ZRX,

Are there any plans for #8554?, mutilated lift beam acknowledged!
I notice when registered as N39502, there were dates showing activity as ‘recent’ as 2006. The same internet search showed the title holder then, as ‘Boeing Logistics Spares Inc’.
The colour scheme seen in FB is reminiscent of the Boeing paint schemes worn by their airliner demonstrators in the 80’s.

RB,

VR-BDX, was, I think, the last 204 in BHL?

Huey’s

‘Besides G-HUEY, how many other Bell 205 Hueys are civil registered in the UK? Which one does Helifilms operate? Thanks’.
Hi,
The Bell 205 is the civil certified variant of the military Bell UH-1D or H model.
B205A-1 G-UHGB of Heli-Lift services, is the only flying 205 on the UK register.
UH-1H’s G-HUEY and G-UHIH are the only flying UH-1’s on the UK register.
No idea who Helifilms are, but off on a tangent and for those interested, other [non-flying] UH-1’s to be seen in the UK, include: –
Museum of Army flying, Middle Wallop UH-1H 72-21506 ex Arg AE409
FAA Museum, Yeovilton UH-1H 74-27520 ex Arg AE422
SARTU RAF Valley UH-1H 72-21605 ex Arg AE406
IHM Weston super Mare UH-1H 66-16579
American Air Museum Duxford UH-1H 72-21605

Googling ‘Abbotsinch Avengers’ shows a few more survivors that lingered into the late 50’s and early 60’s. The ‘scrapyards thread’ page 49 shows some in the JN Connel scrapyard at Coatbridge.
That XB446 survived at all is to be grateful for. Other FAA airfield proximity scrapyards provided more survivors thankfully[Seafires ex Anthorn and Fireflies ex Stretton/Burscough?].
Some Avengers have slipped the net too, -3W G-BTBM once at Strathallen.
As for those in the long grass at tin pot strips, i saw one 20 years ago,N4172A a -3E languishing at Kissimee. According to WIX, it moved on in 2006.
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G-SFTA ended its flying career, exactly 30 year ago today, when it encountered fenestrom stall in the vicinity of Alston Cumbria.It made one futher ‘hop’ when it was underslung to carlisle, by a BAH S61.
It had previously been HB-XIL with Air Zermatt and prior to that was G-BAGJ.
Of the dozen or so SA341G’s with SFT,TA was different by being Westland built.
Photo 1 shows TA at the back of the carlisle hanger with a few other wrecks.
Photo 2 has it dismantled, to see if repairs were feasible.It turned out not to be.
TA then made a movie prop appearance and subsequently found a good home at sunderland.
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SND 80’s

Some pics taken early 86.APEX donated a rudder and other parts to a ‘wheels up casualty’ IIRC.APEX and APWA ‘guarded’ the maint site for a long time.
Great place to be around.