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Thread: RIP John Whiscombe

  1. #1
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    RIP John Whiscombe

    Hot on the heels of the death of the airgun historian D T Fletcher comes sad news about the great inventor and airgunsmith John Whiscombe. BBS member greenwayjames, who is well connected, reports he died recently.

    Very very rarely someone has a brainwave about building an airgun and then has the engineering skills and the guts to make it a reality. The powerful Whiscombe recoilless air rifles will live on for many decades to come as a testament to JW's genius. By all accounts he was a top bloke too.



    (Edit: a US friend who talked regularly with John tells me he has been 'phoning without result and has been unsuccessfully trying for a couple of weeks to contact JW's daughter Kate...)
    Last edited by Garvin; 21-12-2019 at 10:28 PM.
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Garvin View Post
    Hot on the heels of the death of the airgun historian D T Fletcher comes sad new about the great inventor and airgunsmith John Whiscombe. BBS member greenwayjames, who is well connected, reports he died recently.

    Very very rarely someone has a brainwave about building an airgun and then has the engineering skills and the guts to make it a reality. The powerful Whiscombe recoilless air rifles will live on for many decades to come as a testament to JW's genius. By all accounts he was a top bloke too.

    He was a top bloke, a real gent.

    Very sad news indeed.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Garvin View Post
    Hot on the heels of the death of the airgun historian D T Fletcher comes sad new about the great inventor and airgunsmith John Whiscombe. BBS member greenwayjames, who is well connected, reports he died recently.

    Very very rarely someone has a brainwave about building an airgun and then has the engineering skills and the guts to make it a reality. The powerful Whiscombe recoilless air rifles will live on for many decades to come as a testament to JW's genius. By all accounts he was a top bloke too.


    Very sad news may he rest in peace.

    Pete

  4. #4
    xbow's Avatar
    xbow is offline "Right a bit, left a bit............"
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    That is sad news. I only handled one of his rifles once but it was beautifully made if a little heavy.
    We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by xbow View Post
    That is sad news. I only handled one of his rifles once but it was beautifully made if a little heavy.
    The only time I've seen one was at Weston Park,a Spanish guy was competing in the European field target finals.
    He kindly let me shoulder the engineering marvel.

    Rest in peace J.W.

  6. #6
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    Sad news-my condolences to his family and all who were close to him.
    His rifles are superb-a fitting representation of the man, it seems.
    Never go off half cocked....

    All lies matter

  7. #7
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    Sad news a great bloke & great engineer. RIP for an inventor of a fabulous Air rifle.

  8. #8
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    Very sad news. I never met him but, like many others, I could appreciate his skill simply by reading and talking to others about him.
    I am sure his name will live on.
    Phil

  9. #9
    micky2 is offline The collector formerly known as micky
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    Sad news indeed RIP JW.

  10. #10
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    Another genius lost his marvels of engineering were also stunning as well. Rip jw. Your engineering genius
    Will live on through your creations.

  11. #11
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    John Whiscombe (1938 _ 2019)

    Very sad news of his passing, both the man and his rifles were unique and though he was a modest man who did not seek fame through his rifles he achieved it.
    His rifles were built to such a standard that both Purdey or Holland and Holland would have put their names on them.
    His name and rifles will live on in Air Gun folklore as the very best that anyone could wish for.
    RIP to a very unforgettable man.

  12. #12
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    John Whiscombe

    Having had the privilege of meeting and knowing him, this news has left me gutted.
    RIP.

  13. #13
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    I met John many times at the FT courses in the 80's, a great man.
    RIP John

  14. #14
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    My sincere condolences to John's family and all who knew him.

    It seems only like yesterday that John could regularly be seen at some of the field target shoots I attended, which were some 20 years ago now. John was always approachable and ready to offer advice to anyone that approached him.

    Rest in peace John.

    John M

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    All the great old guys with skill and ingenuity are passing on. Classic bike and car restorers, radical airgun design builders etc., A lot of these chaps went through a proper apprenticeship in various types of machining and engineering. I appreciate all that I was taught at the apprentice school at Vauxhall in Luton, it put me in good stead for future work in design and engineering. I fear that we may see less of these type of guys in future years as people prefer to get educated in more types of paper shuffling and computer technology, lets hope not.

    Baz
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