East Midlands Airport & Aeropark Aviation Collection

[viscount]

EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT & AEROPARK COLLECTION
Friday evening 1st and Saturday morning 2nd September

.

As I got rather caught-up in recording subsequent adventures around Spain, Italy and Malta, reports and photos from the final days of my 'road
trip' around some of Britain's many aviation museums never got finished. So, in an attempt to put that right a thread for East Midlands Airport & Aeropark.

Long time since my previous visits to EMA (likely as far back as 1998 and 1990). The passenger and cargo side of the airport's activity has grown considerably in that time. I did not bother with the terminal side of the airfield, heading for the north side fence. Here I found the side road around a Pub leading to the north fence, which has plenty of parking space on either side and the start of an official footpath around the north perimeter outside a high wire fence. My little camera fitted through the wire well, but was a little difficult to pan comfortably. I was lucky with 09 being the active, as the action was all at that end.

We need to take the JLA management team to EMA to show them just what could be possible when enthusiasts, aircraft watchers, airport, landowners and local council have the will to work together. A popular location with both local families and dog walkers.

EAST MIDLANDS, Friday evening, 1st September 2023 (1945-2045)

										
G-CMEI	ATR.72-600 (212A)		Eastern Airways, landed		
G-DHLE	Boeing 767-3JHF			DHL Cargo		
G-DLHM	Boeing 767-324ERF		DHL Cargo		
G-DLHY	Boeing 777F			DHL Cargo		
G-DRT·	Boeing 737-8··			Jet 2, blue/white		
G-JZHG	Boeing 737-85P			Jet 2, blue/white		
G-TUMA	Boeing 737-MAX8			TUI		
EI-DWN	Boeing 737-8AS			Ryanair, landed		
EI-HGX	Boeing 737-MAX8			Ryanair		
N338UP	Boeing 767-34AF			UPS, landed		
N350UP	Boeing 767-34AF			UPS, landed		
N6383	Boeing 767-316ERF		DHL Cargo	 temporary style regn, ex G-DHLR	
OE-IOL	Airbus A.320-214		all white	 to become G-EJCR EasyJet	
OO-JIO	Citation 525 CH1		Luxaviation		
SX-DVM	Airbus A.320-232		Aegean Airlines, landed		
	a Cessna 404 of RVL, landed					
	a further Boeing 737 of Jet2					
	a pale Airbus A.330 (Jet 2/RAF one?) mostly hidden					
	two wide bodies of Fed Ex					
	another DHL aircraft					
	a yellow T-6 Harvard that landed at dusk. (included to provide a full picture, I'm not worried 
about the regns).

G-DHLE Boeing 767-300F DHL Cargo



OE-IOL (presented in an unusual font for an aircraft regn) Airbus A.320-214 awaiting re-registration and repaint as G-ECJR for EasyJet UK. The Airbus A.320 tail beyond is Aegean Airways.



Boeing 767-300F UPS Worldwide Services



G-DHLY Boeing 777F of DHL Worldwide on taxi to their massive facility.



G-DHLM Boeing 767-300F, DHL Worldwide

ENTHUSIAST'S SPOT & AEROPARK (when open) PHOTOGRAPHY POINTS

Although taken from the top of a set of VC-10 steps (so over the top of the tall fence) of the Aeropark, this does show just how good the view over the 09 end of the runway, the DHL freight terminal and airport passenger terminal (off the left side of the photo) is. However, the UPS freight apron at the east end is part hidden in a dip.





Signage on the fence at the crash gate end of a lane and along the public access footpath along the fence, which stretches for some distance.

EAST MIDLANDS, Saturday morning, 2nd September 2023 (1125-1305)

												
EC-IXO	Boeing 737-883F			DHL, op by Swiftair			
EI-DCR	Boeing 737-8AS			Ryanair			
EI-DWA	Boeing 737-8AS			Ryanair			
EI-EKW	Boeing 737-8AS			Ryanair			
D-AEAE	Airbus A.300B4-622R		DHL Cargo			
D-ALMA	Airbus A.330-243F		DHL Cargo			
D-COGA	Citation 525B CJ3		Excellent Air			
G-BGGO	Cessna F152			Donair			
G-BMJD	Cessna 152 II			Donair			
G-BMRA	Boeing 757-236F			DHL Cargo			
G-BMRD	Boeing 757-236F			DHL Cargo			
G-CMEI	ATR.72-600 (212A)		Eastern Airways, departed			
G-DHLJ	Boeing 767-3JHF			DHL Cargo			
G-DRTI	Boeing 737-8FH			Jet 2, silver/red			
G-DRTM	Boeing 737-85P			Jet 2, blue/white			
G-JMCV	Boeing 737-4K5F			West Atlantic			
LZ-CGU	Boeing 737-488SF		Cargo Air/DHL Cargo			
N719EL	Hawker 400XP			landed			
N6383	Boeing 767-316ERF		DHL Cargo       (temporary style regn, ex G-DHLR)			
OE-IOL	Airbus A.320-214		all white	(to become G-EJCR EasyJet)		
	A pale A.330, mostly hidden (likely a RAF/Jet 2 machine)						
	2 x Boeing 737F of Prime						
	2 x wide bodies of Fed Ex

