October 3, 2011 at 1:44 pm
I am researching for a book on AEW Aircraft and I’m currently looking at the Britten-Norman Defender AEW. I have established that 5 were built they were :
1. CN 2143 / CN 4002 G-BJYX then G-TEMI then G-MSSA and finally N360TL
2. CN 2115 /CN 4001 G-BJBH then G-RAPA then N360WT
3. CN 2140 G-DLRA then ZG989
4. CN 4003 G-BVHX
5. CN 4004 G-BVHY
As you can see most were re-registered several times, as far as I can establish aicraft No 3 – ZG989 is still active and was seen going in and out of Waddington in June 2010.
Aircraft No 1 was still operational with Grumman Westinghouse in 2005 in the USA.
Airframe No 5 has been broken up, as possibly has aircraft No 4.
I have no idea what has happened to aircraft No 2!
Can anyone shed any light on what any of these aircraft have been doing in recent years or what their final fate was?
Also can anyone elaborate if ZG989 has ever been used “operationally” especially as it has worn military serials since at least 2001 or there abouts. Obviously I am not looking for operational details as that would be classified.
It is just a shame that this overall project has been completely overlooked since BN’s failure to win the CASTOR programme in the 80’s and I am arguing with my Brazilian co-author whether this British project warrants inclusion in the AEW book (obviously I would like it to be). Apart from an excellent article on “Terrier Islanders” in AFM a few years ago very very little is known about these strange but beautiful little aircraft. Please can anybody elaborate on their histories and disposal?
Thanks
Rick