CONISBROUGH CASTLE.

The castle is located on castle hill, Conisbrough, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England and is looked after by English Heritage. The castle was initially built in the 11th century by William De Warenne, the earl of surrey, after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Hamelin Plantagenet, the illegitimate son of Henry II, acquired the property by marriage in the late 12th century. Hamelin and his son William rebuilt the castle in stone, including its prominent 28 metre high keep. The castle remained in the family line into the 14th century, despite being seized several times by the crown. The fortification was then given to Edmund of Langley, passing back into royal ownership in 1461. Conisbrough castle fell into ruin, its outer wall badly affected by subsidence and was given to the Carey family in the 16th century. Its derelict state prevented it from involvement in the English civil war of the 17th century and the remains were bought by the Duke of Leeds in 1737. Sir Walter Scott used the location for his 1819 novel Ivanhoe and by the end of the 19th century the ruins had become a tourist attraction. The state took over the management of the property in 1950, but by the 1980s the visitor facilities were felt to be unsuitable, leading to a three way partnership being created between the local council, English heritage and a local charitable trust to develop the castle. English Heritage took over control of the castle in 2008 and continue to operate the property as a tourist attraction.

 

This is an artists impression of the castle.

 

The photographs that follow show how the castle looks to this day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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AIRCRAFT # 10.

 

ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING F1.

 

RAF interceptor fighter in service from 1960 - 1988. The only all British designed and made supersonic fighter.

 

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PANAVIA TORNADO GR1B.

 

Strike aircraft that can be fitted with different equipment for different jobs. Built by Panavia, a company made up of British, German and Italian aircraft manufacturers. Tornados served with the British, German and Italian air forces from 1980 onwards.

 

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AVRO YORK C1.

 

Military and Commercial transport aircraft. It was built in three versions - a long range freight transport, a combined passenger/freighter and a passenger aeroplane. This aircraft took part in the Berlin airlift, 1948 - 1949.

 

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MILES MAGISTER MK1.

 

Second World War RAF elementary training aircraft. The first monoplane training aircraft in RAF service.

 

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NIEUPORT 17 ( reproduction ).

 

Fast and agile French single seat fighter, or fighting scout. It was used by several allied aces during the First World War. This flying reproduction was used in the filming of `Flyboys`, about the American Volunteers who served in the  Escadrille Lafayette. The Escadrille Lafayette was a unit of the French Air Service made up of mainly American volunteer pilots. They flew and fought before America entered the war in 1917.

 

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NORTH AMERICAN P - 51D MUSTANG.

 

Long range escort fighter, powered by an American built version of the Rolls - Royce Merlin engine. Mustangs played a key role in the defeat of the Luftwaffe during the second world war.

 

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HEINKEL HE 162 A-2 SALAMANDER.

 

A German jet fighter produced in the closing stages of the second world war. It was designed to be simple and cheap to make and be flown by members of the Hitlerjugend ( Hitler Youth ). HE 162`s were built in underground factories using forced labour, often from concentration camps. Crew-one. Construction-mixed aluminium alloy and wood. Engine-one BMW 109-003E-1 Axial- Flow turbojet of 8.8in ( 1,980lb ) thrust. Armament-two 20mm MG 151 Cannon.













 

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BRITISH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION STRIKEMASTER.

 

A multi role aircraft designed for advanced training, ground attack and reconnaissance. Developed for export, it served with several different countries from the 1970`s to the 1990`s. Used in combat in Ecuador, Oman and South Yemen. Crew - two. Construction - all metal stressed skin. Engine - one Rolls -Royce ( Bristol Siddeley ) Viper MK 535 turbojet of 15,170in ( 3,410lb ) thrust. Weapons - up to 1,361kg ( 3,000lbs) of bombs, external fuel tanks, gun cameras, gun pods, napalm tanks, rockets and reconnaissance pods. Two 7.62mm machine guns.

 

 

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HAWKER HURRICANE MK11B.

 

The main British fighter in the Battle of Britain. The Hurricane rather than the more famous Spitfire, was the main British fighter in the battle of Britain. Thirty - two RAF squadrons flew Hurricanes with nineteen equipped with Spitfires.

 

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BRISTOL BRITANNIA 312.

