I am pleased to announce that a new cockpit section has just “landed” at our Liverpool (Speke) airport site.
The cockpit of Shorts 360, G-SSWM arrived last week to take its place alongside the rest of our Liverpool-relevant airframes on the old Liverpool (Speke) Airport apron.
Whisky Mike is pretty much complete structurally being (for once) fully glazed, all panels intact, and with doors and windows in place. Work has begun on boarding off the back face of the cockpit so that it is sealed up and can be locked.
Internally, the significant missing items are the main flight instruments, LH pilot’s seat and both sets of rudder pedals. Otherwise, apart from needing a good clean, the cockpit will be ready for visitors. Any leads on finding replacement items will be gratefully received.
It will also need to have a stand fabricated and fitted but, unlike the 748 before it, this will be a straightforward task as the lower surface of the fuselage (barring a few lumps and bumps) is perfectly flat. They didn’t nickname this aircraft “The Shed” for nothing!
Come along to the aviation fair on 13 July and have a look at this latest addition to the fleet. I understand that she was a fairly frequent visitor to Liverpool (LJL of course, not Speke), ending up with the NW-based Emerald Airways before being scrapped at Coventry around six years ago. I fully expect forumite Viscount to be along shortly to give you a comprehensive history of the airframe.
Anon.
By: CADman - 12th May 2014 at 09:27
Good news. What a great shame you could not aquire a complete Short 360. Maybe one for the future. Not for this thread but now is work on the 748 progressing ?
By: viscount - 11th May 2014 at 22:36
The Career of Short 360 G-SSWM
BASIC AIRCRAFT HISTORY
Constructed by Short Bros at Sydenham, Belfast in 1984 as a Short 360-100 aircraft with Constructor’s Number SH.3648, showing it to be the 49th SD.360 built (including prototype) out of 165 completed. The aircraft first flew on 1st June 1984 in primer with Short Bros manufacturer’s ‘B Conditions’ registration G-14-3648. Once painted in the customer’s colours, wore UK Registration G-BLIL taped on for further pre-delivery flights.
As OY-MMB it was delivered on 5.9.84 to Air Business in Denmark and given the individual name ‘Holger’. Air Business was re-branded as Maersk Commuter 1.6.88. With both Air Business and Maersk it was operated in an overall mid blue fuselage, with a darker blue cheatline; the scheme matching the mainline Maersk colours.
The aircraft was purchased by Aurigny Air Services 19.4.90 for operations out of the Channel Islands as G-OAAS (Go Aurigny Air Services) and painted in their bright yellow colours with red tail logo and black cheatline and titles. The move up from Trislanders was successful, with the aircraft being used mostly on sectors from Jersey and Guernsey to UK and France, but mainly to London Gatwick. During the day used for passenger services, at night frequently on mail contracts. Eventually their SD.360 was replaced by Saab 340A aircraft and G-OAAS noted parked, out of service at Guernsey 1.6.98. UK registration cancelled 26.6.98.
Re-registered in Sweden as SE-KCI on purchase by Skylease Sweden AB 25.6.98 for onward lease to Swedeways Air Lines the same day. Aircraft arrived at Groningen 30.6.98. Noted at Exeter 7.99 on overhaul all white and shortly after repainted in Swedeways colours, mainly white with blue cheatlines along the lower fuselage. Swedeways, a Swedish regional operator, had its headquarters at Hudiksvall Airport and main operating base at Sundsvall-Harnosand, however ceased operations around September 2001.
The aircraft was brought back to the UK on purchase by brokers, Freshleave Ltd of Exeter 26.9.01, and two days later leased to Streamline Aviation for operation as G-SSWM (the SSW reflecting the operator’s ICAO code) for operation as a freighter mainly carrying small packages on contract to the likes of FedEx around Europe. Delivered to Southend around 2.10.01 for overhaul, it was in service by 16.10.01 retaining its former colours, with a small ‘Operated by Streamline Aviation’ sticker on nose. The company were purchased by Emerald Airways 9.02 and gradually absorbed into their operations. Although a Liverpool based HS.748 operator, the SD.360 fleet continued to be based mainly at Coventry. The aircraft was never repainted in Emerald colours or titles, retaining its former Swedeways scheme. At the time that Emerald ceased operations in early May 2006, G-SSWM was on protracted maintenance at Coventry.
Sold by the administrators KPMG to IAP Group Australia Pty Ltd 10.06, then onwards to SD.360 operator BAC Leasing Ltd 20.11.06, G-SSWM was broken up at Coventry July 2008 following spares recovery. The nose and front fuselage were saved from the scrapman and moved to private premises, location not published. After 6 years the nose section has reappeared in public view, now exhibited with the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group and moved to their site on the former terminal apron behind the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Wednesday 6th May 2014.
The appearance of G-SSWM’s cockpit section in public, means that it is the nose G-SSWR that has been sunk in a quarry as a dive attraction. The two aircraft being in the same colours and scrapped at Coventry at the same time. The non-matching door and panel on the port side of G-SSWM were ‘donated’ by either G-SSWO or G-SSWB.
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G-SSWM seen on the main apron at LJLA, January 2003, while being operated by Emerald Airways not long after their acquisition of Streamline Aviation – it never did gain ‘Emerald’ titles or logo.
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Same aircraft in an earlier guise, as G-OAAS with Aurigny at Jersey on 3rd August 1992
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The day after arrival on the former apron at Speke
By: Arabella-Cox - 11th May 2014 at 21:34
A few pics of Whisky Mike:
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May 11, 2014 at 9:25 pm