Whilst Ian Dewar says he is pleased the she has been saved, I’ll bet he’s really P’d off that ist going there, so am I, like folks have said it just wont last and deserves better.
This is it from the Hull Daily mail:-
MUSEUM LANDS HISTORIC PLANE
14:30 – 19 February 2004
Campaigners have won their fight to keep an historic aircraft in the East Riding after fearing it might be sold for scrap.
The Blackburn Beverley aircraft – the last of its kind in existence – will be winging its way to Fort Paull after a dramatic few months when its fate hung in the balance.
Today, staff at Fort Paull told the Mail they were delighted to be able to buy the aircraft after competing with two other bidders.
The Blackburn Beverley has been in need of a new home since liquidators were called in August last year to its present location, the Army Transport Museum.
It had been thought the aircraft could be sold at auction for scrap metal to help pay debts from the facility, in Flemingate, Beverley.
But today, Brian Rushworth, Fort Paull museum director, said: “We are definitely getting the Blackburn Beverley and this is tremendous news.
“We have two obvious connections, as it was built in Brough, on the banks of the Humber, and Fort Paull was the site where the aeroplane last landed.”
Fort Paull outbid its competitors by offering the most money, thought to be a five-figure sum, to liquidators Carrick Read Insolvency.
Chris Garwood, from the firm, said: “As liquidators we were under a duty to secure the highest price possible for any assets.
“But I am glad that the future of the aircraft has hopefully been resolved and that the Blackburn Beverley is set to remain local.”
Detailed studies into how to move the aircraft and how much the scheme will cost will now take place, with Fort Paull hopeful of a move by June.
The museum is keen to use the Blackburn Beverley as an “active” attraction by fitting it out with interactive multimedia teaching equipment.
One of the other bidders, the Beverley Association, had hoped to see the aircraft moved to Elvington’s Yorkshire Air Museum if its bid had been successful.
Ian Dewar, operations manager of the Yorkshire Air Museum, had led the site’s Beverley Initiative campaign to preserve the aircraft.
Mr Dewar said: “From the start our initiative we had the aim of saving this aircraft from the scrap heap and I am delighted that has been achieved.
“It is an iconic aircraft and was a quantum leap in aircraft transport development, so I am just happy it will be preserved.”
[email]alacey@hulldailymail.co.uk[/email]
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