D-AEAE Airbus A.300-600F, DHL Cargo



LZ-CGU Boeing 737-400F Air Cargo with partial yellow DHL scheme and titles



Boeing 767-300F DHL Cargo



Beechcraft 400XP N719EL right on the moment of touch-down.



Eastern Airways ATR-72-600 G-CMEI said to be in a new Eastern colour scheme. In my view somewhat anemic in comparison to some of their eye-catching blue/red schemes in the past, although certainly better than a 'polar bear'! Landed the evening before, departed Saturday morning, so I would guess on a football team charter.



In amongst all the widebodies, Donington Aviation 'Donair' survive, and looks insignificant in comparison.



Airbus A.330F D-ALMA landing 09 as seen from the Aeropark banks.



The DHL Boeing 767-300F with a 'sticker' style registration N6383 was one of the few aircraft also seen the evening before. Only just removed from the British register, previously G-DHLR. The Boeing 737-400F is G-JMCV of West Atlantic



Citation 525B CJ3 D-COGA of Excellent Air landing. Again as seen from the Aeropark.



A slightly unfortunate registration on this clean Boeing 737-8 of Jet 2, G-DRTI. Again shot from the Aeropark.

[viscount]

EAST MIDLANDS AEROPARK COLLECTION.
Saturday 2nd September 2023

												
(G-ANUW)     DH.106 Dove 6			NOSE only, former CAFU/CAA machine. Odd flat cockpit roof.		
(G-APES)     V.953F Merchantman			NOSE only, BEA, black cheat, red square, 60s scheme			
G-ARBE	     DH.104 Dove 8			Dismantled.  New acquisition			
G-ARRM	     Beagle B.206			fuselage in workshop, wings outside			
(G-ASDL)     A.61 Terrier			fuselage frame only			
G-BEOZ	     HS.650 Argosy 101			Elan scheme			
(G-CSZB)     V.807 Viscount			NOSE only, BAF scheme "Viscount Scotland"			
(VR-BEP)     WS-55 Whirlwind 3			Bristows colour scheme			
WH740/K	     EE Canberra T.17			360 Sqdn			
WL626/P	     V. Varsity T.1			6 FTS			
(WM224)	     G. Meteor TT.20			silver/faded dayglo, undergoing a repaint			
WP784/RCY:E  DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10		fuselage only, no wings			
(WS760)	     G. Meteor NF.14			undergoing deep maintenance and repaint			
WT914	     Slingsby Cadet TX.3		fuselage only			
WV382/839:VL H. Hunter GA.11			RN.  Part rubbed down for repaint?			
WW442/P:D    P.56 Provost T.1			yellow T-bands			
XD447/50     DH.115 Vampire T.11		dayglo strips			
XD534/L	     DH.115 Vampire T.11		yellow T-bands			
XG737	     DH.Sea Venom FAW.22		NOSE POD ONLY, Royal Navy			
'XJ714'/B    H. Hunter FR.10			4 Sqdn, recent repaint			
XL569/85     H. Hunter T.7			2 TWU			
XM575	     Avro Vulcan B.2			44 Sqdn			
XP568/85     H. Jet Provost T.4			faded red painted day-glo			
XT604	     WS-58 Wessex HAR.2			22 Sqdn. 'Rescue' yellow.			
XV108	     Vickers VC-10, C.1K		NOSE & FORWARD FUSELAGE only, 10 Sqdn.			
XV350	     Buccaneer S.2B			no sqdn marks			
XW664	     HS.801 Nimrod R.1			51 Sqdn			
TAD.001	     Westland Gazelle AH.1		Army, formerly XX457			
XX494/B	     HP Jetstream T.1			45 Squadron			
XZ369/AP     SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3A		6 Sqdn			
XZ721/426    Westland Lynx HMA.8		Royal Navy, 815 Sqdn			
ZD477/E	     WS-61 Sea King HC.4		Royal Navy			
ZF588	     Lightning F.53			in 74 Sqdn colours (towards end of a repaint)			
							
Listed in W&R 28 (2022) but not noted (but could well have been on site):							
Gliders: an EoN Primary, K-8, Sie 3, EoN Eton and cockpits: Meteor NF13 WM367, Jet Provost XN492.							
Only addition to W&R: the Dove G-ARBE.

