Well, back from a fun packed hectic two days of displaying the build so far in her skeletal form. Day 1 saw her trailered up to the south side of the main Jersey apron and parked on the grass. 1,000’s of visitors all showing great interest in a plane, the like they had never seen before !
Then the two Lancasters arrived accompanied by a Spitfire 16 and a Hurricane and parked directly opposite the Sherwood. 10 Merlins sat there running down in unison .. what a sound !!
At the end of the session the Airport Fire Service had to tow her airside so we parked her in the hanger at the Jersey Aero Club. They had kindly offered me space to shelter overnight before the display day on day 2 at the main front in St Helier. Even better, as the Spit and Hurricane had decided the overnight weather was so good I could take their reserved space in the hanger !
Day 2
Day 2 started well with the local fire crew arriving spot on time to trailer her back to an exit gate where I would be allowed to hitch up. Then disaster. Their truck and trailer combination hit a raised ramp at the gate and the combination of several tons of Fire Truck meeting a raised concrete lump WITH an iron bar set into the top crunched the right hand trailer wheel, this pulled down and dropped the whole aircraft and bent the lower undercarriage leg. Having got over the ‘crying’ I got down to the serious business of damage checking. It turns out the lower leg has creased (so is a write off) but the top part of that leg – the steel slider is fine along with the top bobbins etc. So it will be a new lower leg, a rubber stop point and lower bush.
Emailed Paul at TLAC on Thursday night to share my grief …. and (my hero !) advised to take it off, send it in and he would see what he could do. I need to send it back anyway to take advantage of Paul’s special bungee stretch tool.
Jersey Sherwood Ranger 
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