Nimrod R1 retires.

I have a Nimrod in my Hangar:eek:

re;

good to see several gone too good homes. My freind converted onto them only to be told they were being withdrawn within weeks of complteing it – now he hasnt got a plane to fly and is grounded!

The Worlds last ever Nimrod flight happened yesterday as the last Nimrod departed Waddington in style with a great climb.
Incidentally, a Nimrod driver in Scotland has practised landing into Cosford nearly 60 times and not once stuffed it up (an ex Nimrod techie told me) but believes the IPT are opposed to such a landing due to the railway line at the end of the runway at Cosford.

re;

in a normal society the idiots who wasted so much money would be held to question and punished. And they wonder why the country is nearly bankrupt.Yet they refuse to donate a/c to museums on cost grounds!

Still not as bad as take wings off serviceable Nimrods at the top of Scotland, put remaining fuselage in another aircraft and fly it to Bournmouth at the bottom of England….. rest for several months then load on to trucks and move up half way back up the country to Woodford… rest for several years whilst replacing the wings removed earlier, tow outside, scrap them, then load onto more trucks and haul away for scrap.

Tony, That would have been cheaper than what we did.

Three Nimrods from Kinloss 14th and 15th Febuary 1997 to Bournemouth using a chartered AN124 (RA-82046 VDA Jet).

Four Nimrods from Bournemouth to Woodford Nov/ Dec 1999 with the fourth and final flight in 2000 again using AN124 (RA-82045, RA-82078 Both VDA jets).

One Nimrod from Kinloss to Woodford Oct 2001 using AN124 (RA-82045).

One Nimrod from Waddington to Woodford Dec 2007 using AN124 (UR-82007 ADB Jet). Probably the shortest laden cargo flight an An-124 has ever made, the loading crew thought we were joking when we showed them where we were going from/ to on road atlas!

After all this the government cancelled the project and cut them up which did involve quite a few trucks – Mike

re;

lets hope the fuselage and cockpit in the hangar finds a good home, would make a fantastic walk through exhibit

So the latest move round is really a saving! Knighthoods all round.

Paul

Lets see Raf Cosford from RAF Shawbury 27miles.
Raf Cosford from Kemble 98 miles. Seem to remember the time the Liberator flew into Shawbury and was roaded to Cosford, there again that was when we had an AIRFORCE and before everything got contracted out.

Paul

Still not as bad as take wings off serviceable Nimrods at the top of Scotland, put remaining fuselage in another aircraft and fly it to Bournmouth at the bottom of England….. rest for several months then load on to trucks and move up half way back up the country to Woodford… rest for several years whilst replacing the wings removed earlier, tow outside, scrap them, then load onto more trucks and haul away for scrap.

re;

the cost of moving an a/c must be nothing compared to the £15,000,000 to reconfigure from an MR3 into an R1 – and i suppose the equipment will go to waste or be broken up, or at best be stored.

Google earth only shows one Nimrod parked out on the apron

James as i understand it the operation at Kemble is better equipped for removing sensitive equipment and the subsequent dismantling of the airframe into manageable loads!

Could also be due to the tender for the move being won by ASI who are based at Kemble

The Victor that did a similar journey! The RAF would basically charge the RAFM for doing the task -so think contractors instead at a greatly reduced rate!

Lets see Raf Cosford from RAF Shawbury 27miles.
Raf Cosford from Kemble 98 miles. Seem to remember the time the Liberator flew into Shawbury and was roaded to Cosford, there again that was when we had an AIRFORCE and before everything got contracted out.

Paul

The Aeropark Nimrod will possibly move early October when things are quieter.

Does anyone know when the Aeropark’s Nimrod is due to move over?

Decommissioning is now completed I believe, engines etc have been removed, (have piccies) still awaiting the base being done in the aeropark, slated as slotting in just down from the new viewing hillock. Additionally they will need a temp surface to run her across putting in place, and all of this is in the ILS zone, so will need to be timed to coincide with a quiet period.

Hmm, I know some RAF guys that will probably disagree with that, but I guess cost and time considerations probably enter the equation at that point!

James as i understand it the operation at Kemble is better equipped for removing sensitive equipment and the subsequent dismantling of the airframe into manageable loads!

Is there a reason why Kemble, can a Nimrod not land at Shawbury?

I have been told that Nimrod R1 XV249 is flying to Kemble Thursday 28th July, for dismantling and onward transport to RAFM Cosford.

49 is going on late Thurs Afternoon to Kemble. ASI are gonna debuild her for the move to Cosford. Last chance to see a Nimrod fly on Thursday.

Does anyone know when the Aeropark’s Nimrod is due to move over?

there was indeed one in the back of a hangar looking less than complete. I sort of wish I’d taken a photo of that sad sight now…

🙁 What might have been … a couple of photos in here! 😉