As an observation, a Tornado and a Hawk would fit in well with the existing aircraft and bring the military side more upto date. What I did approve of was the general 'healthy' look of aircraft on view and the evidence of cleaning, upkeep and repainting of the exhibits from smallest to largest. Also the 'family' atmosphere (helped by a warm, sunny Saturday) East Midlands Aeropark gets a very big tick from me! If I'm ever down that way again, and they are open, I'll be popping in for another look around (but I would like the public barrier moved across a few yards so that the public can see into the restoration hangar and what is being worked on).









Just in from the entrance porta-cabin are three cockpit sections, all three from Vickers products: Viscount, Vanguard and VC-10. All were visitors to Speke during their working lives. The Viscount in British Air Ferries colours was once G-CSZB and earlier G-AOXU, the Merchantman was G-APES in the early BEA Vanguard colours with the wide black cheat-line and red 'BEA' square scheme and the VC-10, which is not just a cockpit section, but forward fuselage was once XV108 with the RAF.





Two 'overviews' of the aircraft exhibited. Four aircraft dominate, the Vulcan, a Nimrod, a Varsity and an Argosy, with a further 25 or so aircraft fitted in around them.



Two 'cold war' era aircraft XM575 Vulcan B.2 44 Sqdn and EE Canberra T.17 in 360 Sqdn markings.



The Nimrod, XW664 is unusual in that it is a Mk.R.1, rather than the usual MR.1/2.



One of two Vampire T.11s, this one in the earlier yellow T-bands scheme



From the same era, a P.56 Provost T.1 basic trainer



In '60s style day-glo training scheme a Hunting Jet Provost T.4 XP568/85 in Royal Air Force College unit marks.



Round by the Romney(?) buildings, this restored Chipmunk fuselage, with no wings and false legs!





Two Meteors, both two-seat variants. Both seem to be getting some tlc, one to a much deeper degree. Top is WM224 a Meteor TT.20, the lower is assumed to be Meteor NF(T).14 WS760 which is clearly undergoing far deeper work then just a coat of paint. Pity the site doesn't have the facilities to undertake the work in the dry. The wings of Beagle B.206 G-ARRM were laid out on the grass - the fuselage being in the workshop.



Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B, XV350



SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3A XZ369/AP





A pair of Hawker Hunters, although there are 3 on site. XL569 Hunter T.7 and 'XJ714' a Hunter FR.10 (although the aircraft is a composite of several airframes). Quite like the 4 Sqdn colours (more familiar on Hawk T.2s) though.



Lightning F.53 (F.6) ZF588 in the final stages of a repaint, with (presumably) 74 Sqdn decals to be reapplied shortly.



WS-55 Whirlwind 3, in civilian Bristow colours, most recently ex VR-BEP but has been G-BAMH in the more distant past.



Royal Navy Westland Lynx HMA.8 XZ721 coded 426 on one side only.



WS-58 Wessex HAR.2 XT604 of 22 Sqdn, an aircraft I've watched flying at RAF Valley on many occasions. According to W&R most of the aircraft is XT760, with just the tail-end, the bit with the registration on is XT604.



G-ANUW DH.104 Dove 6, while flying with the CAA's Civil Aviation Flying Unit was a regular at Speke in the 60s and 70s.
Since she last flew in the early 60s it looks as though preservation has not been too kind. The current scheme is wrong (or just faded badly), and what is the flat-top cockpit all about?



It could be that G-ANUW is due to be replaced by fresher example, G-ARBE which is in a dismantled state near the workshops.



While the majority of the aircraft in the collection are types that entered long production runs, it is good to find an unusual type, G-FRJB is an Aircraft Designs Sheriff, constructed 1982, but never flown.



An earlier design, with similar dimensions, but did enter production was the Beagle B.206. An early example of which is G-ARRM, dating from 1961. The golden nose is seen just poking out of the restoration hangar, the wings are in the foreground of one of the Meteor images earlier.



A recently restored Sea Venom nose pod in the building next to the workshops. On the platform above note an Air Cadets Slingsby Cadet fuselage and the frame of a Beagle Terrier.





The years I've watched Argosy G-BEOZ operating in and out of Liverpool Airport with ABC-Air Bridge Carriers with newspapers to Belfast and general freight inbound. Been with East Midlands Aeropark since 1987, her last flight was likely a year earlier. Clearly either an on-going repaint or deep clean in progress.

I enjoyed the aircraft, atmosphere and proximity to the 'live' runway that I overstayed my intended time at the Aeropark. Of the ten plus collections/museums visited in a week, the Aeropark had the latest opening time. Then busy motorway traffic, even on a Saturday afternoon conspired to make me even later by the time I reached my next Aviation Museum.