I apologies now to the moderators for reading the magazine from the opposition. If it makes my crime any less I didnt purchase Aircraft Illustrated but just read it in the shop. Phew it feels like confession time.
Anyway to my question. There is an article about the Intrepid Museum and there is a comment about the Concorde they display which states
At the request of British Airways the engines were removed from the airframe.
The museum still holds the engines and will be displaying them alongside the aircraft so why did they stipulate there removal?
By: gordo - 13th September 2006 at 02:11
The actual reason they were removed from AD was so the a/c could be lifted up over the airport fence and swung onto the barge.
Intrepid have 2 of the engines, the other 2 were still at JFK the last I heard.
FB in germany and AA in the UK also had their engines dropped out before being transported.
All the others still have them. CofG is not a problem, all the museums were required to put 3T of ballast in the front hold, in service the ballasting was done with fuel.
AB at LHR was used for a while in 2002 to ‘store’ engines, as she had been de-fueled the old high life mags were put in there, but now with no engines she sits a little bit more nose down than she should
By: TobyV - 11th September 2006 at 22:16
The primary reason I believe, was to move the C. of G. forward. Engines are of course more interesting to look at outside of the aircraft and being exposed to that salt water environment certainly wouldnt do them much good.
G-BOAB at LHR used to have a **large** quantity of BA inflight magazines stacked in the forward cabin to keep its C.ofG. far enough forward.
By: Seaking93 - 11th September 2006 at 20:30
Anyone know what is happening to the Concorde when the Intrepid closes on 1st October and is towed over to New Jersey?
By: Ant.H - 11th September 2006 at 19:16
I’m wondering if it might be a weight-saving measure related to the way the aircraft is/was moved. The whole airframe was lifted by crane onto the barge, and presumably the same would have to be done in reverse if it ever became necessary to bring her back onto dry land. I’d imagine it wouldn’t be an easy job installing/removing the engines when the aircraft was on the barge, so perhaps they’ve just left them out to make life easier.
Edited to add a link to airliners.net showing her being lowered onto the barge…
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0468165&WxsIERv=Nrebfcngvnyr-ONP%20Pbapbeqr%20102&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Oevgvfu%20Nvejnlf&QtODMg=Arj%20Lbex%20-%20Wbua%20S.%20Xraarql%20Vagreangvbany%20%28Vqyrjvyq%29%20%28WSX%20%2F%20XWSX%29&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Arj%20Lbex&ktODMp=Abirzore%2024%2C%202003&BP=0&WNEb25u=Wbr%20Ancbyv&xsIERvdWdsY=T-OBNQ&MgTUQtODMgKE=Pbapbeqr%20tybjvat%20va%20gur%20rneyl%20zbeavat%20fha%20ng%207%3A00nz%20nf%20gur%20penarf%20ortva%20gb%20ybjre%20vg%20bagb%20gur%20onetr.%20V%27yy%20zvff%20frrvat%20gur%20Pbapbeqr%20ng%20WSX.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=21026&NEb25uZWxs=2003-12-06%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=210&static=yes&width=1000&height=711&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Fhq-ONP%20Pbapbeqr%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Nrebfcngvnyr-Oevgvfu%20Nrebfcnpr%20Pbapbeqr%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Nrebfcngvnyr-ONP%20Pbapbeqr%27%29%20NAQ%20%28ert%20%3D%20%27T-OBNQ%27%29%20%20beqre%20ol%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=63&prev_id=0468654&next_id=0467026&size=L
…and another shot proving beyond all doubt that the engines are no longer there!
By: Phantom Phixer - 11th September 2006 at 19:08
Hi Roger,
Id assumed that it was maybe somethin to do with the preservation of the airframe. Although saying that it does make you wonder the effectivness of such a stipulation especially considering that they have already allowed the aircraft to be displayed in the open exposed to salt air.
Paper pushers once more getting involved in aircraft preservation it seems.
Nice to hear back from a local person.
Thanks for the reply
By: RPSmith - 11th September 2006 at 17:28
I’m only guessing but two possible ideas
To allow access to of much of the airframe as possible to treat corrosion due to it’s situation in a saline atmosphere?
To reduce the load on the undercarraige?
Roger Smith.
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September 11, 2006 at 3:59 pm