Here is a thought …. could there have been an A400 Atlas out and about ? To me it sounds a bit like that.

Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre is not open yet but if you give us a ring on the number on the gate, I will happily show you the 1-11 and VC10, plus the others too. Please take the road to RAF St Mawgan, continue up the hill after the camps main gate and you will come to a metal gate…Gate 6 marked Aerohub. Our number is on the gate.

I believe the smaller museum at Davidstow is currently closed but the larger one next door is open as usual.

Spitfire Corner is always worth a look as is St Eval church.

……..to answer the original posters question…

Classic Air Force have been gone for some time and the airworthy aircraft began to leave last summer. The final airworthy aircraft, the Anson, left in April this year after months of work by resident engineers who were let go even before it was fully finished. All that remains here are the non airworthy aircraft and a lot of …. well…er …. stuff for us former CAF volunteers to sort out.

CAF are operating entirely from their original home base at Coventry, concentrating instead on special events only. I think they open a few days over a weekend as well ……. and outside of the special events….the admission is free.

All the aircraft that found themselves left behind are remaining … including the Varsity.

The airframes are yet to be moved to the new location but that should be in the next two weeks. We will continue to do our best by these airframes and we now have some fairly hefty support. We are confident that visitors will continue to come through the gates and enjoy our new set up and location. We are under no illusions here we know what we are up against.

The CAHC has absolutely nothing to do with the CAF, we are our own company and are now free from any control from CVT. However they continue to be supportive and we are grateful for that.

It is very early days but we hope to tap in to various funding streams previoulsy denied us by our predecessors and we will be using a local and award winning marketing set up that CAF didn’t feel that could help them during their brief stay here.

The Varsity, as it seems to the most talked about thus far, is in good shape all things considered. It has had a lot of restoration work done on it and internally by mainly one chap, certainly initially. He has worked wonders in there and we hope to show the visitors very soon. Yes, we are worried about it being outside, of course we are. But we are doing everything in our power to ensure that the Varsity and of course, all the other large airframes destined to be outside, are protected as much as possible. What we have achieved since Christmas is amazing given that we have no income or financial support whatsoever. We are indebted to those who have given generously and continue to do so and to our loyal band of volunteers, without whom these aircraft would have no future in my opinion.

Chris

I know via Facebook that Gary Perkin has now received the keys from the station commander, so I assume things are underway to dismantle.

The Shackleton project is not connected in anyway to what the former CAF volunteers are trying to set up at Newquay. That said some volunteers are involved in both.

Tim,

The tower and the hangars are not going anywhere. The old Seco attached to the bottom of the tower may go as it is well past it sell by date, as will the Met and GRF sections but the VHT will stay. The other Seco on the RAF St Mawgan side , the Guardroom, is being replaced as we speak. Of the nine HAS all seven owned by Cornwall Airport are being used by various businesses including CAF. The other two HAS are still on the RAF side and being used by them.

We the former CAF volunteers do not know what is happening here other than it is closed. This organisation will have a change of mind in an instant. The CAF, CF, Airbase, or call it what you will , is micromanaged by one person, only that person knows the fate of what is left here. We hope we get the chance to look after what ever is left behind.

The Airport or the wider Cornwall Council if you prefer, remain very surportive despite what you may hear of or think.

The Shackleton is not involved or affected by this announcement. I am lead to understand that there will be an anouncement about WL795 very soon.

Not teeming perhaps but available accomodation is limited with what is already in situ.

“St.Mawgan was a brave attempt, however it is a little “off the beaten track” and would have to depend on the summer visitors and local support. Coventry is much more accessible to a greater number of people”

….. and that is the reason or rather one of them, for coming to Cornwall in the first place apparently, except CVT was stated as being of the beaten track and NQY accessible to a greater number of people.