last surviving beverly

Beverley XB259

For anyone who would like to see a colour photo of XB259 taken in 1971, when in service with RAE Farnborough, check out the excellent book “Testing Colours” by Adrian Balch, published by Airlife Publishing. Although out-of-print, there are still copies around and it can be ordered from Amazon. There are also colour photos of XB261 of A&AEE Boscombe Down in it.

Originally posted by SOHC750
I believe the cockpit at Newark is from a different Beverley, XL149, thay was for many years part of the Finningley “Collection”. As far as I am aware nothing survives of XH124.

You’re absolutely right – this IS XL149’s cockpit!

Originally posted by Ant Harrington
Does anyone know what plans there are for her cockpit at Newark?Pic below shows it in a very sorry state.Pic taken from sweptwings.com

I believe the cockpit at Newark is from a different Beverley, XL149, thay was for many years part of the Finningley “Collection”. As far as I am aware nothing survives of XH124.

I’m one who got into warbirds in the seventies because of the glamours types….but I also have always been into the lumbering giants as well. It was a shock to hear about the other Bev being scrapped. I’m glad that this one seems to be on its way to survival after it’s recent uncertain times.

John

interior

Ant
When i was there in 96 i had a look inside and it was in rough shape.. some parts still there.. very sad…

Sorry,here’s the pic…

Does anyone know what plans there are for her cockpit at Newark?Pic below shows it in a very sorry state.Pic taken from sweptwings.com

There is indeed a piece of film of the bev landing at Hendon, I know as I have a copy along with a short interview with the pilot who flew it in, Flt.Lt. John Craig.

Dezz 🙂

As I posted in the ‘other’ Beverley thread, and as dH fan remembered, the RAF shoved the Bev into the RAFM carpark after it was thoroughly rotted and unsaveable. Much as I will castigate the RAFM for their shortcomings, this was one thing which wasn’t their fault.
Cheers!

A little reminder.:(

Firebird…I think the IWM is in possession of such a film…I could be wrong but bells are ringing on this one…I’ll have a gander and see what I can find…

It was the last aircraft to land at Hendon.
The fate that befell it was discussed on a previous thread. I blamed the RAFM along with everybody else, but, IIRC, it wasn’t really their fault.
Apparently the RAF retained ownership and responsibility until it was too late to save and then handed it over to the RAFM.

It would be great if petty politics and other issues are overcome and YAM do get the bev, as Elvington is probably the best location to ensure the long term survival of the last example of a great aircraft.
Which is more than the RAFM could do…:mad:

One of the things I remember about my first visits to Hendon during the first few years it was open is that ‘monster’ sitting outside…..:D

I also seem to remember seeing a film in those early days in the museum cinema of the creation of the museum and the last days of the airfield which included brief footage of the Bev scimming the local rooftops as it came into land for the last time, and I believe therefore the last aircraft to land at RAF Hendon.
Anybody else remember this or is my fading brain cells playing tricks again……:rolleyes:

Great news!!!!!

Wow This sounds very promising and I do hope that YAM is successful in getting the Bev!!

Hi Peter,

I posted this in the ‘Save the Beverley’ thread, a couple of weeks ago, to mighty yawns from most of the Forum it seems (as it’s not a Spitfire, clearly people just don’t care…) :confused:

