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The FAAM also holds the world’s oldest surviving purpose built aircraft carrier, a 1918 Thorneycroft Seaplane Lighter. This is Lighter H21, formerly recorded as T3, which is on the National Register of Historic Ships. Fifty-eight feet in length it was initially designed to be towed behind fast Royal Navy destroyers during WW I thus allowing an aircraft to be moved at speed to a new location. A later conversion enabled it to be used to launch an aircraft at sea from the Lighter platform. The same ‘whole object’ technique is being applied to reveal the cultural biography of this large working object. USING OBJECTS

Figure 5 The FAAM also holds the world’s oldest surviving purpose built aircraft carrier, a 1918 Thorneycroft Seaplane Lighter. This is Lighter H21, formerly recorded as T3, which is on the National Register of Historic Ships. Fifty-eight feet in length it was initially designed to be towed behind fast Royal Navy destroyers during WW I thus allowing an aircraft to be moved at speed to a new location. A later conversion enabled it to be used to launch an aircraft at sea from the Lighter platform. The same ‘whole object’ technique is being applied to reveal the cultural biography of this large working object. USING OBJECTS

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Once in the hangar, the challenge was whether an aircraft that had been re-painted many years ago could be returned to its original paintwork and indeed whether the original paint had survived beneath the later layers. There was also the economic consideration as to whether this could be achieved within the financial limitations imposed by the museums and collections budget. The counter argument is that here is one of the few remaining opportunities to understand and examine a WWII fighter aircraft in accurate detail — therefore can you afford not to do it?
Once in the hangar, the challenge was whether an aircraft that had been re-painted many years ago could be returned to its original paintwork and indeed whether the original paint had survived beneath the later layers. There was also the economic consideration as to whether this could be achieved within the financial limitations imposed by the museums and collections budget. The counter argument is that here is one of the few remaining opportunities to understand and examine a WWII fighter aircraft in accurate detail — therefore can you afford not to do it?
Figure 3. Paint removal in progress on the fin of Corsair KD 43 lexposing the 1940’s dull paint finish.
Figure 3. Paint removal in progress on the fin of Corsair KD 43 lexposing the 1940’s dull paint finish.
Following the success of the Corsair restoration project the FAAM’s engineering team are aiming to restore and conserve Grumman Martlet AL246 using the same methodology, again tackling the removal of the inaccurate paint finish applied during the 1960’s to reveal and leave intact, the original World War II paintwork. Partly because the Martlet provides another opportunity to examine in great detail another aspect of WWII aviation, and partly to demonstrate that the Corsair project can be repeated if critical thinking and good practices are applied. Figure 4. Grumman Martlet AL246 in restoration hangar with conservation work in progress.
Following the success of the Corsair restoration project the FAAM’s engineering team are aiming to restore and conserve Grumman Martlet AL246 using the same methodology, again tackling the removal of the inaccurate paint finish applied during the 1960’s to reveal and leave intact, the original World War II paintwork. Partly because the Martlet provides another opportunity to examine in great detail another aspect of WWII aviation, and partly to demonstrate that the Corsair project can be repeated if critical thinking and good practices are applied. Figure 4. Grumman Martlet AL246 in restoration hangar with conservation work in progress.
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