ZE433 departing Thurleigh

[Garry Russell]

Maybe this

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air ... ee11f1e56a

Or maybe a dark patch for some technical reason for equipment inside???

It is very

[TSR2]

Hi Garry,

Your spot on, and I had got my wires crossed (again).

That looks like it was the DRA markings but I didn't think they had been applied while it was at Bedford and still with Ferranti. Does anyone know how long it was on the Civil reg while at Ferranti, or have any photos of her as she was delivered to them?

[Garry Russell]

Hi Ben

G-BGKE was registered to GEC-Marconi 10 June 1991

It was cancelled 01 March 1994 as transferred to Ministry of Defence

[TSR2]

So I wonder if the letters were GEC before becoming DRA. Can't seem to find any pictures of her in GEC guise.

[NigelC]

Neither can I

[Garry Russell]

GEC-Marconi were the operators but that doesn't mean it would wear those titles.

[TSR2]

I know that Garry, but its unlikely it wore roundels etc before getting it mil reg, so there were 3 years were it was on the civil reg being operated by GEC but, so far, with no pictures

[Garry Russell]

Maybe it never flew like that and spent the whole time being fitted out.

It's probably the DRA titles as in the pick I linked above

[TSR2]

You could well be right Garry. DRA was formed in 91, I thought it was '95, but that was DERA