Where? When? and what happened to them?

The Freighter did indeed crash at Enstone (whilst registered C-FCFC) The wings, props and engines are still there. The cockpit I seem to recall hearing/reading is held by someone local.
The Vintage Pair crashed at Mildenhall (’86?) and the single remaining meteor at Coventry (’87?).
The Varsity in ripple could be WL679 which is at Cosford. The Phantom could be the one at Boscombe’s museum.

Sounds like Duxford would have been a good place to start cockpit collecting with the number of aircraft that have been scrapped there over the years!!!! Comet and C131 spring to mind and now a Varsity too!!

While were on the subject does anyone know what happened to this one and when the photo was taken, its at Fairford. (While finding the Varsity pic I found the Vintage pair and just had to post it for old times sake, sorry!)

It’s a pity really because I seem to remember the other Duxford machine was a former Met Flight aircraft with an interesting history. The present Varsity seems to be due some attention. There was another Varsity airworthy in Texas but that suffered an engine failure and had to make a forced landing. It hasn’t flown since.

I’m not sure when my photo was taken but it was mid 80’s which does not fully rule out the one that crashed but makes it more likley the Duxford resident. Below is another photo taken the same day of the TBM before restoration if that helps put a date on things?

There were once two Varsities at Duxford – this flier plus a static one with the IWM.

As mentioned elsewhere, it was the other airworthy UK Varsity (painted in a similar scheme to the airworthy Duxford one) that crashed killing Mike Twite amongst others. Following this the Duxford one didn’t stay flying for much longer and it passed to the IWM. Since it was in better condition than their own one they scrapped their original one and kept this one for the museum

Tony Andrews

I’m not sure when my photo was taken but it was mid 80’s which does not fully rule out the one that crashed but makes it more likley the Duxford resident. Below is another photo taken the same day of the TBM before restoration if that helps put a date on things? Added a few others taken the same day. I’m sure it’s no later than 1985 but don’t know if it was before the crash in 1984.

The Varsity in my photograph taken at Duxford in 1983 is WJ945.

The Varsity crashed taking with it a number of people including Flypast’s founding editor.

Are you sure thats the same aeroplane, I was under the impresion the Varsity now at DX was also airworthy at the same time but was grounded after the accident of the other privatly owned a/c.
I may be wrong, I usualy am wrong but I hope someone can clarify this for me.
I was only talking about that accident a few weeks ago with my Dad, he was on “Pigs” as they called them, for years, and one of the quotes at the time was that the aeroplane lost an engine “and it is well known a Varsity will not maintain altitude on one engine”.
To quote my old man, ” I wish those buggers had told me about that, we flew all round the bloody med on one engine and the back end was full of trainee Navs trying there hardest to get us lost”.
Ahh well, trivia moment over.

see ya

The Varsity could well be the Duxford one when it was still a flyer. Does anybody have a date when it last flew. WJ945/G-BEDV. I remember visiting Duxford sometime in the mid eighties when the Varsity was parked on the airfield rather than permanently in the museum line up.

The one that crashed was based I believe at East Midlands and was WJ897/G-BDFT. It crashed 19/08/84 at Marchington.

The Varsity crashed taking with it a number of people including Flypast’s founding editor.

Is the Varsity still around or did it go the same way as the Freighter?

Was the Varsity a flyer or just parked on the flightline?

Varsity was a flyer. Photo below taken at Duxford in 1983.

Posted these before on the commercial forum…the Frightener as the crew referred to her. Glasgow, 1985-ish.

The Freighter was imported circa 1983 ish from memory. It was operated by Instone Airlines and later by Air Atlantique on their behalf. She then went to Canada only to return and be written off at Enstone. A very sad end to her.

That will be Duxford in the mid/late 80’s. The Freighter went to Canada(?) only to return a little later and crash on take off in Oxfordshire.

….at Enstone,in fact,and I do believe that parts of the aircraft are still there lurking behind one of the hangars,plus an engine and prop in the same hangar

colin
oxfordshire aviation group

www.communigate.co.uk/oxford/oag

Who operated the Freighter before it went to Canada, was it a commercial operation or private owner? Was the Varsity a flyer or just parked on the flightline? Guess you guys are too good at this!! Next time I’ll have to find something harder!!

That will be Duxford in the mid/late 80’s. The Freighter went to Canada(?) only to return a little later and crash on take off in Oxfordshire.

I think the photo was taken at Duxford and the Bristol Freigter crashed.