Bristol Britannia G-AOVS at Luton Airport (Merged)

Sorry to resurrect this ye olde thread. But G-AOVS has been moved from its burial place. It has been placed somewhere by the airfield boundary. There are Pictures on PPRUNE: https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/527527-luton-history-nostalgia-178.html

Couldn’t they have just followed the railways (or, nowadays, maybe it’s the motorways that one follows)?

I can remember when there was an Air Traffic Control strike, which grounded every thing at Luton, but Redcoat, who had customers waiting for freight, made alternative arrangements and reputedly flew their Brit out VFR! It must have been interesting pootling along in your Cessna 150, to be overtaken by a low flying Britannia!

When we had the ash clouds from the Icelandic volcano, DHL at East Midlands had a 757 that needed to go to Lasham for maintenance, they simply flew that VFR down the country, they had to visit the local flying school to buy some charts though as oddly enough they didn’t seem to hold them in their normal packups. 😀

Ah VS….. been a few years since I paid her a visit.

Jon

Its visible from the runway if you fly out of Luton, providing you know where to look. It is in a shallow valley quite near the end of the taxiway which leads to the end of the runway (the end furthest away from Luton town centre!) and when I saw it last (December 2011) it was looking like it was getting a bit overgrown.

As I grew up in the Luton area, Britannias were regulars at the airport, flown by Britannia, Monarch plus a few fright companies as well. I hope it survives for a few years yet but I shouldn’t think theres much left inside. Presumably the wings were scrapped years ago?

Plainly visible on Google Earth about 600 yards NNE of the 26 threshold, by the fire trainer.

Just spotted that Dave’s link leads you there on Bing

Moggy

Here she is on Google Maps: http://g.co/maps/hkypm

I can remember when there was an Air Traffic Control strike, which grounded every thing at Luton, but Redcoat, who had customers waiting for freight, made alternative arrangements and reputedly flew their Brit out VFR! It must have been interesting pootling along in your Cessna 150, to be overtaken by a low flying Britannia! 😮

My mate Luton Relic took the photo yesterday, so must be visibile from beyond the airport boundary.

That’s crazy. Is it just dumped in a big hole? Presumably stripped of everything useful.

Interesting – next time I’m flying from Luton I must try and get a seat on the LHS and have a look out for it.

http://binged.it/yz8Hgt

http://www.caa.co.uk/applicationmodules/ginfo/ginfo_photo.aspx?regmark=G-AOVS&imgname=G-AOVS001&imgtype=jpg

Thanks Luton Relic!

RE: Is Bristol Britannia G-AOVS still at Luton Airport ?

Hi folks,
I finally managed to find a couple of pics of G-AOVS when she was in service with Redcoat.
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RE: Is Bristol Britannia G-AOVS still at Luton Airport ?

Thanks for the pic Damien.Part of me is glad to see it still survives, and the other wants to see it put out of it’s misery asap!
While it’s nice to think she could be turned into some sort of walkthrough exhibit,she looks too far gone to me.She also has some serious damage around the nose which probably rules out any plan to save the cockpit.

RE: Is Bristol Britannia G-AOVS still at Luton Airport ?

The fuselage surely would make a good walk through exhibit, or at least the cockpit could be saved?

RE: Is Bristol Britannia G-AOVS still at Luton Airport ?

Great pic’s thanks very much.

Does XM496 still perform regular engines runs and the occasional taxi run under the direction of the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust?

RE: Is Bristol Britannia G-AOVS still at Luton Airport ?

Just thought I’d add one or two pics of Redcoat Britannias to give an idea of how G-AOVS would’ve looked when she was retired.Redcoat Britannias had either a white tail with red lettering,or a red tail with white lettering,so I’m not sure which ‘AOVS would’ve had.I’ve also managed to find an early pic of G-AOVS while she was flown by IAS.
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RE: Is Bristol Britannia G-AOVS still at Luton Airport ?

Hi Andy,
I suppose there’s a chance that there may be some interior fittings etc which might be of use to other examples,but generally the interiors of these training aids get trashed in the course of being used in fire and rescue training.G-AOVS was last operated by Redcoat (whose union jack emblem can just be seen in the photo.)If I remember rightly,they were a frieght carrier,so there wouldn’t be much in the way of seats,luggage racks etc to recover anyway.

RE: Is Bristol Britannia G-AOVS still at Luton Airport ?

That’s too bad..so I take that what’s left is not of much
use in helping to preserve one of the remaining examples….
like G-ALRX or G-ANCF.