Herald G-CEXP – group looking for help

New Facebook page for G-CEXP here. Some very positive discussions with the fire service people at Gatwick about the Herald’s future.

https://www.facebook.com/hpheraldcexp/

Well, it’s been cleaned since then, and some repainting was being carried out. It’d be nice to get it under cover, but it’s safe, and well cared for. Maintaining a global population of four Heralds doesn’t seem too dreadful an ambition, does it? At least give the project a chance before dousing it in cold water, please.

Something positive.
It is not just a question of saving an airframe – it has to be cared for afterwards and that is where so many others have failed. I said earlier, I enjoyed the Herald in it’s early days. The last couple of times I visited Woodley the #3 flyable frame was in a deplorable state from the creeping green verdigree. It is surrounded by trees and the UK every damper climate is not helping. I offered to contribute seriously to having the upper wings cleaned, but offer was declined due H&S reasons.
You want a Herald saved – spend your money on a realistic project – not try and deplete the potential ££ out there in the real world.
‘kim’

markb – you can prefer whatever you want but Rochford is entitled to hold and state a different opinion to yourself. Discouraging different opinions is the sort of thing that dictators do. If you are the same chap, please stop firing missiles over Japan.

Rochford – if you haven’t anything positive to add I think I’d prefer it if you kept your opinions to yourself.

Best of luck to the guys who are trying to preserve the Herald. She was looking very sad at the end of last year when I took this photo. Would be great if she had a brighter future.

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I remember when this Herald and the Comet nose were on the aviation enthusiast spotters balcony at Gatwick airport terminal, the aircraft was always open for inspection inside including the cockpit. I taxied past the Herald the other month and it looked a sordid state covered in green slime. It’s not a sexy aircraft I agree but but it represents an era when Britain had a great aviation industry across the board, Handley Page, Vickers, Bristol, Blackburn, Avro, De Havilland, names long lost in the current era of Airbus and a Boeing but should not be forgotten. Good luck to the organisation who wishies to preserve her.

hi,
hope she finds a good home, spent many a visit to the spectators terrace sheltering from the rain, and the odd time from the sun, under her engines…

regards,
jack…

QUOTE “Realistically, we must look at other Heralds handed over to Museums have had funds spent/wasted on them. resulting in the odd nose around the countryside.”

The examples at Woodley and Duxford have had much effort lavished on them and are fine exhibits. The funds spent and efforts of all of the volunteers involved are greatly appreciated. If museums and collections only comprised “crowd pullers” the understanding of technology and aviation development would be based solely on the Spitfire and Concorde! Civil aviation has a far lower profile than military in the preservation world but to represent the more complete story of aviation is just as important.

There have been preserved Heralds which have succumbed to corrosion (such as that at Elvington) and for safety reasons were scrapped with only their noses surviving. That doesn’t mean this latest initiative should be condemned. If a proper assessment deems it is restorable as an exhibit and a location can be found plus a viable plan to secure and look after it can be put together, then all power to their elbow.

It is never going to be a crowd puller.

Is that why we preserve aircraft?

Please don’t discuss, but for me there is a massive amount more to it than that. So – crack on folks and good luck!

& I am an aviation enthusiast

Realistically, we must look at other Heralds handed over to Museums have had funds spent/wasted on them. resulting in the odd nose around the countryside.
It is never going to be a crowd puller. A lot of hot air on this website is never going to secure this aircraft.
Do something useful.
& I am a Herald enthusiast

As a trustee of GAM I can put some factual information into this discussion. First, GAM were offered the Herald and turned it down for the following reasons.

1. It does not fit in with our collection, we have a collection of post war military aircraft and the Herald would be seriously out of place.
2. When were given planning permission we had very stringent conditions attached to the approval. This was legalized by the Council producing and us signing a Section 106 agreement. We are restricted on the number of exhibits allowed outside. Taking the Herald would breach this agreement.

GAL will not breach the security fence that separates the airport from GAM. Although a big crane could almost certainly swing it over. That assumes that the airframe is in a good enough condition. We surveyed it a couple of years ago and our engineers had serious doubts about the integrity of the airframe.

All of the above does not mean that we aren’t sympathetic to efforts to save the aircraft. It is possible that we could assist any group who are committed to saving her, contact us and we can discuss any assistance we can render.

P Mills
GAM

Just checked my files and this airframe was offered to some museums by the airport authorities back in July 2016 – I also thought that it was briefly discussed here at that time, but cannot find the thread!

IRRC some ‘modifications’ from its viewing gallery days made it a less than attractive proposition!

I was surprised to see this airframe when I arrived at Gatwick earlier this year. It was, I’m informed, once part of a viewing area at the airport and kept in rather better condition. I also understand that GAM have tried to acquire it in the past, and hit a brick wall as the airport won’t breach their perimeter fence to trundle it over to the museum.

I think there needs to be a realistic home for it first and GAM seems to be very close ! Ita also worth pointing out that the ‘saving’ is the easy part! It’s a massive commitment to try and maintain any aircraft outside in the British climate – anything that doesn’t include a long term aim to achieve undercover display is ultimately passing on difficult decisions to future generations who might not have the money or interest in it.

Would look nice at Speke…

Nope – negative rather than realistic. If we’d all assumed the same negative position then many of our historic aircraft would not be with us now.

Good luck to them and I hope they pull it off: I have joined their FB group and will lend a hand whenever I can.

…. or realistic?

Rather a negative outlook rochford.
Good luck to the group trying to save it.

I do hope they rescue it: I shall take a look. A laudable project.