 

Known as the whispering giant, this long-range turboprop airliner was popular with airlines and passengers in the 1950s and 1960s. The Britannia was economic and efficient, comfortable and very quiet.

 

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HANDLEY PAGE HERALD 200.

 

This British airliner enjoyed modest success, operated by several small airlines across the world from 1961 to 1999.

 

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WESTLAND WASP HAS1.

 

Light Royal Navy anti-submarine helicopter, designed to operate from small ships. Wasps served in the Falklands war in 1982. Crew - two ( pilot and observer ). Engine - one Rolls-Royce Nimbus 103 or 104 turbine engine of 529kw ( 710hp ). Weapons - two MK 44 or one MK 46 torpedo or depth charges. Max speed - 120mph. Service ceiling - 12,200 feet. Range - 303 miles.

 

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MOTORCYCLES # 3.

 

1948 TIPPEN COVENTRY CHAIR.

 

Frank Tippen and Son`s factory was in Shakespeare street, Stoke Heath, Coventry, UK. This vehicle was made for returning soldiers injured in the second world war. It has a 147cc engine.

 

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1958 FRANCIS - BARNETT FALCON.

 

This motorcycle was made in the Francis - Barnett factory on lower Ford street in Coventry. Francis - Barnett had been naming their motorcycles after birds of prey since the 1930`s.

 

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1962 FRANCISS - BARNETT FULMAR.

 

Streamlining was popular in the 1950`s and 1960`s with many British lightweight motorcycles showing signs of Italian influence. Top speed 62mph. £138 new.

 









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BROUGH SUPERIOR `THE DREAM ` 1938.

 

The Dream was displayed at Earls Court motorcycle show in 1938. It was George Brough`s last attempt at producing a motor bike to turn heads. This bike shown here is the original prototype and features a massive Palethorpe engine. It is shaft driven and is a testimony to the skills of the Brough workers. The production model was to be painted gold in colour and was to feature an engine that Brough described as a flat vertical engine and would be very powerful as it would be in perfect balance. However before the machine could go into production the second world war broke out and Brough factories started making aircraft components. Although Brough continued as a successful high class engineering company after the war they never made any more motor bikes.

 

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THREE WHEEL LAMBRETTA.

 

 

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BROUGH SUPERIOR SS80 MODEL.

 

Brough only made a small number of bikes ( about 3,000 ) compared to many other manufacturers but it is the legacy of this marque that is so famous. The SS80 had a 998cc side valve jap engine. It was so called because it was capable of maintaining 80mph effortlessly for long periods of time. All his motorbikes were built twice. First they were assembled and tested before being taken to pieces again for painting before final assembly and retesting. Of the 3,050 motorcycles made by George Brough it is thought about a third of them still survive today.

 

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BROUGH SUPERIOR VEE FOUR 1927.

 

This was the motorcycle made for the 1927 motorcycle show at London Olympia. It was put in a glass case and guarded by a policeman. The motorcycle is unusual in having a vee four engine with four cylinders arranged in two vee shapes. It was only a prototype and never went into production.

 

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CAMPION 500cc MOTORCYCLE 1921.

 

Made by the Campion company, Robin Hood street, Nottingham, UK. Campion were one of the big local motorcycle manufacturers from the turn of the century. This bike has a Jap 500cc side valve engine made in Tottenham, London, UK. It was common for makers to use other company engines at this time. It only has a single rear brake and has an oil pump on the top of the petrol tank. In 1927 the Campion cycle company was bought by Curry`s and is now part of the Dixon/PC world group of companies.

 

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BSA M20 MOTORCYCLE.

 

The 500cc BSA was the most common motorcycle in British service during world war two. They were principally used by despatch riders on communications duties.

 

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CANADIAN CAN - AM 250cc BOMBARDIER MOTORCYCLE.

 

In 1979 the British Army abandoned its policy of buying British motorcycles and purchased a small number of Can - Am Bombardiers for solo communication duties.

 

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AIRCRAFT # 9.

 

ENGLISH ELECTRIC P1.

 

Research plane.

 

The first flight of P1 WG760 was on 4th August 1954, just 10 years after the RAF`s first jet aircraft, the Meteor entered service. It was experimental and was the basis for the RAF`s front line fighter, the English Electric ( later BAC ) lightning. It was the first and only truly supersonic aircraft developed by Britain on her own.