Great Beverly news…

Still a way to go, but this is the press release from YAM
A YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE
(Halifax Way, Elvington, York.)
_
_
2004-01-16
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To:_____ ___________ News Editors.
_
From: ___________ Ian Richardson. PR Manager.
_
Contact:___________ 01904 608595._ [email]museum@yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk[/email]
_
Subject:___________ Beverley Campaign Update.
_
Following the launch of the campaign by_ Ian Dewar, Operation Manager, Yorkshire Air Museum, to ensure the survival of the last remaining Blackburn Beverley aircraft, we are now confident that this initial objective has now been achieved. The campaign, strongly supported by the Trustees and Director of the Yorkshire Air Museum, has now sufficiently raised the profile of the aircraft to ensure that there are a number of organisations and individuals who are willing to finance the purchase the aircraft.
_
The Beverley is the only major asset of the now defunct Museum of Army Transport and the Liquidators (Carrick Read Insolvency) have a duty to raise funds for the former museum’s creditors.
_
We understand that, following the initial bid by the (Blackburn) Beverley Association, led Association spokesman, John Collier, there are now two other bidders for the historic aircraft. These are former owner, Francis Daly, who many years earlier bought the aircraft and later donated it to the Museum of Army Transport, and, finally, a London based consortium has entered the frame.
_
Both the Beverley Association and the London consortium have approached the Yorkshire Air Museum to provide a suitable resting place for the aircraft. This is supported by a large number of people from around the country and, indeed, internationally, who are familiar with the museum and it’s achievements in aircraft preservation. Francis Daly is thought to favour Fort Paull, on the East Yorkshire coast, although this is not certain, as he has visited the Yorkshire Air Museum to see what we have to offer, participating in a very amicable discussion.
_
The campaign led by Ian Dewar has resulted in the formation of a coherent plan for the dismantling, move and reassembly of the Beverley. This is a major logistical undertaking, and the museum has enlisted the support of the Royal Air Force, through the Aircraft Transportation and Recovery Wing, based at RAF St. Athan and also 150 Regiment RLC (TA) from Hull. Both these organisations would utilise this as an essential training exercise, as it provides challenges that would not normally arise. Elvington Parks, owners of the Elvington airfield site, have given their support by allowing access and hard standing for the aircraft whilst reassembly takes place.
_
_There are a number of reasons why the Yorkshire Air Museum has a strong case for displaying the Beverley. Firstly, the museum was the prime consideration for rehousing the aircraft when the Museum of Army Transport first encountered difficulties several years ago. This resulted in a lot of groundwork about the logistics of a move being undertaken. We believe that there are environmental problems, posing a threat to the long-term survival of the aircraft at Fort Paull, which was why the aircraft was moved to Beverley in the first instance. Secondly, the Yorkshire Air Museum already has on display a number of historical Blackburn aircraft, such as the early 1911 monoplane and the two Buccaneer jet aircraft, prototypes of which were trailed at Elvington during development, along with display material resulting from our close association with the Blackburn Heritage Group, based at Brough. The Beverley would be a natural progression to this collection. Thirdly, we have an established team of volunteers in our Aircraft Engineering team, several of whom are former Beverley air and maintenance crew, who will be invaluable to the ongoing care of the airframe. Despite the undoubted enthusiasm at Fort Paull, we understand that they do not have such resources to draw upon to preserve this historic Yorkshire aircraft.
_
We have recently heard of alleged comments from a leading member of East Riding Council, suggesting that the Beverley should not be moved from East Yorkshire. We would be very concerned if narrow perceptions of ‘boundary’ issues were to prejudice the selection of the most suitable site for the Beverley and so jeopardise the long-term survival of the aircraft.
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Following this week’s Strategic Planning Meeting, attended by a number of interested parties, the Beverley Association confirmed their intention to donate the aircraft to the nation, through the care of the Yorkshire Air Museum as a Nationally Registered aviation museum, should their bid be successful. This decision is based on the confidence that they have in our plans for the sympathetic movement and display of the aircraft. We believe that this is also the viewpoint of the London consortium, whose interest arose from appeals from the Yorkshire Air Museum to support the Beverley campaign, and follows favourable comments received from the offices of HRH The Prince of Wales and Sir Richard Branson.
_
Ends.
For any immediate or out of office hours enquiries, please contact Ian Dewar on either: 0797 734 9599 or 01377 217442.

A couple of experiences in a Bumbling Bev

To fly in a Bev is an experience in itself when sitting in the tailboom in a thunderstorm bumbling along at about 160 knots!

The toilet in a Bev as at the extreme end of the boom which also serves as an exit, unfortunately for one bod (Aden I think?) he came out of the toilet, the hatch was open and down he went, the aircraft was on the deck at the time, a modification was brought out shortly after the event in order that a safety switch was inserted that if the hatch was open the toilet door could not be opened.

Working on the wing one needed to wear a harness due to the height!

The oiling up of the engines was probably the worse job an engine bod could have. There was a hatch through to the starboard wing from a crew position, the space in the hatch was just enough to crouch down . The oil was pressure fed from the ground by bowser up to a reservoir behind #3 engine from there was a feed to all 4 engines by handpump. This required expending much energy in cramped conditions, the area was known as a ‘dog kennel’ and was bad enough in normal conditions but to do this in the Sahara Desert where the outside temperature was 90F+ but inside the ‘kennel’ up to 130F!

Peter, the last I’ve heard is here

http://forum.airforces.info/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16242&highlight=beverley

A shorter version of virtually the same thing is in the latest Flypast.