Britten Norman Islander ZG993 has arrived at Middle Wallop and entered the museum store area until the museum can build an extension when it will go on display.
Here are a couple of shots of its arrival and how its been shoehorned into the space available with the wing above the fuselage.
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It was a tight fit getting it in but that HIAB made everyone envious. What a piece of engineering, and when combined with a team of skilled operators it was all safely stored.
Getting it back out and re-assembled is going to be fun.
By: scotavia - 28th November 2015 at 15:21
Not so classified but clearly trying to blend in,this is a video clip of one of the a109s visiting battersea heliport
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTYL7WF_bXA
By: DaveF68 - 28th November 2015 at 02:44
You have good eyes, I could only see it from three feet and only then with the light in the right place.
For anyone lost as to what we are on about, the serial on this ex Argentinian A109 is painted in black on a (very) dark grey surface.
On a couple it was actually applied with clear tape – just visible below the red stripe on the cockpit door here: http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/3/5/8/0609853.jpg
Its of more relevance to Middle Wallop than the Bermuda its a canopy off a Hamilcar.
Of course it is! doh!
By: Arabella-Cox - 27th November 2015 at 18:48
Having seen said thing flying around for many years I finally found the serial, only visible from 10ft away!
You have good eyes, I could only see it from three feet and only then with the light in the right place.
For anyone lost as to what we are on about, the serial on this ex Argentinian A109 is painted in black on a (very) dark grey surface.
Left field question, but what’s the canopy on the right hand side? Bermuda?
Its of more relevance to Middle Wallop than the Bermuda its a canopy off a Hamilcar.
By: Lynx815 - 27th November 2015 at 17:21
ZG993 and others would regularly be on static display at public air shows, I’ve got photos of it at Yeovilton Air Day 2005. Not secret at all.
By: farnboroughrob - 27th November 2015 at 13:41
There’s no secret kit left onboard although the antennas that got removed to reduce the load height give away what the aircraft was used for.
As for Mr Bond’s Islander someone has already suggested 993 gets painted black!
Back to the subjects of secrets, the object under the blue tarpaulin is prohibited by the Director of Special Forces from being put on public display but all the spotters know what it is.
is that the same secret thing that I had no problem photographing, and sitting it on a tour of Arborfield? Even though the staff said they could not see it! Which also meant we could not see me photograph it.Having seen said thing flying around for many years I finally found the serial, only visible from 10ft away!
By: Jagx204 - 27th November 2015 at 12:32
Yes, but its been ‘wrapped’ back into its Argentine colours and I believe there is no mention of its use post 1982 on the display board for it….
Its fair to also point out one of the others is now with a Private dealer based outside Ipswich. Not joined up thinking, but who knows, however we are drifting off thread now.
By: DaveF68 - 27th November 2015 at 11:39
Back to the subjects of secrets, the object under the blue tarpaulin is prohibited by the Director of Special Forces from being put on public display but all the spotters know what it is.
And the FAAM have put theirs on display, haven’t they?
By: DaveF68 - 27th November 2015 at 11:38
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Left field question, but what’s the canopy on the right hand side? Bermuda?
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th November 2015 at 18:13
Well its a strange old word. This was one of four in store at Shawbury. Initially the tours at Shawbury included the hangar that they were in but no photos were allowed of the Islanders due secret kit. Of course some photos appeared and tours of that hangar were stopped. Low and behold one of the secret Islanders makes it to a museum! I hope what ever secret kit it was has been removed?
There’s no secret kit left onboard although the antennas that got removed to reduce the load height give away what the aircraft was used for.
As for Mr Bond’s Islander someone has already suggested 993 gets painted black!
Back to the subjects of secrets, the object under the blue tarpaulin is prohibited by the Director of Special Forces from being put on public display but all the spotters know what it is.
By: Jagx204 - 26th November 2015 at 18:00
Well its a strange old word. This was one of four in store at Shawbury. Initially the tours at Shawbury included the hangar that they were in but no photos were allowed of the Islanders due secret kit. Of course some photos appeared and tours of that hangar were stopped. Low and behold one of the secret Islanders makes it to a museum! I hope what ever secret kit it was has been removed?
Not strictly correct, there was no restrictions on photography when the first ones went into store here. I was on one such tour and there were no restrictions at all, this came later, in fact AM&SU are even forbidden from acknowledging they are even there now!
Good to see one for preservation, even if it stored next to the equally secret ‘ its not there really’ Augusta A109…….
By: RPSmith - 26th November 2015 at 17:50
Work is going on in the Isle of Wight to restore the oldest surviving Islander (G-AVCN – the third built) in the care of The Britten Norman Aircraft Preservation Society
Go to: http://www.ivanberrymandirect.com/bnaps.htm for further information.
Roger Smith.
By: Wallace - 26th November 2015 at 16:19
G-BELF at East Fortune.
G-BELF BN-2, East Fortune by Wallace Shackleton, on Flickr
Good to see that one has been preserved, The islander was a forgotten British success story.
By: farnboroughrob - 26th November 2015 at 15:42
Well its a strange old word. This was one of four in store at Shawbury. Initially the tours at Shawbury included the hangar that they were in but no photos were allowed of the Islanders due secret kit. Of course some photos appeared and tours of that hangar were stopped. Low and behold one of the secret Islanders makes it to a museum! I hope what ever secret kit it was has been removed?
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 26th November 2015 at 14:51
This is good news – their number seems to be diminishing lately, a Mr Bond crashed one the other week apparently.
In a similar vein – the saga of G-JOEY continues, the will-they-wont-they ship her to the UK Mainland (for Solent Sky apparently) has now been resolved and he will be staying in Guernsey!
TT
By: RadarArchive - 26th November 2015 at 05:35
I’m afraid you are wrong, 91Regal. There has been an Islander on display at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune for more than 10 years now. It’s currently in hangars being restored as part of a major redevelopment of the museum but will be in these new displays when they open next year.
By: 91Regal - 26th November 2015 at 01:20
From what I remember from perusing my copy of Wrecks & Relics a while ago, there doesn’t appear to be an intact Islander on display anywhere in the U.K. Is this still the case, or have I got it wrong?
By: Tin Triangle - 25th November 2015 at 22:51
Good to see one of these getting preserved, and inside too 🙂
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November 25, 2015 at 8:58 pm