Looking like the Beverley is in dire straits AGAIN

Interesting link here which provides updated news and a video appeal for funds:

Published on 10th May 2023 https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2023-05-10/world-famous-raf-plane-in-…

I found this image of a Beverley being maneuvered sideways into a hangar. The picture is attributed to Chief Tech Ray Honeybone and was taken at Dishforth during the early 1960s. Another image (not posted here) shows the aircraft outside of the closed doors of 2 hangar. I assume then that the same aircraft here being pushed into 1 hangar … where I spent many happy hours of my ‘yoof. Hangar 1 was dismantled about a decade ago. 

Notice the staff wearing their berets and the MT driver his cap. Ah, for the days of heavy RAF overalls with their rubber buttons.

I’m actually quite encouraged by that video. The parts removed have clearly been taken away. I’m just wondering whether it has actually been saved after all. Just the slow process of taking it apart?

The Beverley could be manoeuvred into a ‘standard’ RAF hangar. It requires placing on a special dolly, the nose jacked to lower the tail, and the complete rig can then be pushed into the hangar. Correctly positioned, the nose can then be lowered and the tail will slot into the rafters. I doubt that any of the original equipment used for doing this survives, but it can be done.

Duxford not interested its all going screens and banners

Duxford is cloud cuckoo land.

The Beverley is a HUGE aeroplane. Nowhere in the heritage sector has a hangar anywhere near large enough for it.

From memory it’s over 160 feet wingspan and something of the order of 40 feet high.

…that drone video was made this January 2023. 

It seems that Blackburnbeverley.co.uk is now also defunct, the project’s website… 

Leaving two open apertures for the winter weather to get it is just nuts. This is the opposite of ‘preservation’.

It should be at Duxford ideally,   the most obvious museum location with potentially the space to restore and hangar it. 

how the heck did they get that in there ?

A drone video of Blackburn Beverley  XB259 at Fort Paull made this January 2023:

Fort Paul Jan 2023 Made with Clipchamp 1 – YouTube

oOS00k_6oBg 

She is not looking that good, now…. 🙁 

Ok, looking through Alice’s looking glass…….

Only one exists, and it is an interesting aircraft.

Made by Blackburn at Brough, which has gone the way of many historic sites, or assembled there.

Personally I think museums have a duty to hold for posterity important artifacts.

This being an aeroplane would fall into the remit of the RAF Museum and The Science Museum.

The Science Museum has the Large Exhibits Store on a whole airield.

So at the very least could not an RAF Chinook airlift the Beverely, in several parts, to the LES.

There is masses of space and very many hangars, but I would imagine that the hangars are already full.

Pause, just drying my eyes. I am so out of date!

It’s now the Science Museum Group, ’cause it is. And the LES is now rebranded the National Collections Centre, NCC.

It’s location is RAF Wroughton but I now see that half of the airfield has been covered in solar panels and any hope of flying anything in is lost as they have built a new large building that, together with the solar panels, obstruct all the runways.

There does remain some open space onto which the Beverly could be lowered.

Still out in the open but at least not scrapped.

I have to say that Elvington would really be the best place being close to Brough but I understand that they have declined it. But if the RAF moved it is there not some corner at Elvington that the Beverley could be placed in the hope that some day a group might be formed to at least put it back together again and make it safe. Of course it has got to be taken apart in the first place. Why not RAF apprentices, would it not be good hands on training both in disassembling/assembling and the safe use of heavy machines.

Ah well, back to the real world.

I did make efforts to save it myself but the logistics, costs, and other factors made it impossible. Thankfully the research beforehand saved any serious financial outlay.

There may be others who have/will succeed but for me it was not possible.

The hobby/industry has millions for Spitfires, but seemingly not much money or interest in anything else.

Any news?

From AHUK in September 2020: 

https://aviationheritageuk.org/urgent-action-needed-to-save-unique-blac…

It must have been substantially broken down to move it two times previously, but retaining the cockpit/main fuselage and centre wing retains the interpretation value of the type, at a far smaller width, length and height, and its height can be lowered even further by removing the undercarriage but that risks accelerated decay from underneath

Partial display with the remaining parts stored keeps a complete display possible in the future, but makes undercover display a massive cost.

Partial display with the remaining parts scrapped keeps a partial example preserved a bit longer and a smaller object to eventually put under cover.

The only surviving Do-17 in the world is a corroded partial display and will remain so, but without it, the type would be extinct and historians, researchers, enthusiasts and the Public would be left with photos, film, documents, drawings and relics as the only way to understand, visualise, interpret, research and learn about the type and its operations and role in history.

Isn’t this why we have museums packed with examples of silent airframes on display?

We “can’t save them all” and the BAPC is probably the best placed to assess the significance of the type   to UK aviation heritage and relative to museums full of duplicates of Vampires, Flying Fleas, Vulcans and Mysteres?

But once its gone its gone

I think that’s a fake site Mark – if you look on their contact page it has a Stockport address but an international phone number; very odd!

The real BAPC change a while ago to Aviation Heritage UK  as detailed in here https://aviationheritageuk.org/about/

BAPC is alive and well, I still get emails from them

https://www.bapc.org.uk

Slightly off topic but several posters across the various Beverly threads mention the interior is incomplete. However I remember an article in Flypast, I think before XB259 even moved to Fort Paull showing off the very complete and thorough restoration of the interior. So in the intervening years what happened to the interior fittings?

“Who will co-ordinate it; who will provide the urgently need undercover storage; who will fund it; etc. etc.?”

Very valid questions. If only we have an organisation that is dedicated to the safeguarding and supporting Britain’s unique aviation history, and had over 50 years of experience doing so…

If ever there was a time to step up to the plate, this is it! I doubt it will be the last time a large museum aircraft in danger will feature here. If museums are to preserve aircraft, then must be housed in a proper environment and cared for. Yes, that requires money, resources and skills. This is not a new problem, but it showed the shortcomings of the existing preservation movement – some of whom are more interested in dedicating space to child friendly zones.