G-ARVM at Cosford

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 29 Aug 2006, 15:13

How strange...I just looked up that S111 G-AVMO and my last flight in it was also Berlin, Templehof to Frankfurt and back on 23rd June 1973...50 mins out and 1 hour 05 mins back...See my post elsewhere about G-AVMP

The next day (24th June) I flew my last ever flight in a S111, G-AVMZ :think:

Post by **Garry Russell** » 29 Aug 2006, 15:26

Hi Peter

Great to here the 'personal' touches.

I think that G-AVMZ was the last of those ex BEA 510 in service as well.

Or at least at the end I was only seeing 'MZ

Did you ever fly Viscounts?

Garry

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 29 Aug 2006, 16:00

Garry Russell wrote:Did you ever fly Viscounts?

Once Garry...As I joined BEA, I was to go on Viscounts and I did fly as Supernumery Crew on a London via somewhere to Warsaw and back...A very long day in a Viscount. I didn't record it in my logbook.

BEA sent us home for a couple of weeks leave as we joined, as the Training System was overloaded and they couldn't take us in that day...They did manage to give us that flight though. Then they gave us another two weeks leave and this did not suit me as I was desperate to get back into flying after a spell on building sites as I completed my licensing.

Anyway...I took all the Viscount manuals home and studied them while I waited...By the time they were ready for us I reckon I was really clued up on the Viscount :dance:

Guess what...Their very first words of greeting as we sat down in the classroom were..."It's ABC chaps...All Been Changed...You are all going on Vanguards" :shock:

Post by **Garry Russell** » 29 Aug 2006, 16:05

Well as they used to say

BEA No.1 in Europe :k:

Garry

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 31 Aug 2006, 21:08

Tail is now off:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=61517

:sad:

speedbird591 · Post by **speedbird591** » 31 Aug 2006, 21:20

Thanks Toby - I think :sad:

Are there any more preserved VC10s other than the one at Brooklands?

Ian

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 31 Aug 2006, 21:27

Yes theres G-ASGC at Duxford and one at Hermeskeil in Germany - another ex Middle Eastern VIP transportI think.

speedbird591 · Post by **speedbird591** » 31 Aug 2006, 21:29

Thanks again, Toby. I'd better arrange a charabanc outing for a few old BOAC pensioners before it's too late. It'll make a change from sitting around drinking beer and spinning yarns!

Ian

gwsimulations · Post by **gwsimulations** » 02 Sep 2006, 22:03

I was up at EF a couple of weeks ago.

Apparently, the 707, VC-10, and Trident were scrapped because the aircraft were in too bad a state to restore.

It sounds like they wanted to keep them intact though, and they trying to find a Trident to install in a new hangar they are trying to build as part of there re-organisation, which will also contain Concorde G-BOAA, the Comet, the 707 and Trident noses, the Viscount, the 1-11, and, if they can find one, a complete Trident. (Must be one big hangar!). They also want to move their Vulcan into the hangar which currently houses Concorde, and restore the original buildings to their wartime state.

Another interesting thing there was a project to build an airworthy Sopwith 1 1/4 Strutter replica.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 02 Sep 2006, 22:06

TH VC 10 in Germany is G-ARVF

The Cosford exhibits ended like this because BA withdrew support

They were not beyond restoration

They get bombers out of lakes and restore them.

Just excuses me thinks

Garry