"Avsec" wrote in message
u...
From my very knowledgeable friend who knows almost every thing about WW1
flying machines.

"Easy! It's F3556, the Imperial War Museum's RE 8 at Duxford. The
aeroplane was a presentation aircraft from British residents in Ceylon, and
named A Paddy Bird from Ceylon (each of the aircraft presented by Ceylon was
named after a bird of the country). F3556 went to France after acceptance
by the RAF, but saw no service; it was given to the IWM in 1920. It's one
of two RE 8s left in the world - the other is a Belgian machine with a
Hispano-Suiza engine that's preserved in Brussels. Film maker Peter Jackson
had a replica built in NZ, but I understand that it's a non-flier, at least
so far."

These aircraft also bore the name of a Scots music hall performer, Harry Tate,
as a form of rhyming slang.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)