Boscombe Down is home to the last of the UK based BAC 1-11s. Five aircraft have been operated at the site over the years with all of them still present in one form or another.
Bearing in mind the huge amount of interest with the recent Nimrod retirements and the number that have now been preserved, it would be very sad indeed if a single “military” 1-11 cannot be saved also. The five aircraft, XX105, XX919, ZE432, ZE433, ZH763 have been in service for five decades, with the first aircraft XX105 arriving in the early 1970s.
The fleet is now down to just one current aircraft, ZH763, while the other airframes are in various states of repair at the Boscombe Down site.
XX105 is a very historic airframe but is shortly due to be scrapped.
XX919 was scrapped several years ago but it’s cockpit survives.
ZE432 is currently hangared with serious corrosion problems.
ZE433 has been withdrawn from service and is used as a spares source.
ZH763 remains in service whilst there is work for the aircraft.
I can only try and raise the profile of these unique airframes on the various aviation forums in the hope that maybe one of the many UK museums comes forward and offers one of these aircraft a home where they can tell the amazing history of the UK military 1-11 fleet
By: Wyvernfan - 14th November 2010 at 21:59
Strewth Baz.. what is it about 1-11’s and lorries?
By: bazv - 14th November 2010 at 21:55
Spookily enough Rob…one of the Boscombe 1-11’s was parked at coltishall a few years ago,minding its own business when an RAF Fuel Bowser drove into one of its wingtips.
The wingtip went through the cab- the driver and mate were lucky not to have been injured :rolleyes:
rgds baz
By: Wyvernfan - 14th November 2010 at 21:42
Talking of BAC 1-11’s, a bizarre accident and one very lucky lorry driver.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airways/BAC-111-510ED-One-Eleven/0772205/L/
Photo credit Stewart Andrew. Airliners.net
By: Hurn - 13th November 2010 at 16:06
I saw the old Omani Air Force 1-11 leaving Hurn in the summer of 2009, although I think it’s been taken out of service now sadly.
Would be a shame if there’s not one available for a flypast at the 50th anniversary in 2013 though.
By: BlueRobin - 13th November 2010 at 14:25
How the memory slips…
It wasn’t but a few years ago that whilst I was doing my IR and flying in the vicinity of Bristol that a “BA11” called up. ATC didn’t have a clue what type it was and kept asking and asking and asking.
Quite a rare bird when once I’d see one every 10 minutes flying into BHX.
By: Mrshu - 13th November 2010 at 13:58
I can confirm that there are currently 9 aircraft still listed on my website as “current”. The “actual” status of these at this time is obviously not 100% certain.
I can say for sure that QinetiQ are currently flying one aircraft, ZH763, an ex British Airways machine and the last 1-11 flying in the UK. The ETPS 1-11 ZE432 has been grounded for a year with serious corrosion issues and at this moment in time it is very uncertain as to whether or not it will return to service.
The three Northrop Grumman 1-11s all remain active and have all been photographed in the air during 2010.
The Business Jet Access 1-11 N999BW has been up for sale for a long time now and I haven’t received any reports of it flying this year. It was photographed on the ground at its Dallas Love Field base looking pristine during October. Its days must surely be numbered!
The three Mali registered aircraft are “ALL” active with most of their time spent based at Tripoli Mitiga although one is believed to be based in Bamako. My guess is that the former American Airlines aircraft TZ-BSB will be the first to be retired when the time comes. The other two are much later 475 examples which will hopefully soldier on for a few more years.
It is my hope that ZH763 will be around to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the aircraft in August 2013.
By: CADman - 13th November 2010 at 12:26
According to the the previousley mentioned web site www.bac1-11jet.co.uk
Nine BAC 111 are current, two being Boscombe Down residents. The three in the USA owned by Northrop are radar test beds and are still finding usefull work, although by there nature these may spend long periods grounded between test flights. Several pictures on www.airliners.net which show interesting variations.
N999BW seems to find trade carrying rock stars and pop groups between gigs around the USA, guess its got a nice interior 🙂 It was last photographed in October 2008.
By: FLY.BUY - 13th November 2010 at 08:29
Out of interest how many 1-11’s are still operational worldwide? Must only be a handful if that ????
By: Ron Cuskelly - 13th November 2010 at 04:14
ZE432 in a former incarnation as DQ-FBV
ZE433 as DQ-FBQ
By: 91Regal - 12th November 2010 at 17:51
Pic of XX105 at Hatfield circa 1982, when attached to Flight Systems RAE Bedford. I believe this photo to be BAE copyright, trust they will not object.
By: Fouga23 - 12th November 2010 at 11:39
How cool would it be to have one of those short 1-11’s as a personal jet:D
By: Mrshu - 12th November 2010 at 11:27
The Boscombe Down aviation Collection are in trouble and it looks increasingly likely that the collection will be broken up. There is an EGM next week to try and reach a final solution. The issue of access has been rumbling on for a number of years now.
As for XX105, The MOD told them that they would remove the 1-11 from the Museum site and scrap it. It was towed away two weeks ago and is currently awaiting scrapping along with a VC10 and Hercules.
As for ZE432 more corrosion has been found and a decision as to whether or not it will return to service is apparently on hold and eagerly awaited by myself.
By: AMB - 11th November 2010 at 23:58
ZE432 is currently hangared with serious corrosion problems.
Peter, I thought I had read that the corrosion problems are being rectified and ‘432 would return to service?
By: markb - 11th November 2010 at 19:56
>>XX105 is a very historic airframe but is shortly due to be scrapped.<<
Do you have more information about this? it’s listed as an exhibit by the BD Museum’s web site. There is no mention of it being under threat.
As you say, it’s an extremely historic aircraft – not only is it the oldest One-Eleven, its contribution to air safety via the Blind Landing Experimental Unit surely means it should be up the road at Wroughton.
By: Paul Rowse - 10th November 2010 at 23:51
Very interesting to learn about the Boscombe Down One Elevens. Although I was stationed there in the early 1970’s I never flew in one. I did however manage a trip when one of them visited St Mawgan in 1976 and I still remember the occasion very well. From the information supplied I assume that I flew in the original one.
Thanks for the memory and best of luck regarding preservation.
Regards…..Paul
By: JT442 - 10th November 2010 at 22:47
several references to the 1-11 in flight archive, AND it has BAC One Eleven (not One One One or triple One) written on the front of my 1-11 Maintenance manuals….. The CAA call it a 1-11 too… in fact, everyone appear to apart from you, Mr. Sioux…..
By: super sioux - 10th November 2010 at 21:50
BAC 111
Please dont put a – in the middle of 111! We call it ‘one eleven’ but write it 111. As a youngster we called the Heinkel 111 bomber the ‘treble one’, later in the RAF a well known fighter squadron was called ‘treble one’ but numbered ‘111’.:D
By: Arabella-Cox - 10th November 2010 at 19:47
I’d advise you to make the most of the last flyer as I understand that it and the Andovers are due to be replaced next year.
By: David Burke - 10th November 2010 at 18:50
BAC 1-11 is within the site of BDAC – however W&R reveals a possible ownership change.
By: WP840 - 10th November 2010 at 18:38
Is there no way the Aviation Collection at Boscombe Down can help raise funds and keep an aircraft on site?
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November 10, 2010 at 6:05 pm