MILITARY GATE GUARDS

[Bob Womack]

The Hurricane at the gates of Duxford IWM which turns in the breeze. The home to 242 Squadron led by Douglas Bader during WW2

I've been told that many of these fiberglass replicas were built by the folks from Spitfire Films to replace planes they pulled down to get as many Spits and Hurricanes flying for the Battle of Britain film. I'd love to know if they've kept those same ones going with repair or if these are new fiberglass replicas.

The sad fact about these gat guards is the same as that old partially restored MG Midget in your garage, that was made in 1972. Put in your garage in 1990 and now the paint has given way to rust. The electrics are frozen up, tyres turned to dust, hydraulics are jammed solid, absorbed moisture and have rusted the wheel cylinders and the rust has turned to holes. Same as these gate guardians. If they were looked after with a bit of upkeep and minimal maintenance and paint they'd look presentable and a credit to all. But you've GOT to look after the insides with protective oily vapour. Even tanks that were gate guards just end up as hard targets.

A couple of years before the RAF left Abingdon there had been a REAL (not a plastic fibreglass replica.....) Spitfire outside the main guardroom. By the time they decided to keep it for spares or restoration, due to the forthcoming closure of the base, a passing glance quickly told them that it was beyond saving, even for display purposes

If you have that old Mini Cooper or MG MIdget in yours, get it out now and start protecting it for that '.....I'm going to restore it one day....' moment

My brother had a small business importing classic Mini Coopers, doing the mods necessary to make them conform to U.S. laws, and reselling them. He's got four left and sort of rotates the parts to whichever is functioning best as any given moment. He plans to get one going really well for himself and sell the others, um, eventually.



Bob