Topic: Junkers Ju 52 restoration.

About three weeks ago, at the Nationals, I met a nice chap who delivered a couple of his late fathers models to me, the intention being to restore them and get them flying again, for his mother to see them airborne again. This chaps father was none other than Peter Neate, a very well renowned scale modeller, most long term scale modellers will remember the name without doubt. I remember at the Old Warden Scale Days back in the 80's pestering Peter with those silly question young lads ask, Peter answered all of them, though my dad, I remember, looked slightly embarrassed and possibly saw a slight irritation in Peters replies, in my defence I was very young!!! Anyhoo, to work on the very model we were speaking about back then was a treat to say the least, let alone fly it   The Junkers flew again today, and very well it did too, if a tad at the lower end of the power scale with its original OS open rocker 60 four bangers:D

Ian.

Hey
and I was there, all I will say so as not to steal Ian's thunder,  it was a truly "sweet " model to see and hear fly. Enjoy the photo's

Great pics Captain What a beautiful machine!! What a beautiful sound!!

A few specs on the model. The wingspan is just over 11ft, weight feels quite heavy, about 32lb I'm guessing. Traditional built up structure, the interesting bit is the corrugations. Peter made (and wrote an article I cannot now find ) 3 sets of rollers to make litho panels to skin the model. 3 sets as there are 3 different sizes of corrugation on this Ju. 52. Structure wise, the model was fairly intact, just requiring a couple of patches of litho and some originals re affixing, plus a touch up on the paintwork, a few hinges sorting, a couple of linkages re doing, U/C strip down and new springs. The motors were cleaned out and the carbs stripped, a couple of throttle arms needed replacing and the built in (!?) fuel tanks flushing through. The motors were then run singly to set up and ensure no tank problems etc. The radio all worked (no Tx Rx or battery supplied) but the control surface servos, switch and some wiring was replaced as a matter of course. Next job is to get the Paratroops working. It drops 3 blokes and 2 weapons pods, which will be great as this is one feature of the model I remember vividly from 'when I were a lad'

Can anyone else remember this model or Peter and his creations?

Ian.

One thing I didn't mention is the original thread started by Stueysheep, found here Login . Stuey has done loads to help Peters wife and son, John to get the models to good homes and has indeed himself given a good home to Peter's best and most recent model, a 30% Tiger Moth. I am extremely grateful to him for pointing the Junkers my way, since it holds memories of me and my dad at Old Warden and Woodvale when I was at the 'asking stupid questions' phase. I also had one of Peters published plan DH2 a good few years ago, then a bigger 1/3 scale Dh2 built from a mixture of Peter Neate' s plan and the Windsock Datafile.

Memories huh!

Ian.

Congratulations Ian, Peters family will be well chuffed 

Nice one Ian. 

Great to see models with so much history.

Simon

Great pics Captain What a beautiful machine!! What a beautiful sound!!

Very nice Ian look forward to seeing it at Os in a couple of weeks

Can anyone else remember this model or Peter and his creations?

I remember the name although I didn't get to shows and events much so I don't recall seeing him or his models "in the flesh".  He featured a number of times in articles and on the cover of Radio Modeller in it's hayday in the 70's (i.e the Dave Hughes & Norman Butcher era IIRC).   Didn't he do a nice Hanriot or a Neuport or something?    Also, now I think about it, I'm sure Norman Butcher built a nice red DVII which hung in my fathers shop in Hemel Hempstead for a while in the early '70s.  I feel a trip to the loft for a rumage amongst the old RM's  coming on   Am I right in thinking Peter lived in the Hertfordshire / Bedfordshire area?   If so, I might even have served him in our shop when I were a lad  

Edit

Oh Wow!    For all you old(er) duffers such as myself just found this treasure trove of nostalgic images.  April 75 looks to be a topical issue;  I presume that's Peter holding his DH2. I could be looking round here for hours .......

Alan

Great to see you've got it back into the air Ian, it looked great on the ground but so much better flying. Your efforts last Sunday getting the engines running were well worthwhile weren't they

Thats the chap with the lovely DH2

He also had a Hanriot plan published. This bit is older than me, anyone remember a free flighter called the Hi Ball ? This was apparently a very popular design.

Ian.

Nobodies mention his 'Hannibal'  HP42 - Now that was a model

NNF

Nobodies mention his 'Hannibal'  HP42 - Now that was a model

NNF

Don't mention the HP42..... It's a secret... I know, I know, I know! 

This bit is older than me, anyone remember a free flighter called the Hi Ball ? This was apparently a very popular design.

Ian.

Ian, that explains the personalised plate on the HP42 trailer... this is a huge trailer 4metres long!

  Didn't he do a nice Hanriot or a Neuport or something?  

yes. here is the 20 plus years old Hanriot at 1/4 scale, he also had a 1/6th scale one in the loft. And that is the "small" HP 42 in the background...

