Great news Peter. I am familiar with the battle you have had with the District Council and thank goodness they have come to their senses.

The progress you are making ‘mjr’ is very exciting. Can’t wait to see her in the scheme at the beginning of this thread. How far are you from applying the Saudi markings? I would guess stencils have to be made up, unless you are planning on using vinyl stickers/decals?

The other probablility is OT-CWA (FL586) which was a former Belgian Machine
.

Don’t think so, as it’s original serial was 43-49240 which no where nears matches that on the fin.

One other possible aircraft is G-ASMN but this was dark Green prior to scrapping

I think that should read G-AMSN?

…. unless it goes back to the ex-Spanish Air Force Dakotas that were arround in the early eighties.

That’s my best bet, as there were several at Blackbushe in white/silver scheme in the late ’70s. Some went to museums, some returned to flying also and ended up at North Weald and elsewhere.

It’s nice that the Wimpey is getting tarted up, and I just hope it goes back in the Bomber Hall where it came from.

It righty belongs back at Hendon, but I wouldn’t mind if it was displayed at Cosford for a while. At least we would get a chance to see and photograph it, without the use of a torch! :rolleyes:

Thanks for those as I was there that day and flew on G-APEY from Heathrow on 19th April 1996. The reporters all claim that ‘THAT’ was the last UK passenger flight, but it wasn’t. The aircraft took VIPs and reporters up from Heathrow for a 30 minute flight, then returned. I then boarded the aircraft with others and we flew from Heathrow to Stansted.
THAT was the last Viscount flight from Heathrow, but then G-APEY went on to give enthusiast flights from Lydd, so notched up yet another few ‘last passenger flight’s. Incidently G-APEY (c/n 382) is the aircraft up for sale in Zaire, but the cost of bringing it back to UK might be far more than any museum could raise?

The other discussion centered around G-BAPF at the Home Office Fire School at Morton-in-Marsh. I was there last month and it still looks in pretty good condition, as it’s used for anti-terrorist training and not for fire-fighting. I am sure if the School was offered an alternative airliner fuselage, they would part with this Viscount.

In case any of you don’t know what an Airfix Superfreighter looks like here is one I made in the nineties when it was briefly re-released.

Colin

What an excellent job you have made of it Colin. I have converted two of these kits to Mk.31s and have another five kits set aside all with decal sheets for Silver City, British United and others.

Well, we have a Nimrod R1 going to Newark and now an MR2 going to East Midlands. That’s two that will take an awful lot of upkeep to prevent them from rusting away and still no sign of the RAF Museum being allocated one?

I have just read this and thanks for letting us know David. Fred was extremely helpful in sourcing photographs for various articles I wrote over the years and will be greatly missed. I finally met him when Westland hosted a visit to the factory by the Fairford Aviation Society last year. A sad loss – please accept my condolencies.