawa Canada is restoring one of these right now...I sent them some photos of the A/C bits I have in my basement..they saw a few things they need..so I am donating some stuff to their effort.

They are sending a couple of guys to my house in the Spring..to see what all is there they may be able to use for this effort and others.

Glad the one in the Photo as well as the one here in Canada were saved.

DEan

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by Dean (Ajax)

Interesting, the Canadian Avation Museum in Ottawa Canada is restoring one of these right now...

That would be the one they left outside to rot for a decade or two? Do I sound bitter that the neglect of decades now requires total restoration whereas if they had built a big tin or concrete box (like an aircraft hangar instead of a monument to an architect) to preserve the airplanes they would now have time and money to acquire and restore other airplanes that they didn't have a representative sample of?

[Dean (Ajax)]

Grant...you are preaching to the choir here...I helped run the Camp X Museum in Whitby Ontario...not the Bob Stuart collection...had to close it down due to lack of funding....beside me I have the paperwork "Re Request Voluntary revocation of Charitable Status"....so very sad after all the time I put into it...anyway..I remember that A/C sitting outside in the early 70s..yes she was rotting..and yes it should never have been that way...however at least now they are restoring her...better late than never..we cannot change the past...but we can work toward the future...ya..sounds like a propaganda phrase...but I believe that we that care enough must do what we can to help...yes others get the credit for their "work" and yes I know many things have been wrong with some Museums..but thats the way it is.

I Strongly agree this rare Bird should never have gotten to this state...but here we are..if I can help I will...I have donated to other Museums that I trust...others on this board know what I am talking about...I will not mention a Gov that did nothing to save Canadian Military History for years..nor..at the time I was in..did little to Support the Troops..I think that may had something to do with it...gotta stop typing as this sort of thing makes my blood boil..and I type faster than I can see what I am typing...sorry on a rant...not against you Grant..just the way it works out!!!!

Dean
Ajax Ontario Canada

[Ben]

The sister Beau is being restored to fly at Duxford in the UK. They have a couple of sumbling blocks (engines) before it goes much further. Check out the fighter collection web site for more details. Do you have a pair of Hercules's in your basement?

Ben