Boscombe Down Beverley

(PS – with this and the shot of G-ALBO at St.Athan, I hope you’ve got a good alarm on your house!!! 😀 😀 )

I’ve already alerted Passport Control before I set the alarm, but the slide of G-AOVD is alongside my Doberman in his kennel 😀

My record shows SOC 31 Jan 73; for fire practice at Farnborough.

I have a photo of her at Farnborough, still perfectly intact in July 1973 minus prop spinners, so guess that was the start of her being dismantled.

Do we have any ideas what happened to 972? I presume it went west on a dump somewhere? I’ve got a recollection it was scrapped at Farnborough, but????

My record shows SOC 31 Jan 73; for fire practice at Farnborough.

……..Ask ‘Albert’ of course! Here is a mega-rare shot of it at Farnborough on 8th September 1964 before it was repainted in the blue and white scheme and again at Coltishall four years later in the static in September 1968.
Enjoy! 😉

With you keen interest in all things RAE/A&AEE I thought you’d have it. Don’t suppose you’ve got a spare have you? 😀

The first shot really is a ‘blimey’! as I’ve never seen WR972 in those colours before. Do we have any ideas what happened to 972? I presume it went west on a dump somewhere? I’ve got a recollection it was scrapped at Farnborough, but????

(PS – with this and the shot of G-ALBO at St.Athan, I hope you’ve got a good alarm on your house!!! 😀 😀 )

Now, as this is turning into a bit of a Boscombe Down/A&AEE thread, who’s going to post a photo of the white and blue MR.3 Shackleton? Still looking for a good slide of this one – anyone help??? 😉

……..Ask ‘Albert’ of course! Here is a mega-rare shot of it at Farnborough on 8th September 1964 before it was repainted in the blue and white scheme and again at Coltishall four years later in the static in September 1968.
Enjoy! 😉

The third shot was taken at Boscombe Down on 18th March 1971 with the doors replaced during the A&AEE 50th Anniversary show. The last shot was taken on that day also, albeit in very gloomy conditions. However a Beverley, Hastings, Valetta and two Hercules is not a formation you see every day!!!

Enjoy!

I wish I had been living down south back then. I’ve seen various photographs of the assorted formations that were put up that day – just wonderful things that you would pay megabucks to see now. Bah.

There certainly are!

Here’s a shot of XB259 taken in March 1968 also with rear doors removed and a shot of XB261’s cockpit at Newark in September 2004 – just after arrival.

Thanks for those.

Actually got inside XB261s cockpit when I was back home last May. First time inside the ‘pit of the Bev. Walked the back end several times in the dim and distant past. First time was when one flew into my home airport, Plymouth/Roborough, in the late 50s. Was then, and I believe still is, the largest aircraft ever to operate into and out of there.

Unless someone knows different…. 😀

The Valetta is WJ491 which I think ended up on Gatow’s Fire Dump and the Hastings is TG502 which went the same way at Boscombe Downm if my memory serves me correctly.

Valetta WJ491 did end up on Gatow’s dump, here’s my shot of her in happier times at Farnborough in November 1968 and then unloved and unwanted at Gatow just before the bunson burner brigate took a liking to her. She was still there, albeit in bad condition in 1978, not sure how much longer she lasted after that.

Now, as this is turning into a bit of a Boscombe Down/A&AEE thread, who’s going to post a photo of the white and blue MR.3 Shackleton? Still looking for a good slide of this one – anyone help??? 😉

Excellent photos Albert. Thanks for posting them.

I wonder if there are any more out there?

There certainly are!

Here’s a shot of XB259 taken in March 1968 also with rear doors removed and a shot of XB261’s cockpit at Newark in September 2004 – just after arrival.

I always thought the Hastings on the Boscombe dump was WD496 (with the long nose probe) it was certainly there in Feb 73, somewhere it read it was taken out of service following a mishap of some sort. TG502 went to StMawgen in late 1972 for fire practice and was gone by 1977. TG500 the third A&AEE Hastings went to Bicester also in late 72 and later the parts turned up at Catterick fire school where it was roasted.

pogno, welcome to the forum.

