In 1953, I joined Handley Pages as an apprentice fitter working on Hastings,Canberras,Victors, & other projects at cricklewood & radlett factories. Before I left 1961, I was working on jigging for the HP115 which was supposed to be a glider to test low speed landings etc, Because of goverment cut backs of work @ HPs I decided to leave for work else where. I was amazed to hear that the craft is now located @ the fleetair arm museum . Why there ?.

In 1953, I joined Handley Pages as an apprentice fitter working on Hastings,Canberras,Victors, & other projects at cricklewood & radlett factories. Before I left 1961, I was working on jigging for the HP115 which was supposed to be a glider to test low speed landings etc, Because of goverment cut backs of work @ HPs I decided to leave for work else where. I was amazed to hear that the craft is now located @ the fleetair arm museum . Why there ?.

An amazing story, Phillip, thanks for sharing it with us - I'll never look at Cricklewood as dour and boring again after that! (Which unfortunately, it is!)

I was one of the design team (probably the last survivor as all of the others were older) and had the job of sorting snags during the build at Cricklewood as well as drawing various sections of the structure. Did it not have a Viper 11 for some of the early testing that was borrowed from Huntings Jet Provost 3? The nosegear was from a Jet Provost 3 and the main gear from a Piston Provost. If you look in the cockpit the parking brake lever came from the local Ford dealers for an Anglia car(I went out and bought it) At nose, tail and wingtips there were some detachable steel weights for test, which came from the jig scrapyard and were made into aircraft material under duress from the AID!!