Part of the problem surely has to also include duplication and rationalisation. Imagine if it possible to take a fully rational, ruthless look at the entire preservation scene in the UK as one resource. You’d find that, although far from adequate to save everything, the existing covered space in UK museums could be used much more effectively and many more types could go indoors.
In theory, all you’d need to do is cull some massively over-represented aircraft. There are a great number of Jet Provosts, Vampire T11s, Canberras, Harriers, and Hunters (or worse, plastic models of Spitfires) filling up museum space. A determined cull of these, leaving just 1-2 representative, best-quality examples of each sub-type or variant, and you’d have much more space right away for getting one or two Heralds, Victors, Ambassadors, VC-10s and the like undercover and protected.
Of course, this can never happen without some kind of UK aviation dictatorship forcing museums to cull airframes and move exhibits, which in most ways would be totally unacceptable. Every museum understandably wants to hang on to as many of its exhibits as possible, after all, they’re what keeps people coming in the door. But it’s sad that this sort of thing results in aircraft like the Flixton Valetta, or the Coventry BP.111 rotting outside, while endless duplications of more fortunate types fill up hangars.
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