Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 37

Thread: RIP John Whiscombe

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    City of London
    Posts
    9,896

    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.
    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Maulden, Bedfordshire
    Posts
    626
    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
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Leighton Buzzard
    Posts
    2,260
    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............"
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Dorset
    Posts
    6,467
    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.
    Rudeness is the weak mans imitation of strength. Eric Hoffer.

    If I don’t reply to your comments it’s probably because you’re on my Ignore list.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Chester
    Posts
    5,486
    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
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Farnham, Surrey
    Posts
    12,192
    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
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    ilkeston
    Posts
    1,793
    Sad news a great bloke & great engineer. RIP for an inventor of a fabulous Air rifle.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Cambridge UK
    Posts
    7,147
    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
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    boston
    Posts
    2,221
    Sad news indeed RIP JW.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Swansea
    Posts
    5,114
    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
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    london and bristol
    Posts
    232

    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
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    london and bristol
    Posts
    232

    John Whiscombe

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

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Pontefract, West Yorkshire.
    Posts
    1,507
    I met John many times at the FT courses in the 80's, a great man.
    RIP John

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Basingstoke, U.K.
    Posts
    6,941
    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

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Christchurch
    Posts
    4,916
    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
    BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER, DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •