Tsr2 XR219

I raced in the Southend on Sea Triathlon a few years ago and was surprised to find that the entire bike course was on private roads around Foulness. I had my mind on other things (like overtaking as many other competitors as I could) but couldn’t help but notice several aircraft wrecks strewn around – various Phantoms & Buccs in the main. I do distinctly recall the ex ETPS Phantom sitting in the long grass – but no TSR-2 bits I’m afraid!

As an engineering apprentice with a design consultant, I was seconded to a GEC plant design office to work on the instrument lighting – inverter system etc. About 1962 I would imagine. Deathly boring work.

Mark

And, of course, the TSR2 you worked on ended up as the Swordfish!
(well I had to bite didn’t I?)

there were some tsr-2 parts at cranfield after they moved XR222 to DX – these consisted of a navigators cockpit canopy, and ejection seat, 1 mainwheel, 1 nose leg, a set of rudder pedals, a control stick and various acumulators. these are now at midland air museum coventry. (not sure if theyre on display – you might have to ask…)

The rear canopy is certainly on display at MAM (and I think the seat) at the rear of the T-33 in the main building.

Funnily enough I came across a reference only a couple of days ago that the Midland A.P.S. paid The College of Aeronautics, Cranfield £15.00 for this canopy and the outer wing panel from the Gloster E1/44 (on display under the Meteor F.4) in December, 1973. Without a museum then the items went into store.

Roger Smith.

TSR 2 wind tunnel test model

As an Air cadet in Lancashire we often called on other local squadrons. The ATC sqn at Fleetwood had a lot of good radio stuff ,hovercraft but what really grabbed my attention was a solid metal tSR 2 model, it was about 3 foot long possibly brass? this would be circa 1970.
The model had a traceable provenance, a father of a cadet worked at Warton.

I’ve seen photo’s of TSR2 wings at Foulness that were allegedly post 1990 and I know that the equivalent to almost half a TSR2 still exists with a private collector (he may have had the front fus of one of the incomlete test aircraft as he had very strong connections to BAe/Vickers). It would be very possible/probable that at least some of those items are from XR219. Trouble is that the people that really know i.e. that have these items, are very tight lipped about it and give very little away as to where it all came from!!

TSR 2 XR219 Did anything survive

On the subject of did any of TSR 2 XR219 survive, here is a little tale from a few years back.

In the mid 90’s I picked up two small TSR 2 items from an Aerojumble (Shoreham). In about 1997-8-9 I noticed in Aeroplane Monthly Hangers stores section, a wanted advert requesting TSR 2 bits. Noting that the bits I had were not really in my line of collecting but keen to see them go to a good home I phoned the number. The guy on the other end of the phone told my the following story;-
He run a company which was aviation related and sometimes touched on the warbird scene. During one of these warbird scene moments he had recently (within a month or so of that time) come across a TSR 2 forward fuse in a scrap yard covered by a tarpaulin. I asked if this was the forward fuse which was at the time at Farnborough/Brooklands. He said no and he believed it was the forward fuse of XR219! He would not tell me the location but did let slip the yard specialised in handling stainless steel. His advert and attitude of not telling anybody the location was intended to see if enough bits were available so that he (and only he) could put together a reasonable display standard item. He took my name address and told me he would get back to me… but never did. I’ve since lost the phone number.

At the time I was working on Nimrod MRA4 and hence had regular contact with Warton. So I passed the story on to the BAe North West Heritage group. They phoned the number and got the same story and response. They were sufficiently interested to contact Shoeburyness to try to track down just who bought the remains of XR219 when it went up for disposal. Although I don’t think they could do this, but Shoeburyness “confirmed” that XR219 was shredded by the scrapy in the late 70’s.

Some time later I was reading a book on which I think was called “The history of British Aerospace A Proud Heritage” (or something like that), which was published in the mid/late 80’s and hidden await in the text it makes the claim that the scrap yard that handled XR219 was quietly storing significant portions of the aircraft.

Now, there is never any smoke without fire……. (Has anyone got the back issue of Aeroplane Monthly from either 1997/8/9 with that phone number?)

As for other TSR 2 bits, I understand that the Brian Trubshaw horde which was once at Little Rissington consisting of bits from Shoeburyness/Pendine (engines mainly, bit possibly wings as well?) has been disposed of by Marine Salvage of Southampton…. with some bits going to collections and other going for scrap. When RAF Quedgeley/Henlow/Cardington were cleared in the 80’s & 90’s a significant number of TSR 2 bits were found, most if not all of which were passed to Cosford. The guys at Cosford noted that some of these bits were actually from their TSR2 XR220 (apparently the cropped wires still on the equipment matched perfectly those on the aircraft…. when the aircraft was stripped in the 60’s why did they disconnect on the plugs!).

I would be surprised if anything TSR 2 was at Aston Down. I have been connected with Aston Down in one way or another from 1983 to the present day. Although large quantities of aircraft/engine jigs and tools were stored there, on both professional visits (both working for RR and BAe) to some of the hangers and my time connected with gliding, I saw very few aircraft parts and even then these were test parts such as the fatigue test Phantom. However it was the sort of place where stuff could get lost for years…… some Gloster Javelin wing and fuse jigs could still be found there up until the late 1980’s! …so I could be wrong.

By the way, the large aircraft panel at the gun butts was half a Lancaster fuel tank cover. I found it in the corner of one of the wooded areas which surround the airfield. Malcolm Gay (RIP.. hope your outclimbing the angles mate) and myself moved it to the butts for safe keeping. I promised it to the BAE Woodford Heritage group but it was nicked before I could move it…… the best laid plans and all that

As a footnote, the whole site of Waltham Abbey was cleared and is in use for housing , alongside one of the biggest Warehouse’s Sainsbury supermarkets operate.

yup that rings true, the ‘shed’ where the buses are kept was the firing butts

Coanda,

Yes, I studied Manufacturing systems at UWE and graduated in 2002. I made the long journey north to get DYR when the Uni first bought it. I seem to remember there being some kind of aircraft panel in the shed they keep the bus in. I also remember someone saying that it used to be the area they tested Spitfire guns, and when it was emptied they had absolutely loads of lead left behind.

armageddon, old chappy, I would have thought that trying to land on a lorry would have been an appealing challenge in good old DYR!!

and your info shows how out of date I am!

armageddon here cant be kept away from the place so he’d know more than i now!

coanda

The hangers were not sold to the farmers they were sold to a company called kemp and kemp who rent out the hangers for storage.. constant lorries coming in and out residents not happy and neither are us glider pilots… lorry drivers think they can take a short cut by using the runway!!

There is no mod storage there not since about a year and a half, DEFRA are there and temporary accomdation used for assylum seekers is stored there oh and some brand new mitsubishi cars. Someone is also building a pitts there!

The police also use 1 of the hangers for training.

MerlinXX you wouldnt have been at UWE would you? thats the uni that flies from there now (I graduated this year). I believe that those hangers left on the airfield were sold off to the farmers and are either empty or full of farming equipment. In the 4 yrs I have been going to aston down week and weekend, I have NEVER seen any of them open.

Aston Down is now used for disposal of surplus equipment (see landies most of the time) and some is rented out for storage, as far as I know.

coanda

Have just checked the video (the interview is at the end).

The chap says;

”we have got one or two peices of her around the place, but nothing of any bulk. The only one that ever flew was destroyed and that is something I feel very sad about”

I guess there could be parts that have survived which were removed before it went to Foulness, engines or avionics for instance.

He says thats the only bit left

Hi Joe,
Fair enough, but TV and video is notorious for shortening facts from ‘true’ to ‘soundbite’. I never believe ‘facts’ on the TV – and sadly that sceptism is usually confirmed when ytou get to check sources…

Just my 2d

Stand by Melv…

As an engineering apprentice with a design consultant, I was seconded to a GEC plant design office to work on the instrument lighting – inverter system etc. About 1962 I would imagine. Deathly boring work.

Mark

I have got the TSR 2 video where they interview one of the old boys from Foulness, he has got a bit of 219 in his office.

He says thats the only bit left. 😡

dont think he is right there :rolleyes:

I count myself extremely fortunate to have seen the beast flying.

I have got the TSR 2 video where they interview one of the old boys from Foulness, he has got a bit of 219 in his office.

He says thats the only bit left. 😡

A bit off-topic, but I always used to wonder what lurked in all of the hangers surrounding Aston Down. I used to glide there with my university a few years back, and always wanted to jump the fence and have a good look round.

interesting stuff…. does anyone know anymore about this lot of TSR-2 parts? i remember an artical in flypast (early issue no??) on the tsr2 remains at pendine – there were apparently some crated engines, and a set of wings, but a cockpit section is news to me.
there were some tsr-2 parts at cranfield after they moved XR222 to DX – these consisted of a navigators cockpit canopy, and ejection seat, 1 mainwheel, 1 nose leg, a set of rudder pedals, a control stick and various acumulators. these are now at midland air museum coventry. (not sure if theyre on display – you might have to ask…)

In 1987, my university still had TSR2 structure (wing & fin bits) that we used in aircraft structures!

In my collection I have a head down display unit and a drag chute as well as a few nick nacks.