Where is this and why is it rotting?

[airwarrior]

I found this on google...


Does anybody know they story?

[Cigogne]

I wonder if it could be in Australia? The little Charlie Chaplin cutout marking on the side looks like Australian top ace Harry Cobby's plane/markings.

Other than that... as in the words of Sergeant Schulz, "I know nuttink."

[EricGoedkoop]

That and one other photo can be found on Wikimedia Commons, in a group of photos from the the Light Horse and Field Artillery Museum in Victoria, Australia.

Definitely a repro, I'd say.

[EricGoedkoop]

Check it out:

Google Maps

Look to the left twice (hit the compass-thingy in the top left corner) and you'll see it, on the side of the road behind some trees.

[Varese2002]

Originally Posted by EricGoedkoop

Check it out:

Google Maps

Look to the left twice (hit the compass-thingy in the top left corner) and you'll see it, on the side of the road behind some trees.

I followed your lead, it is amazing what can be found via Google maps The wrecked Camel is right there behind the trees. Amazing technology.

Cheers

Kees

[tcrean7828]

Mates,
Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it - but it is true - what a find. Any chance some wealthy 'dromer to rescue that poor delapated Sopwith Camel.

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom

[Breguet]

Well I've just been on the phone to the owner of the museum. Facinating bloke! Turns out he is a coach bulider, blacksmith and wheel wright by trade. The plane is "stored" in his paddock. He wants to buy it from the owner and fix it up for the museum but the guy won't sell and doesn't have much to do with it himself (hence its condition). It is indeed a non-flying replica of Harry Cobbys aircraft. Hopefully the museums owner will eventually come into poseesion of it because he is more than capable of fixing it up.

See its pamphlet here:

Home Page

Here's the second photo referred to earlier:



and the first one in a bigger size:

[Brad]

"Non-flying replica" was my first guess too. Nobody would let a real one rot, would they?

[stevedrew]

Tragic. Unbelievably tragic.

['14-'18aviationcollector]

Hi Brad,

I like you would certainly hope that no one would let a real Sopwith Camel rot, but stranger things have happened you know! I have been researching First World War aeroplanes for about 25 years now, and one of the first things I wondered was what happened to all of the original aeroplanes. Many of them would have been shot down or otherwise destroyed in combat, training accidents or in some other way during the war. Many were destroyed because they were surplus to requirements after the war of course, some were purchased by private owners, movie companies and many of those would have been destroyed in flying accidents, movie scenes, rotted away in sheds, fields or barns and some were even destroyed during the Second World War. The most disappointing example of this is MvR's Dr.1, 152/'17, which was destroyed during daylight bombing raids on Berlin. If my memory serves me correctly, I think one of Boelke's Eindeckers might have been destroyed this way too - hope my memory is not playing tricks on me. As disturbing and disappointing as these events are, there is a much more disturbing tendancy in the destruction of the relatively few remaining First World War aeroplanes. The truth in many cases is elusive of course, but I have heard many different stories of neglect of such aeroplanes even whilst in the custody of various museums, organisations and Government Departments. I have heard a range of explanations which often involve fires and other such events, but the reality is that if these priceless museum pieces were cared for appropriately such events would occur far less frequently as they do. Some museums, and to their credit they are far less prone to this these days have even been known to dispose of First World War aeroplanes because they are excess to requirements. Any collector, researcher or restorer would give all they have for the opportunity to acquire one of these aeroplanes, but the reality is that the desires of such enthusiasts were not thought of. Fortunately this is almost unheard of these days, but there are still some disturbing tendancies when it comes to the storage, exhibition, restoration and disposal of some museum exhibits. When I was working on the DH9 restoration, one of the members - whose Father was an observer in DH9's and whose Uncle was a DH9 pilot asked me when I returned from a trip to Europe in 1990 if I went to see the aeroplanes at the museum in Brussells. I did not see that museum, only because I was not aware that it existed, and I did not see the storage annex of the Musee de l'Aire. Not long after I returned, from memory it was in 1992, the storage annex of the Musee de l'Aire was burned down in a welding accident. I have heard that they had a huge number of First World War aeroplanes in original condition, and they are all gone apparently. Similarly, most if not all of the aeroplanes in the museum in Brussells have been restored. I would have liked to have seen them stay in original condition, or at least for the original pieces to have been kept. I have seen and even been involved in various restorations and more often that not they are not carried out authentcally unfortunately.

Regards,

David.