You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NcgKPSK8zQeSym1M7
Found this completely at random when I stopped for a pee!
But what is it from?
Very similar to a Mosquito......
Alien spacecraft.
Looks like the nosecone from a Handley Page Halifax bomber...
...and, of course, I also claim my £5 🙂
Doesnt look right for Mosquito. Not right shape for the top and too many holes for the nose.
The multiple holes inc at front (assuming is front) doesnt make sense to me from a cockpit side of things.
How big is it?
How thick was the glass/plastic? (he mosquito is armoured so insanely thick and heavy).
Where abouts was it in case that gives any hints.
I agree with Muddy@rse, that's the nosecone from a halifax by the look of it. I wonder how it got there?
yep defo a halifax nose
Wow, quite a find. Worth contacting some preservation society in case it would be of use to them?
Indeed, if you're in the east midlands then the Newark air museum would probably be interested in it for their "relics" section areas
It's in rural Scotland but very close to several major RAF bases in WW2. I'll go and Google whether they flew Handley Page Halifax.
What do I do with it? I just left it where it was but do I tell the RAF or the landowners or what?
Good sleuthing though, I knew Singletrack could ID it 😁
I'm guessing some kids took it in to make a den. Not willing to guess when that happened tho...
It’s in rural Scotland
anywhere near Glen Isla?
edit - theres also one at Gleshee.
I've nothing to contribute myself but #bestthreadever
anywhere near Glen Isla?
Aircraft crash there was uncontrolled flight into ground. Probably unlikely the nose cone woulds survive that intact.
Just outside Elgin, can't find any details about crashes involving a Halifax though?
were some flight training airfields - Manbeen and also ones out at (edit: Milltown)(can't recall name now, it's the old wireless station). But as molgrips says, maybe just been relieved as scarp and dragged for interest - or someone had stored it then dumped it.
Oakwoods? York Tower?
Phone up the Museum of flight at East Fortune and see if they want it?
As above, contact the museum at east fortune, it needs rescuing before something happens to it.
If its from a Halifax that would make it very rare indeed I would have thought.
Halifaxes were based at Lossiemouth for a time during the war so possibly come from there.
If it has local connection, the Moravia folk may be interested, too.
https://www.morayvia.org.uk/ they may be able to put in touch with appropriate folk (which may be Museum of Flight anyway).
Seeing as it's got dead leaves underneath it,I'd say it's been fairly recently put there (unless you did it).
I'd definitely contact morayvia first. I'm just surprised that kcal hasn't stumbled across it before you.
It looks familiar - but can't recall where I've seen it, and would have been on a bike anyway - would have been curious but probably not stopped.
Up by York Tower there is an old field gun, part of a paintball setup, which is why I wondered if it's in that area.
Just outside Elgin
I'm sure that I read about planes being dumped and dismantled around Elgin / Quarrel Woods and Lossie. I think it's on one of my 'timelines' I use for outdoor learning.
I'll see if I can find it.
Found one reference straight away
https://heavywhalley.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/oakwood-quarry-near-elgin-an-old-haunt-first-visit-for-35-years-a-plane-crash-and-lots-of-bits-of-old-aircraft/amp/
I'm not sure where some of those places are but it's just off the a96 a few miles before Lahnbryde.
I'll contact the museum of flight and let them deal with it as I'm not sure who owns the land that it sits on.
I didn't move or touch it so not sure about the leaves or whether it's been placed there.
It would be amazing if it ended up in the Flight Museum, I love that place!
I've had some random Canadian leave a message on my picture asking if he can buy and ship it to Canada 😂
Oh, and I'd be amazed if someone had stumbled upon it before as it wasn't on a bike track etc.
I actually stopped and went into the woods for a pee 😂
I'd go with what has bee said before. It has arrived in that position very recently. If it were from Halifax or any other plane from that era, then it would have been there for decades and covered in the detritus of a wood. My first point of contact would be the nearest air museum to see if it has been stolen, alternatively contact the Police, they may have a record of loss.
I’d go with what has bee said before. It has arrived in that position very recently
That is what makes me curious if it is the right answer. I would have thought it would have been armoured if it was part of a bomber. Having lifted a small bit of armoured glass/perspex from a mosquito I feel safe in saying something that size wont have been moved far unless you had a couple of bored teams of rugby players.
I see you have a buyer already! Great find. Nb for plane fans the air show is on next weekend at east fortune. Cant wait!!!
The original design seems to be perspex with glass panels inset.
If you look at the pic of the one I found the armoured glass is missing, presumably making it a fair bit lighter.
If you look round the rim on the inside it's got leaves in it and the edge of the perspex is green. Surely if it had been nicked from a museum it would be in better nick?
Your right though, if it had been there 75 years it would be buried in Moss and also the armoured glass sections would be lying beside it where they had fallen out due to the rivets corroding etc.
I'd ring Yorkshire Air Museum; I think that's a pic of their Halifax up there.
I'm sure they'd find a home for it
Got an email back from the National Air Museum:
"Thanks for this. It’s a nice thing, but not in the best condition and it’s not something we would have the resource to deal with right now. All our conservation resource is tied up on a major development for the next few years.
We also wouldn’t be able to spend the time trying to establish who it belongs to and then negotiate to get it. I don’t know whether the local council are able to advise who the landowner is, but it might be worth trying. In Scotland the General Register of s would identify the landowner, but I don’t know if there is an equivalent in England (I assume this is in England?)
Sorry I can’t be of more help but I hope you are able to save this. It would be a shame to see it deteriorate away to nothing.
All the best."
Anyone got an email contact for anywhere else that might want it?
Looks like it might be staying in the woods 😂
As above you could try Moravia but I feel they probably are unlikely to bother with it either.
How heavy and large is it? I'm kind of keen on it - no idea what I'd do with it - but wouldn't be modifying it.
How about the museums at Duxford or Hendon:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/
Or the Shuttleworth collection:
Brooklands Museum? No link to Halifax production but they have all sorts of bits and bobs.
Get in contact with your local museum or county museum. If it has provenance to your local area and helps tell a story of the surrounding area, such as airfield WWII they may be interested in it. We have American WWII items in our museum store as Taunton was the site for a huge US depot that helped supply troops in build up to D-day.
Also, a little fact, the oldest parts of the local hospital are WWII era built by the US, the wards corridors were built wide enough to drive a jeep down.
Well I know what I would have done if I’d found it! Best not for a public forum though 😀
Well I know what I would have done if I’d found it! Best not for a public forum though 😀
The email received seems to be saying as much as "Please pick it up and put it on your mantlepiece." but with a little more subtlety.
Let's face it nobody takes something like that and dumps it in the woods unless they don't want it or its nicked.
Tell the police you have found something of significant value in the woods.
Contact the land owner as the obvious potential owner.
If no one claims it then it's yours.
... According to Ask the Police, the UK police FAQ database, if you find something you should liaise with your local station. You may agree to hold on to the property on the understanding that if the owner comes forward you must relinquish it, or you can hand it in at your local police station. If you choose to hand it in you will be given the form that entitles you to collect it after 28 days.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/blog/2012/jul/02/finders-keep-regardless-value