Nimrod XV235 – Road Move to Cosford

was told by someone at work they saw a nimrod on a low loader on Sunday on the M42 near Coleshill, sorry no numbers and cant guarantee his accuracy. Any ideas where to other than the scrappy round there that frags airframes?

Sure it might not have been the latest C-130 fuselage move to Hixon for parting out? One came up from Boscombe Down…

What I cant fathom out though is why they didnt fly one into Shawbury because Cosford was allways on the list to get a Nimrod MR2. Moving it from there to Cosford would be much easier and they have experience (Victor)

The Comet 1 went from Shawbury to Cosford.

And only the RAF could put their two major Museums at locations without adequate (or any) runways!!

was told by someone at work they saw a nimrod on a low loader on Sunday on the M42 near Coleshill, sorry no numbers and cant guarantee his accuracy. Any ideas where to other than the scrappy round there that frags airframes?

Why not land it at Cosford?
They have had biggers stuff land there

sorry,it just never seems to be an option when they take bigger aircraft into the place,open a crash gate and drive it around the taxiway,sorted.

Trust someone to be sensible and ruin a good thread. 🙂

why couldn’t it be moved to Cosford via the A464? which runs to the south of the airfield.

elmo

This was XV247 dismantled for the AN124 transportation as part of the MRA4 build (she eventually became Nimrod MRA4 ZJ516 PA1)

Now for day the after the above picture was taken, and probably the only viable way to move a Nimrod from Kinloss:

Hire one of these at significant cost:

Winch the Nimrod in to the Antonov on the wheel frames:

Fly it from Kinloss to Birmingham International Airport then road haul it to RAF Cosford, but don’t cut the back end off like we did with XV263:

At Cosford put the Nimrod back on its flight stillage wheels and tow it under the low height train bridge, around the corner and straight in to the museum.

Doing the above is certainly achievable at a cost, moving the wings would be a far more difficult challenge.

2. IIRC some of the warton nimrod fuselarge were flow in AN124’s (could that land at Cosford?)

We used the AN124 on nine occasions to move Nimrod fuselages around starting in 1997, the last move was late December 2007 from Waddington to Woodford. If you managed to land the An124 at Cosford you would end up with the An124 on static display as it wouldn’t take off again.

As I said above, fly the Nimrod in the An124 from Kinloss to another more local to Cosford airport capable of handling the An124 (Birmingham Int or EMA are good possibles), road haul the fuselage to Cosford then tow it under the train bridge. The alternate way in to the museum which goes over the train line rather than under it would not be suitable for the road haulage kit used for this sort of operation, for a start it would never get around the 90 degree bend immediately after the bridge, and that assumes the trailer could even get over the bridge! – Mike

re;

[QUOTE=GATEGUARD;1703144]WL747

Fear not , Nimrod XV240 is still on display (not quite guarding the gate) I should hope its got a few years life left as yet, as Kinloss is not due to shut completely until 2013

whats the future for the base?

No reports of the front fuselage of “41” South of Edinburgh so it may be the one that has arrived at East Fortune

WL747

Fear not , Nimrod XV240 is still on display (not quite guarding the gate) I should hope its got a few years life left as yet, as Kinloss is not due to shut completely until 2013

and here is your Shackleton T4 WB847 (ex of MOTU)

You are correct in that it was to be put on the gate, but when there was a change in Base Commanders the new one stopped it and it ended its days on the fire dump. This image was taken in June 1983

XV241 was scrapped at Kinloss earlier this week, that leaves just the following to meet their fate
XV235, XV244 & XV252,

Any idea what’s happening to the gate guard XV240? So sad that they tried for so long to get a gate guard and now the base is closing, is the future of that airframe in doubt? It’s still not guarranteed that the Army are moving in, is it?

I remember flying in gliders from Kinloss, looking down on the remains of Shack MR1/T4 WB847, and the pilot telling me that was once due to be the gate guard…

Kind Regards
Scotty

This was XV247 dismantled for the AN124 transportation as part of the MRA4 build (she eventually became Nimrod MRA4 ZJ516 PA1)

XV241 post GW2 (Palm trees are missions symbols)

And she also carried 206 Sqn,s 90th Anniversary tail as well

Hopefully then someone has procurred the nose section of XV241 and it might be saved? This is the one that wore the colourful ‘Guernsey’s Girl II’ artwork behind the cockpit during the last Gulf War.

I thought that Duxford was going to get the R.1 and not the RAF VC-10, seems to change every five minutes!

I understand thats because they’re going to get an R1 instead.

Duxford was one of the first museums to be offered a Nimrod MR2 but turned it down in favour of getting another VC-10, then when they were offered an R1 they changed their minds.

They were being offered a Nimrod with both Falklands and Gulf War usage, I for one found it very strange that the Imperial War Museum would refuse a combat veteran as such.

XV241 was scrapped at Kinloss earlier this week, that leaves just the following to meet their fate
XV235, XV244 & XV252,

My last shot of XV241

In the original disposal by air plan a Nimrod was to be flown into Cosford, the runway and stopping distance were marginal, but the crew were happy that they would get it stopped. In fact I know they actually practised it on at least two occasions when delivering other frames into museums. The final decision to allow it to land at Cosford was made by a higher authority and they refused permission on the grounds of safety I gather. What I cant fathom out though is why they didnt fly one into Shawbury because Cosford was allways on the list to get a Nimrod MR2. Moving it from there to Cosford would be much easier and they have experience (Victor). Getting XV235 from Cosford by road from Kinloss isnt going to be easy at all, but the most difficult bit is the dismantling of the wings without causing damage to the fuselage as far as I am aware its never been done and the Redux Bonding will prove very hard to shift I reckon. I,m definately going to be in Nairn when they try to get the fuselage sections under the railway bridge because it will be a squeeze, and then up the ramp trying to get it onto the A9.

Good thing though is thats another one into a museum.

2 points to ponder

1. the 2 currently airworthy Nimrod R1’s ?
2. IIRC some of the warton nimrod fuselarge were flow in AN124’s (could that land at Cosford?)
regards
Mike

How many Nimrod MR2 airframes are left at Kinloss ? Is to late to hope that one can be roaded to IWM Duxford ? Crying shame they never got one delivered by air 😡

I understand thats because they’re going to get an R1 instead.

How many Nimrod MR2 airframes are left at Kinloss ? Is to late to hope that one can be roaded to IWM Duxford ? Crying shame they never got one delivered by air 😡