BH-5 and BH-9?

Rumcajs,

Was the original BH-5 closely related to the BH-9 as pictured here – they look almost identical?

These are photos I took (and posted on the forum) back in Oct 2005, following a visit to the Technical Museum in Prague.

Regards

Paul F

Well said Gordon, the bullet points summarise the reasons why she’ll never fly again very well, and you’re probably one of the best placed to comment.

Another argument : If someone had £15M would we not like to use that to put the UK Concordes undercover and safe for future generation, rather than get excited about seeing it fly again for 10 years?

Absolutely, otherwise, in ten years time we will be watching the scrappies set about the exposed Concorde airframes with cutting torches as per the recent and ongoing demise of the assorted outdoor Vulcans.

Unfortunatley the reality doesn’t make good headlines or generate pubilcity for certain people – as you say, this chestnut will resurface periodically when it’s a slow news day, or when someone with a vague link to Concorde needs to raise their profile.

Keep up the good work on Delta Golf, hope to get to Brooklands to see the reassembled beauty later this summer.

Paul F

Well worth a look

Amazing footage – you would never guess the final outcome from the first few minutes viewing would you?

Paul F

These make a nice change to the usual warbird pics, nice shots Paul C.

Paul F

Will she? / Won’t she?

Wasn’t going to post on this thread when it first popped up last week, as I feared it would be downhill all the way. Have just caught up with the posts that were added over the w/end.

Yes I want to see her in the air, yes I have thrown a few £ in the pot in the past, and yes I’ll throw a few more in, albeit with a lingering doubt that she won’t see daylight under her wheels again.

Melvyns post (no. 104 I think) sums it up, most of us (I presume?) would love to see a Vulcan in the air again, but realistically the chances are (still, IMHO) small. Not because there is any lack of expertise or commitment devoted to getting her up and running, but more because getting her into the air has to be a mere milestone in the whole project, and not the final goal, and in hindsight that’s perhaps where things were not properly thought through at the start

Getting her back into the air for a test flight or two, and for a quick “straight ‘n level” trip up the Mall* is one thing, funding an ongoing, expensive (likely very short, as per the LoHF application with only two sets of engines) second flying career is the major hurdle – and the one that has either been resolved, but not yet been properly explained to the interested masses despite frequent requests to hear the details, hence the questions on this thread, or one that remains as a HUGE hurdle that has never actually been tackled – either out of ignorance, or maybe out of a late realisation that there is simply no way of making the numbers work.

*Even as an “armchair” observer, I think the Mall Falklands Flypast is unlikely to see her, simply because time is too tight, and the test flights will almost certainly throw up faults and niggles that need to be rectified before CAA will “sign her off” even for simple straight and level flypasts.

I do sincerely hope she does fly, and that I get chance to see her in her element if she does, but as stated a few posts back, I fear we will see a pale shadow of the displays we saw when she and her sisters were still in service, I can’t see the CAA authorising any of those very steep wingovers, or those amazing full power climbouts after touch ‘n gos etc. I fear a number of the younger generation will wonder what all our fuss was about when they get just a few straight and level passes at a very safe height and very safe distance from them, yet hear us oldies reminisce about how things used to be. Maybe it would have been better leave well alone, rather than to risk a major disappointment as a result of today’s red tape place serious restrictions on her.

Melvyn, you write from first hand experience as someone who no doubt sank far more cash and time than you ever expected into your own restoration project, and I trust everyone remembers this when they read it.

Personally I’m still sitting on the fence on this one, I’d love to see her in the air – but Bruce’s comments about what else might have been achieved with similar sums of cash does make me wonder if I’d rather have seen a Mossie or two, or maybe a Beaufighter in the air, not least because they might have had longer shelf-lives post restroration, given that running costs might have been somewhat lower and soemwhat more “fundable” in the medium term.

Off to chip a few more quid into the Vulcan’s pot, more in hope than in expectation of seeing her do her stuff 🙁 .

Paul F

What you mean you didn’t see it? Thought it was parked next to ‘Janie’ ? 😀

Ah, but it was largely obscured by the Chinese Stirling most of the time….

Or that’s what someone told me, or maybe I read it on the web somewhere…

Maybe it’s me, but I have a real issue with what I’m seeing here…I know the sites we have seen on the links are in the main disused airfields rather than live – Dunsfold being the exception, and I suspect that the “thrill” of being inside these “targets” without getting caught is probably as much a part of the “fun” for the people involved, but I cannot help but see this activity as plain and simple Trespass, no matter how much they dress it up, or use the pretence of “highlighting” the historical artefacts they find, this is purely and simply breaking the law and trespassing on other people’s private property is it not?

Would the purpetrators of these acts like uninvited strangers entering their homes and trying to open their cupboards etc without permission? I doubt it, they’d probably be the first to complain to the local police.

And as for actually trying to gain access into some of the aircraft they find – would owners of airworthy planes be happy to know that uninvited visitors had bene trying to gain access. What happens if these oiks happen to do some unseen damage to a live aircraft during one of their visits?

I guess security at any site is down to the site owners, as is the right to let their own posessions decay into oblivion if they so wish. However, the fact that these idiots can wander around Dunsfold does worry me.

Dressing up trespass as something to be done “for the greater good” may lead the individuals involved to believe they are urban heroes, but I hope they come across a few unfriendly canine security guards, or impale themselves on some rusty barbed wire pdq. No doubt if this did happen these are the sort of trespassers who would take the site owner to court to seek damages for their suffering. B@st@rds.

I agree it is interesting to see photos of places like Long Marston collection, which may well be difficult to obtain legally if owners refuse to grant access, but I feel the Forum should not seen to condone deliberate acts of trespass in any way.

Thsi sort of website is yet another indication that society’s collective self-discipline, and respect for other people’s property, have all but vanished.

While access by one or two sensible individuals might not seem to be too serious, how long before others follow, and try to go that bit further in order to establish their credentials among their peer group, let alone let slip the location of the sites, and of possible entry or exit routes, to people who choose to aquire “souvenirs” of their illicit visits or who deliberately vandalise what they find.

It’s such a shame that the people doing this sort of thing can’t be encourgaed to direct their energy and enthusiasm in more legal directions, thoguh I guess the “anti establishment” nature of their “activities” is what drives them, bring them on-side and their enthusiasm will soon wane.

Rant over….. And to all site owners out there – just how secure is your facility against this type of unwanted visitor?

Paul F

Still on the frogspawn theme (though very tenuously I admit) – a winding mile long hillside stretch of the A275 near chez-Paul F has a foot high plastic “toad-fence” erected every spring as the massing toads try to cross back down into the river valley on the opposite side of the road in search of a mate.

We even have permanent warning road signs in place at each end of the fenced section, which are folded closed most of the year, but which are opened at the appropriate time of the year to show a large black toad. The signs are in the full UK-standard red triangle road-hazard warning sign format….I’m not sure just how aggresive the toads get, but I keep my door locked and my windows up just in case – after all, those signs must be there for a reason 😀

Every spring it makes me smile to see the signs opened and the fence in place. Funny thing is that in 20 years using the road (on a daily basis for a couple of years) I’ve never actually seen a toad crossing it (or the aftermath of one who tried and failed). I can’t help but wonder how the toads cross safely at each end of the fence :confused: , I’m waiting for a toad-sized zebra crossing to appear in due course:rolleyes: .

Paul F