MOD disposal of aircraft

more than likely into storage and shawbury along with the rest of the airframes there, lynx,gazelle,seaking etc

Witham

With regard to the Gazelle helicopters its a shame Witham are short of engines! I wonder where they went, as if we might not guess!!

When I looked at that site last week, the helicopters were individually listed as
well as giving their present locations. I was told that some of them may be
going to South Africa.

T
This can mean that an airframe may go to a preferred contractor, rather than sell for less money to say a museum, or for more money to a private individual.

Which explains why the choisest airframes in recent years have all ended up in East Anglia

They purchase all vehicles from MoD disposals and then sell them to anyone that wants to buy an ex military vehicle, be they individual or companies in the UK or abroad.
Its another thing that frustrates me, as there are lines of Land Rovers waiting for disposal on the MoD site where I work, yet I can’t bid on, or buy one, I would need to buy it off Withams – with a heftier tag attached!

http://www.mod-sales.com/direct/vehicle/,95,/29696/Gazelle_AH-1_Military_Helicopters_.htm

If you read the by-line to the company’s name on the home page of that website – “The UK Sales and Marketing Agent For ALL Ministry of Defence Vehicles, Plant And Equipment” [the capitals are theirs, not mine] – it’s difficult not to construe that as a claim to be the sole agent for the disposal of all MoD vehicles, i.e. that Witham Specialist Vehicles Ltd. have not bought the goods for onward sale but are selling them, presumably on a commision basis, for and on behalf of the MoD as its agent. Maybe someone who knows more about this can comment, indicating whether I have construed the claim correctly or whether the claim – that of agency – is merely a misrepresentation of the truth.

That’s the Withams (one of the aforementioned preffered bidders) site, ie the company has already bought the items from MoD/DSA and is selling them on to the public.

There were 30 Army Gazelles up for disposal, but they seem to have been
removed from the MOD website. Perhaps they just sold very quickly :confused:

http://www.mod-sales.com/direct/vehicle/,95,/29696/Gazelle_AH-1_Military_Helicopters_.htm

Vetting

Funnily enough i just posted re this very subject in the Boscombe Phanton thread. I will not repeat it here but bring back the good days!!!!

This isn’t a direct answer to your question, but an experience of mine,

About four years ago I got involved in purchasing an airframe from DSA (Disposals Services Authority who dispose of equipment for the MoD) they were also involved with the mass selling off of equipment on the same site and were visiting in relation to that, which meant I got to meet them and ask some questions to some high up staff (who were very nice) within the agency – this wasn’t long after the mass disposal of Jaguars.
From the conversation, it soon became apparent that the idea of all airframes/equipment beaing available for anyone to bid on is a false one, they are entitled to discharge items directly to their preferred bidders, and indeed was the preferred route.

This can mean that an airframe may go to a preferred contractor, rather than sell for less money to say a museum, or for more money to a private individual. When pushed on rare items that may still be in the system and up for disposal, it was actually quoted to me that if a Merlin engine was sold, it could as likely go for scrap than be sold to an individual.
The given reason behind this is simplicity, one scenerio is that an aircraft is actually just part of a larger lot of other equipment, the one preferred bidder is trusted to put in a price for the lot, and turn up on site and remove the whole lot.
The same is true for single airframes, the DSA knows the preffered bidder will come on to a station with the minimum of fuss, remove the airframe and go, where as unknown Joe Bloggs (who might have bid more) may come on to site with a Mondeo and a trailer, seeking local assisstance with disassembly and removal, and possibly leaving a mess behind.

So in simple terms, some airframes may never become publicaly available through DSA (or Edisposals), but be offered directly to the preferred contractor.
The item may never get a chance to be offered to a museum, or indeed the highest bidder.
How the choice to dipose of directly, or by open tender is made is unclear to me.

This was four years ago, things might be different now, but from my observations things are the same.

I’m always amazed, given the number of aircraft disposed of by the MoD, how difficult it is to find out about it. It’s almost like you’ve got to be in the know. I think alot of types are sold of en masse to certain agencies these days, see the Wessex thread.

Difficult to buy anything direct these days, there is line of dissused Landrovers here, they will all go to one outfit and I can’t even get a look in, years ago I could have probably paid into a tea bar or beer fund and been driving it the next day! The sad thing is, you just know the MoD are getting naff all for it and the agent is trying to make plenty from it!

DSA contracts Witham Specialist vehicles to sell their redundant vehicles and those beyond economical repair (BER) DSA get a guide to the vehicle condition and value from the disposing unit, and Withams I believe pay that to the MOD. Withams have a workshop and spray bay where they often overhaul the vehicles, thus increasing their value, but that is done at their time and expense.

As for aircraft, I believe DSA simply auction them off.

Misha – Do you know who it is that administers this “list”?

Does anyone else have any more information?

I’ll try and trawl through a few emails and see if I’ve kept some – as I say it has gone a bit quiet of late – though that may be because I signed up to get notified of aircraft disposals and there have not been that many lately.

Edit – just had a look and it is through the Disposal Services Authority – often the tenders are on their web site but there are contacts there so you can get email notification

I’m always amazed, given the number of aircraft disposed of by the MoD, how difficult it is to find out about it. It’s almost like you’ve got to be in the know. I think alot of types are sold of en masse to certain agencies these days, see the Wessex thread.

Difficult to buy anything direct these days, there is line of dissused Landrovers here, they will all go to one outfit and I can’t even get a look in, years ago I could have probably paid into a tea bar or beer fund and been driving it the next day! The sad thing is, you just know the MoD are getting naff all for it and the agent is trying to make plenty from it!

There is a list you can apply to be on – it comes out semi regularly from the MOD with disposals on. I subscribed to it a couple of years ago and got notified about quite a few individual airframes (mainly Jaguars and Jet Provosts if I remember). It seems to have gone a bit quiet of late but I think the MOD seem to have a variety of different methods of disposal. Always interesting to find out how much the aircraft actually went for!!

Misha – Do you know who it is that administers this “list”?

Does anyone else have any more information?

There is a list you can apply to be on – it comes out semi regularly from the MOD with disposals on. I subscribed to it a couple of years ago and got notified about quite a few individual airframes (mainly Jaguars and Jet Provosts if I remember). It seems to have gone a bit quiet of late but I think the MOD seem to have a variety of different methods of disposal. Always interesting to find out how much the aircraft actually went for!!

DSA website?… oh nuts – that is edisposals…..

aside from that, I don’t know. Perhaps the tender for disposals is put out to a few known places, such as Everett Aero – Jags.:confused: