I had a wander round last week and there are one or two gaps appearing on the hangar floors at Duxford. Since the exit of the Varsity, Sea Venom, Ju 52, Harrier and Storch, not forgetting the midget submarine, there don’t seem to have been any incomers. As a fan of the civil airliners I would like to see the Viscount in Airspace and the Hastings moved to where the Varsity was. Better still recall the Sabre, Mystere and Draken and have a Cold War exhibit in Hangar 4. Does anybody know if the P-51 is going to stay to replace the plastic one in the AAM?
By: SADSACK - 13th December 2013 at 21:32
“also they want only aircraft that can be kept indoors so they are less maintenance intensive which Is why the did not want the recent retirements (Nimrod, VC10 etc) “
There was no shortage of cockpits and fuselages which could be kept indoors… and make great hands on exhibits… and totally agree about a C130
By: David Burke - 11th December 2013 at 21:09
A Hercules is a major omission from the collection due to its local relevance and its impact of military history.
By: Arabella-Cox - 11th December 2013 at 19:33
The ambassador is the only one in exsistance where there are still quite a few viscounts about.
To my understanding from museum staff was the aircraft disposed of were to make short term space for both the Lambeth move and also for when they move the AAM about in the next year or so, also they want only aircraft that can be kept indoors so they are less maintenance intensive which Is why the did not want the recent retirements (Nimrod, VC10 etc) but they might not be totally correct.
If you look the only major aircraft they have collected for Duxford recently is the Lynx.
Curlyboy
By: charliehunt - 11th December 2013 at 19:21
Thanks – so the oldest serving Viscount still extant. Which makes its preservation significant.
By: Arabella-Cox - 11th December 2013 at 19:02
Isn’t the DAS Viscount the first in service with BEA in early 1953?
G-ALWF s/n 05 was the second into service with BEA and served for twelve years. It also flew with Cambrian for about six years. G-ALWE s/n 04 was the first, this was destroyed at Ringway in March 1957.
Planemike
By: charliehunt - 11th December 2013 at 18:24
Isn’t the DAS Viscount the first in service with BEA in early 1953?
By: mike currill - 11th December 2013 at 17:59
Lovely aircraft that the Ambassador is, my own view is that the Viscount is more important in that I believe it’s the oldest turboprop airliner in the world. I have my flak jacket at the ready on that score but it would be nice to have both under cover.
I don’t know about the oldest as I know nothing about any types the never progressed beyond prototype stage. It its certainly the world’s first turboprop airliner to enter service.
By: j_jza80 - 11th December 2013 at 08:48
They could make some room by sending the Halifax cockpit to Elvington… (opens can of worms, runs, takes cover). And a bit more by sending the He162 on loan to Germany. Do we really need two in the south of England?
Elvington already has an excellent Halifax recreation, and an additional sectioned Halifax cockpit replica.
It would be best served somewhere that has a high footfall, and not enough room for a full sized Halifax. Lambeth is perfect.
By: DaveF68 - 11th December 2013 at 08:40
Anyone know where the Harrier has gone? Lambeth?
By: Zidante - 11th December 2013 at 08:39
They could make some room by sending the Halifax cockpit to Elvington… (opens can of worms, runs, takes cover). And a bit more by sending the He162 on loan to Germany. Do we really need two in the south of England?
By: Arabella-Cox - 11th December 2013 at 07:39
Shame they can’t get the GAL Hotspur cockpit out of secure storage and into the public eye again. 🙁
By: J Boyle - 11th December 2013 at 01:28
Lovely aircraft that the Ambassador is, my own view is that the Viscount is more important in that I believe it’s the oldest turboprop airliner in the world. I have my flak jacket at the ready on that score but it would be nice to have both under cover.
In aviation history…especially UK aviation history…the Viscount is a bit more historic than the Ambassador. In addition to being the first really successful turboprop, the Viscount was a huge export success for the UK at a time it needed foreign currency. It even sold well in America where non-US airliners had had a tough time selling since the days of Fokker trimotors.
But overall, airliner preservation usually takes a back seat to military aircraft the world over.
As an example, I’m not aware of a stock airline configured 707 being on display in the US. That’s unforgivable.
By: CIRCUS 6 - 11th December 2013 at 01:19
How are the decisions made between DAS and IWM as to which of the DAS collection is hangared and which not?
There is no rhyme nor reason. It seems to be based on whims of whoever has “the power” at Dux on the 32nd of each month.
By: charliehunt - 10th December 2013 at 19:19
How are the decisions made between DAS and IWM as to which of the DAS collection is hangared and which not?
By: ozplane - 10th December 2013 at 19:01
Lovely aircraft that the Ambassador is, my own view is that the Viscount is more important in that I believe it’s the oldest turboprop airliner in the world. I have my flak jacket at the ready on that score but it would be nice to have both under cover.
By: David Burke - 10th December 2013 at 18:48
Thats a perfectly valid point – we cannot afford as a nation to have the Ambassador outside long term.
By: Sideslip - 10th December 2013 at 18:47
If there is hangar space to spare the one aeroplane I think should have first claim to it is the Ambassador. A unique aeroplane, all those years of work, and yet it stands outside.
By: Bob - 10th December 2013 at 17:07
Departure of the wing covered in the Duxford Diary thread – went about a week ago…
Fuselage has gone south http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?121487-Duxford-Diary-2013&p=2060706#post2060706…
By: Arabella-Cox - 10th December 2013 at 17:01
The Harrier’s gone ?
By: ozplane - 10th December 2013 at 16:47
Hasn’t the F-105 gone to Krakow?
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December 10, 2013 at 4:11 pm