I am extremely grateful to him for pointing the Junkers my way,
Memories huh!

Ian.

You are welcome Ian, it was a very difficult decision not to take on the project myself. I originally had committed too and was looking forward to it immensely. Getting to know the family and the history I felt the Ju project needed someone more capable than myself and more in touch with the unique history than me to take this on.

I am pleased you stepped forward and it's in good hands..

Now if you ever need to pass it on..... 

That Hanriot looks really nice

That Hanriot looks really nice

oh, and yes, the family live very near to you...

Mr Cam
it does not have sufficient wings for you

Mr Cam
it does not have sufficient wings for you

Oh it does Beaky.  Building wings can become very tiresome don't you know so, in some ways, the fewer the better     Besides, I can spot a beauty and admire good workmanship from a mile off

Alan

look I amoff out for a posh tea so these will have to do you

Painting the markings must have been a right pain in the donkey

Can anyone else remember this model or Peter and his creations?

Ian.

Hi Ian,

I don't remember the JU 52 (must have been around during a break I had from toy planes, long ago) but I do recall his Hanriot at the Nats in 1970 (I think it was...maybe 69) at Hullavington. I was one of the irritating teenager brigade then but I do remember Peter spending a lot of time talking to me about his model and how he made various bits of it, including how he'd glued the tyres together using a 'special' instant acting and very strong (and very expensive) glue he'd 'obtained' through work...this could have been 'eary' cyano, I suppose!

I have photos of Peter and that Hanriot in the loft somewhere, also of other guys I pestered at the time...Dave Platt, Roy Scott, Eric Herbert, David Vaughan, Albert Briggs, Mick Reeves, Sid Moreton, etc, all of whom I found helpful and happy to spend time explaining things.

Cheers,

Dick

Just had an email from John Neate who mentioned the filming the Ju was involved in. John is now registered here so he might join in and fill us in on the whole history. In Canada the film was "Map of the Human Heart" (in which it was painted yellow) and in the UK the film was called "Selling Hitler".
Selling Hitler rings a bell but does anyone remember these titles?

Dick, I remember 5 of the names you mention and the models they flew, what models did Albert and Sid build?

Ian.

Dick, I remember 5 of the names you mention and the models they flew, what models did Albert and Sid build?

Ian.

Ian,

Albert was into C/L then and I remember seeing a Bristol Brigand C/L model of his...and Sid, if I recall correctly, had a Bristol Bulldog.

Cheers,

Dick

Hello all,

Firstly like to say how nice it is to see the JU52 Flying again, looks brilliant in the photo's so thanks to ian for getting it back up in the sky. I remeber the some of the names your are all talking about as they where my fathes friends. I have alot of information about the plane, what films it was used in and the people involved in the filming and the dates it was built, when i get them i will post them on here. I hope ian has alot of fun with it. We look forward to seeing it flying in the flesh.

I'd also like to thank stuart for all his hard work and enthusiasm.

If anyone else is interested in any of the other models we have get in touch as we'd like to see them all up and flying again...

Regards The Neates

Cheers John, it'd b great to get the full history when time allows

Stole a couple of hours at the field tonight with this great opld model, two more flights and the first paratroop drop for years. I only fitted three since the five 'chutes (three blokes and two weapons carriers) add up to a good couple of pounds. The blokes jumped out unarmed this time since I needed to be sure that the motors could pull the extra weight and I needed reassurance that all that extra weight 18" behind the CofG didn't take it back too far. I needn't have worried really but the motors were certainly at full throttle for a lot longer on the climb out! The parachutes looked great spewing out of the Ju though I may alter the linkage to make use of modern radio servo slow features which will allow an evenly spaced one at a time bail out, to spead 'em the length of the strip. As it happens, one trooper must have been dieting for 7 years as he promptly beggared off leaving his 2 chums to come to ground back on the strip.

Roll on Osbournby

Ian.

Hi Ian,

  I believe I flew your JU52 when I and a bunch of friends, Pete, Richard Rawle and one or two others went to the German DMFV Nats.
 I was calling for Pete when he said Hear; you fly it ‘I am to nervous. And gave the TX to me! I had to land it and all. He had been drinking ‘tea’ with some friends.
      It was about 15 years ago?
When pictures of the 52 apered in the German pre-unification model press it has the Swastika blanked out. That would still happen today.


Last year at old Worden I was given a Demoiselle to fly. All went well. The owner who is not a builder must have taken a shine to me as this year he bought this DH2 from a dealer and asked me to restore it. The dealer got it from someone who got it from an auction.   

   I remember Pete telling me he sold some models at Christy's but I did not know which ones.
 

This DH2 has a Laser 150 stamped with the purchaser initial on the Berra's 'AEM'. Neil Tidy says it is about 13 years old.

