Yaldhurst Museum of Transport and Science Aviation Items

[Richard Wesley]

Finally managed to pop into the Yaldhurst Museum that I have driven past hundreds of times. Lots of cars, an old tram, racing cars, washing machines, and even a couple of aviation related items.

First up was the remains of a RR Griffon engine, though no history on where it came from that I could see.

2018-03-07 13.34.22 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

A rather forlorn link trainer, though it appeared externally complete. No sign of the navigation table or other parts.

2018-03-07 13.40.39 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

Air New Zealand colours on a ground power unit.

2018-03-07 13.47.32 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

2018-03-07 13.48.08 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

2018-03-07 13.48.19 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

Very large Air New Zealand pushback tractor unit.

2018-03-07 13.58.44 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

2018-03-07 13.59.11 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

And finally an R1 fire unit in the fire station display, which I always think of as an airport vehicle, though this was marked up as MOT.

2018-03-07 14.03.55 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

2018-03-07 14.04.20 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

Very interesting, I'd never heard of that place.

[baz62]

Yes must pop in myself one day. Griffon might be from Australia as the Navy operated the Firefly.

[Dave Homewood]

And don't forget the Royal Navy operated the Seafire and Firefly out of Aussie bases too.

[baz62]

More likely Aussie as doubtful the Royal Navy would be leaving engines around. Possible but unlikely.

[Dave Homewood]

I thought they left huge dumps of aircraft in the Aussie wastelands when the Royal Navy pulled out?

[curtiss]

Dont think that is a Griffon - mounts are wrong. Pretty sure it is an Allison crankcase.

[Peter Lewis]

There used to be a Gipsy Major mounted upside down in a holding frame there as well.

[Richard Wesley]

Mar 9, 2018 16:13:55 GMT 12 curtiss said:

Dont think that is a Griffon - mounts are wrong. Pretty sure it is an Allison crankcase.

Ah, ah, that's funny. I thought that looking at the mounts and thinking they were just like the P40 ones I've worked with. Also the colour is certainly right for an RNZAF Alison, and far more likely to turn up around the place than a Griffon. Haven't seen a stripped Alison, but know a Merlin in a lot of pieces.

Another photo here, any other opinions...?

2018-03-07 13.34.35 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr

[Richard Wesley]

Mar 9, 2018 19:09:15 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

There used to be a Gipsy Major mounted upside down in a holding frame there as well.

Yes, only just read about that when I got back from the museum or I would have had more of a hunt for it, certainly didn't jump out at me.

[baz62]

Yes looking at the engine mounts I'd say Allison as well.
Allison by Barry Tod, on Flickr

And if you look at the Griffon crankcase it has a lot more vertical sides from heads down to sump. Plus mountings as Mr Curtiss pointed out are different.
Rolls_Royce_Griffon by Barry Tod, on Flickr