From looking at my Hastings records you are quite correct. WD496 was the airframe that ended its days in the Boscombe fire pit. It could be seen for many years there as it arrived in 1974 and clung to life until 1982/83.

TG502 indeed ended its days at St.Mawgan with TG500 languishing at Bicester from 1972 until it was sectioned and parts moved to Catterick around 1977/78.

For interest I’ve posted a shot of TG502 below taken at RAF Eastleigh, Kenya in 1962!

My First Post.
I always thought the Hastings on the Boscombe dump was WD496 (with the long nose probe) it was certainly there in Feb 73, somewhere it read it was taken out of service following a mishap of some sort. TG502 went to StMawgen in late 1972 for fire practice and was gone by 1977. TG500 the third A&AEE Hastings went to Bicester also in late 72 and later the parts turned up at Catterick fire school where it was roasted.
While on the subject of trials Hastings does anyone have a colour pic of TG506 that the RAe used at Farnborough for para work, it had a black lower fuselage and centre section with the outer wings in target tug black and yellow,rest of a/c was standard with dayglo adornment. It was present at the 1960 show.

Jeesus! I’ve never seen ANY photo of TG506 in that scheme and would certainly like to see one also. Where’s Mr.Bond? :rolleyes:

My First Post.
I always thought the Hastings on the Boscombe dump was WD496 (with the long nose probe) it was certainly there in Feb 73, somewhere it read it was taken out of service following a mishap of some sort. TG502 went to StMawgen in late 1972 for fire practice and was gone by 1977. TG500 the third A&AEE Hastings went to Bicester also in late 72 and later the parts turned up at Catterick fire school where it was roasted.
While on the subject of trials Hastings does anyone have a colour pic of TG506 that the RAe used at Farnborough for para work, it had a black lower fuselage and centre section with the outer wings in target tug black and yellow,rest of a/c was standard with dayglo adornment. It was present at the 1960 show.

Thanks for that additional info. It always irritates me when publications refer to A&AEE as ‘Aircraft’ & Armament instead of ‘Aeroplane’. However you failed to mention that before it became part of DTEO, it was actually renamed ‘Aircraft & Armament Evaluation Establishment for a short while, conveniently keeping the same initials. One thing I forgot to mention is that the cockpit area of XB261 still survives at Duxford and is in the large hangar and open for viewing.

That was certainly some short while! So short, I don’t think it was official. Did you ever work at A&AEE?

Albert – The cockpit of ‘261’ has been present at Newark since at least June
last year. The reason they need two is that Duxford decided that ‘261’ was surplus to requirements and offered her to Newark. The expression ‘dont look a gift horse in the mouth ‘ springs to mind when you are offered a restored Beverley cockpit. I hasten to add that the logic of it is that the cockpit of
XL149 will move to Aeroventure-not a million miles away from where she was scrapped at Finningley! Everyone’s happy!

XB261 is now at newark Albert

Greedy lot, why do they need TWO Beverley cockpits??

XB261 is now at newark Albert

Albert -It’s been relocated to the new hangar at Newark Air Museum .

I think you’re confused as Newark have the cockpit of camouflaged XL149 from Finningley. XB261’s cockpit was still at Duxford last year.

Albert -It’s been relocated to the new hangar at Newark Air Museum .

Thanks for that additional info. It always irritates me when publications refer to A&AEE as ‘Aircraft’ & Armament instead of ‘Aeroplane’. However you failed to mention that before it became part of DTEO, it was actually renamed ‘Aircraft & Armament Evaluation Establishment for a short while, conveniently keeping the same initials. One thing I forgot to mention is that the cockpit area of XB261 still survives at Duxford and is in the large hangar and open for viewing.

The Valetta is WJ491 which I think ended up on Gatow’s Fire Dump and the Hastings is TG502 which went the same way at Boscombe Downm if my memory serves me correctly.

The Hastings ‘died’ in about 1988. It’s poor sad head could still be seen poking over the old fire pit.