It is about ¼ scale but I have doubts it is Pets own as although the engineering is sound it is a little rough in places, has thick wings and tail.
     It could be his plan or as you say Alan Morgan's.
You might be able it help.

I was going to fly the DH2 today at Merrifield but the owner could not come. It will be an outher day soon.

 

Here are links to what must be the films the Ju appeared in

Selling Hitler [DVD] [1991]: Amazon.co.uk: Jonathan Pryce, Alexei Sayle, Alison Doody, Julie T. Wallace, Richard Wilson (II), Tom Baker, Olivier Pierre, Philip Fox, Alan Bennett, Gabrielle Blunt, Alison Steadman, Jill Balcon, Hugh Futcher, Tony Sibbald, Robert Longden, Alastair Reid: DVD for the UK based film

Map Of The Human Heart [DVD] [1993]: Amazon.co.uk: Patrick Bergin, Jason Scott Lee, Anne Parillaud, John Cusack, Jeanne Moreau, Clotilde Courau, Ben Mendelsohn, Robert Joamie, Annie Galipeau, Vincent Ward: DVD for the Canadian film

Anyone seen them?

Ian.

Selling Hitler was I think a 4 part TV series

Ian , are you bringing her to the hop mate would love to see that in the air ? Mickey

It hasn't got any slottage mate but I could bring it. It wasn't flyable until a few days ago so hadn't booked it in anywhere.

NFG, that was something I read, though it may have been 5 and the DVD has been cropped to the length of 4, much to the reviewers disgust

Ian.

Hi Ian,

have you managed to find anything about the  Baldock fly in in October mentioend by John. I have been in contact with Ken Bones and John Greenfield and both do not know anything about it....

Is it coming to Os on the 27th?

Hi Ian,

have you managed to find anything about the  Baldock fly in in October mentioend by John. I have been in contact with Ken Bones and John Greenfield and both do not know anything about it....

Is it coming to Os on the 27th?

No mate, I don't know where that rumour started   Do Baldock take guests for the day Or perhaps we could get the Neates to Osbournby as the Ju will be there.

Ian.

No mate, I don't know where that rumour started   Do Baldock take guests for the day Or perhaps we could get the Neates to Osbournby as the Ju will be there.

Ian.

Yep, OS sounds a good idea.....

I remember the film "Map of the human heart."

Not a bad film, a sloppy one thou.

Can't remember the ju 52 in it.

I must drag the dvd out, I've got it somewhere but where.

Phil

Ok ian fair point mate . See you at the weekend . Mickey

Hello All,

Have been and dug out some history on the Junkers JU-52:

Built: 1981/82
Test Flight: At Baldock 1982
Amount of flights in 1982: 25
83/84: 0 Flights as motors where in HP42
1985 2 in germany
2 Flights in germany (1986)
Out of flight history...
Until October 1990 euston Films Ltd For selling Hitler
1991 Plane shipped to canada, painted yellow for opening scenes of Map of the Human Heart
Plane returned to england Late 1991 and re-painted.
The was made airbourne again but the specifics are unknown?

Terry Bridewell & Kenny Binks used to fly the plane. If anyone else has any additional information please could they post it or let us know?

Kind Regards

P.s: The HI BALL was published in the october of 1947 aero modeler magazine " A super performance contest model featuring the popular high pylon wing fixing" By Peter Neate

That time Dad was a member of the St Albans Cement Squeezers

John.
 See my post on the previous page for what I know of the JU 52 model.

From what you say in the post above it must have been 85 or 6 when i flew it in Germany.
 We all traveled in my bread van!

RCRCRC

Hi John and all
I and dad have many good memorys of Peter. The trip that Richard C and I did with Peter was in 1985 we had so many laughs. Its nice to see the Ju going again. I dont think it has flown since the film I remember Peter repainting it when it came back. I think the last time HP42 was flown was at Duxford pilot was Terry Bridewell. I can not remember the year. But it was one of Peters last shows. Terry is still around. The last I heard he was on Harry Poter Film.
I have some Video of the Lysander at woodvale being flown by Kenny Binks. There is a good chance of some more video of other models of Peters. I will have a look out and see what we can find. I also remenber Peters minicab It was white with light blue trim powered by a Gemini 120.

I hope you find this intreasting this is just a little of many good memorys

Richard Rawle

So it could be about 18 years since it has flown then

Not bad for an old girl! I just love this nostalgia. I'd love to see some video Richard, plus I still have a machine to play them too

Ian.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2t2uk-ooq8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2t2uk-ooq8</a>

Here is a vid taken at last the last Osbournby do. Flown it a few times since then and it has become apparent that in its current state the model is very marginal on climb out and the first turn can be a bit of a frightener if the conditions aint right. I might try some modern props on it (APC or similar) to try and get some more performance.

Ian.