 

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FAIRCHILD ARGUS 11.

 

In RAF service, most Argus aircraft operated in the vital but unsung general communications and liaison role. They were extensively used in the near and far east and South Africa. In the United Kingdom they were more widely used by the Air Transport Auxiliary ( ATA ) to ferry delivery pilots to and from factories and airfields.

 

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DE HAVILLAND DEVON C2/2A.

 

Transport and Communication aircraft.

 

The Devon aircraft was developed for the RAF from the civil De Havilland Dove 4 as a light communications and transport aircraft. The De Havilland Dove was designed to replace the biplane De Havilland Rapide. It first flew on 25th September 1945. A military version known as the Devon C1 was produced and about 30 aircraft were supplied to the RAF from 1947. Others were acquired for the Royal Aircraft Establishment ( RAE ), the empire test pilots school and the fleet air arm. This particular aircraft was the first to be supplied to the RAF and was used in the military trials by the Handling Squadron at RAF Hullavington. The civilian Devon was a commercial success. Some 500 aircraft were produced and they flew in practically every country in the world.

 

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BAE EAP.

 

Experimental aircraft programme.

 

EAP flew from 1986 to 1991. It was used to develop the advanced technologies and flight systems intended for what became the Eurofighter Typhoon.

 

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BRITISH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION JET PROVOST T MK 5A XW418.

 

Trainer.

 

This is the last variety of the Jet Provost series. It was built in 1972. This aircraft was used at no1 flying training school RAF Linton on Ouse, no3 flying training school at RAF Leeming, no7 flying training school at RAF Church Fenton, central flying school at RAF Scampton, before becoming a ground instructional airframe at RAF Cosford.

 

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HAWKER CYGNET.

 

Light sporting aeroplane.

 

Early in 1924 the Royal Aero Club organised a light aeroplane competition for which the Air Ministry offered £3000 in prizes. The hope was to develop light aircraft so that private flying would become popular as owning a motor car. Only two Cygnets were built and both were entered in the completion held at Lympne in September 1924. Both survived the elimination rounds and were placed 3rd and 4th in the final.

 

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DE HAVILLAND VAMPIRE T.11 XD593.

 

Two seat advanced trainer.

 

Aircrew - two, Max speed - 549mph, Range - 863 miles, Armament - none, Power plant - one De Havilland Goblin 35 engine rated at 3,400lbs static thrust.

 

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DE HAVILLAND SEA  VENOM FAW.22 WW217.

 

Shipboard strike fighter.

 

Aircrew - two, Max speed - 563mph, Range - 800 miles, Armament - four 20mm Hispano Cannon, eight 27kg rockets, Power plant - one De Havilland Ghost 105 rated at 5,150lbs static thrust.

 

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ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH METEOR N.F.12 WS692.

 

Night fighter aircraft.

 

Aircrew - two, Max speed - 541mph, Range - 960 miles, Armament - four 20mm Cannon, Power plant - two Rolls Royce Derwent 9 engines each rated at 3,800lbs static thrust.

 

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LEE RICHARDS ANNULAR BIPLANE ( replica ).

 

Early flying machine.

 

Aircrew - one, Max speed - 35mph, Range - very short, Span - 20 foot diameter, Power plant - 50 hp rotary Gnome engine.

 

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HAWKER HUNTER F.1. WT651.

 

Interceptor Fighter.

 

Aircrew - one, Max speed - 715mph, Range - 1,840 miles, Service ceiling - 48,500ft, Loaded weight - 16,200lbs, Armament - four 30mm Aden Cannons, Power plant - one Rolls Royce Avon RA.7 rated at 7,500lbs static thrust.

 

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SURVEILLANCE DRONE - CSV30.

 

The CSV30 is an enhanced and enlarged version of the CSV 20 providing increased capability. The airframe shown was constructed to carry out Magnetometer rock strata mapping for geological survey work. The wingtip pods are built to carry, respectively, a magnetometer sensor head and a GPS transmitter. Complete data is transferred back to the base control unit together with real time video. Transit speed - 175kph, Loiter speed - 70kph, Wing span - 2.75m, Length - 2.2m, Wight - 22kg, Endurance - 120mins, Motor size - 45 - 75 ccs.

 

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