Jet Age Museum Trident cockpit arrives at Staverton

There is an acquisition policy generally based on a local agenda. The charity is actually the Gloucestershire Aviation Collection. The ‘Jet Age’ trading name is based upon Gloster’s best known products, which will always be the natural focus. Thankfully, with a rich pedigree of local aerospace companies, almost everything British made has a Rotol/Dowty/Smiths connection, which enables a fairly broad ‘wish list’. David is absolutely right though, we simply can’t save them all without a roof over their heads and phase 1 is already pretty full. There is a Canberra, Vampire and Hunter and Harrier cockpit all of which are somewhat outside the core collection and they’ll almost certainly end up physically outside too. Ironically, from the public’s perspective, the Vulcan cockpit (albeit with its tenuous Dowty/Smiths/GCHQ links) is the most popular exhibit and it is they, rather than the hard core enthusiasts, I would argue, where we probably need to target our audience.

I have known John Lewer and the collection for probably something like twenty years due to the Gamecock propeller. Over that time the collection has aimed to acquire machines that are pertinent to the area in terms of manufacture and use . There are still from memory a few items which are on the ‘wanted’ list. The acquisition of the Trident nose fits the local technology remit -do you suggest the museum should acquire anything no matter and end up in the cycle of aircraft outside corroding due to lack of undercover space?

Exactly…why does there need to be a connection…it’s been saved.

It wouldn’t bother me if there was no connection with the museum or the area where they are based, what matters is that somebody has had the vision to save it anyway. If we all took the view that there should only be a connection with the area in which a museum is based then I doubt there would be half of the things in which we seek to save what ever the subject would be saved, in fact the world would be worse off. So hats off to all of those that take a chance on preservation.

What’s the connection with Gloucestershire aviation and the type?

Smiths Industries of Cheltenham were at the forefront of the development of ‘autoland’ and the Trident made the first commercial autoland.

What’s the connection with Gloucestershire aviation and the type?

I think this type was used by Smiths to develop Autoland ILS at Staverton

What’s the connection with Gloucestershire aviation and the type?

Ah that’s what I saw on the M4 on Saturday

Nice project.. will she be repainted?