Thanks to the thoughtfulness of both Brad Lewin and Tony Neville, and the generosity of Mike and Sue Neville , Kevin and I were able to display a partially finished De Haviland Venom or Vampire which permits an examination of the production processes used by Andy's people when making these outstanding aircraft.
The story of the acquisition goes as follows: Upon obtaining his first two wood warbirds, Brad (Jazzeum) desperately wanted more. I had told him that the Nevilles at King & Country U.K. had supplied me with 12-15 Warbirds over the years, and when last we spoke had a 1/48 scale B-17 ("A Bit-O'Lace") and a 1/32 scale Grumman F-104 Starfighter. Brad contacted Tony about these planes, which, sadly, were no longer available (I believe Fred Genard and Thierry Dez, King & Country's French dealer and his best buddy, snapped them up). Tony, however, mentioned to Brad that years ago Andy had given his father a partially finished Gloster Meteor (which turned out to actually be a De Haviland Venom or Vampire) in Hong Kong to use at shows to demonstrate the production process, and, according to his dad (Mike), "not even Louis knows about it". Brad, thoughtfully, immediately contacted me to see if I wanted to pursue obtaining this very important piece for the book. I immediately contacted Tony, who generously arranged to have Mike ship it to me at a very reasonable price.
So, thanks again to the Nevilles of
www.kingandcountry.co.uk, to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude over the years, and thanks to all of the wonderful K&C dealers, without whom the book, and, indeed, the hobby itself, would be impossible.
