Raspberry ripple Andover, what are they used for?

Here’s one of XS596 after is major servicing at RAF Benson in the early eighties. A young fluffy is in the picture somewhere.

Can we establish just exactly WHICH Andover(s) we are talking about as everyone is saying ‘it’ and ‘she’ yet no one has quoted a serial. As far as I know, Andover C.1 XS606 is still operated by ETPS, XS596 is still operated in ‘Open Skies’ titles (but not painted Raspberry Ripple) and I wonder if C.1 XS646 and HS748 XW750 are also still airworthy?

Last year ‘606 and ‘646 were doing “stuff”, with ‘596 being employed on “Open Skies” work. XW750 was put into storage around Christmas 2004.

And this one is for ALBERT ROSS….

I live only a couple of miles from Boscombe Down and saw her flying over a couple of times last week.

I’ll keep an eye out for her and hopefully will be able to post a picture or two sometime during coming week.

Unfortunately there hasn’t been much flying today so I had a hunt on the net and found these pictures of 5 raspberry ripple Andovers ( www.airliners.net and www.thunderandlighnings.co.uk ) and Andover itself courtesy of Google Earth!

Can we establish just exactly WHICH Andover(s) we are talking about as everyone is saying ‘it’ and ‘she’ yet no one has quoted a serial. As far as I know, Andover C.1 XS606 is still operated by ETPS, XS596 is still operated in ‘Open Skies’ titles (but not painted Raspberry Ripple) and I wonder if C.1 XS646 and HS748 XW750 are also still airworthy?

Stop whinging you sound like one of those confounded adminers in my building!! They are always whining about the gazelles – funny that as aviation is the reason they have a job!! Tee hee!! 🙂 Now I will need to try and work out who you are!!?? 😀

Not whinging so much as winding up those who are not unfortunately incarcerated at Boscombe.

Oh and Tony there are sufficient clues out there as to my true identity.

Personally I think it would be great if either the Andodover or 1-11 put in a couple of airshow appearances – preferably at Old Warden.

These are true British classics that stand a real risk of being forgotten by history. It would be a real shame if we one day get to the point where NO British built air linners are to be seen flying. Already the Comet, Viscount, Brittania & Trident are pure history the VC10 is only flying with the RAF, we’re down to just a few BAC 1-11’s flying worldwide. And whats more the earlier BAe 146’s are now starting to be retired.

Personnally I’d love to see a 1-11 kept flying. I don’t know but I would have thought that undertaking this would probably be about comparable with keeping a Candberra in the air, and if a well maintained flyer was obtained quite achievable.

Steve.

Also used for general crew currency flying as well I believe.

It still operates out of Boscombe Down as part of the ETPS they also have two more there as well as a couple of BAC 1-11s operated by QinetiQ but due to the sensitive nature of the base Cant get any pics.

Martin

I live only a couple of miles from Boscombe Down and saw her flying over a couple of times last week.

I’ll keep an eye out for her and hopefully will be able to post a picture or two sometime during coming week.

Guzzineil the whistle of them Darts is not nice if they’re just outside your office, whilst at the same you are coughing due to the the 111 starting up, blowing its efflux through the gaps in the window frames. The noise is so loud you can’t hear the Harvard in the circuit!!!

Stop whinging you sound like one of those confounded adminers in my building!! They are always whining about the gazelles – funny that as aviation is the reason they have a job!! Tee hee!! 🙂 Now I will need to try and work out who you are!!?? 😀

Years ago they used one for ILS calibration, I remember when one visited Shawbury and made a number of approaches

Guzzineil the whistle of them Darts is not nice if they’re just outside your office, whilst at the same you are coughing due to the the 111 starting up, blowing its efflux through the gaps in the window frames. The noise is so loud you can’t hear the Harvard in the circuit!!!

fortunately theres no windows in my building, but we had the door open! sounded quite good as it taxied past, must admit though I preferred the sound of the Dakota that preceeded it! 😀

Neil

Guzzineil the whistle of them Darts is not nice if they’re just outside your office, whilst at the same you are coughing due to the the 111 starting up, blowing its efflux through the gaps in the window frames. The noise is so loud you can’t hear the Harvard in the circuit!!!

its been up to sunny Lincolnshire today.. lovely to hear it whistle past!

Landed at Coningsby about 14:30 just before the Lanc went off to do a practice display.
It Left again some 25 minutes later.

Isn’t there one for sale on one of the disposal sites? Think it might be this one.

there is one for sale yes but not this puppy

Andover

Isn’t there one for sale on one of the disposal sites? Think it might be this one.

Probably operating into Cranfield then?

It still operates out of Boscombe Down as part of the ETPS they also have two more there as well as a couple of BAC 1-11s operated by QinetiQ but due to the sensitive nature of the base Cant get any pics.

Martin

Probably operating into Cranfield then?

its been up to sunny Lincolnshire today.. lovely to hear it whistle past!

Still earning her keep…beautiful aircraft. She is quite instrumented for exercises as well as being a good transport. Great fun STOL!

Probably operating into Cranfield then?