Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, Old Sarum, 28th May.
Jun 17, 2024 10:32:54 GMT 1
northbynorthwest, Barfluer, and 3 more like this
Post by viscount on Jun 17, 2024 10:32:54 GMT 1
BOSCOMBE DOWN AVIATION COLLECTION (BDAC) at OLD SARUM AERODROME
Most of the collection is housed indoors, in one of three WWI original double-hangars. One of the other pairs is an industrial unit, while No.3 has suffered considerable storm damage to the roof. A reminder of how Hooton Park's similar WWI hangar units once looked - one hopes that experience gained in funding and restoring their hangars could be applied to restore those at Old Sarum. The once thriving general aviation scene at Old Sarum has moved out, there being just 3 aircraft seen parked on the aerodrome.
What a varied and interesting mix of complete, mostly ex-military aircraft and cockpit sections have been brought together by BDAC. They pride themselves on the number of cockpits available to enter. I was there on a half-term Tuesday morning just after opening and it was already getting busy, while a coach group arrived just as I was departing. Lots to see, all exhibits had well researched history boards. Great to see so many exhibits under cover in a primarily volunteer run museum, rather than outside in the elements.
Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, Old Sarum Aerodrome, Tuesday 28th May, morning.
Complete aircraft, mostly inside:
G-ANNG DH.82A Tiger Moth a lodger with BDAC, is up for sale
G-VIVM BAC. Jet Provost T.5 black, 'Fly Aviation UK' titles (once XS230)
"2783" Be.2c replica also BAPC.332
MS968 Auster 5/AOP.5 WWII brown/green camo (once G-ALYG)
WA577 Bristol Sycamore 3 RAF, silver (once G-ALST)
WD231 DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 RAF (once G-BDCC)
WG763 EE. P.1A Lightning prototype
WK800/Z G. Meteor D.16 RAE Llanbedr, red & yellow
WZ736 Avro 707A orange overall
XF365/6 H. Hunter F.6A ETPS red & white, outside
XP899 W. Scout AH.1 Army
XR650/28 H. Jet Provost T.4 RAF, red/white, outside
XR898 Northrop Shelduck D.1 drone
XS734 Beagle 206 Basset Z2 ETPS
XT437/423 W. Wasp HAS.1 RN, HMS Diomede Flt
XX145 SEPECAT Jaguar T.2A ETPS, fuselage outside, wings inside
XX154 HS. Hawk T.1 ETPS, all black - Hawk prototype
XX734 SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 RAF, 6 Sqdn marks
XZ457/104:VL HS. Sea Harrier F/A.2 RN, 899 Sqdn
(ZA242) Shorts MATS-B 1A UAV
ZA319/- Panavia Tornado GR.1T RAF
(ZJ477) GEC-Marconi Phoenix UAV
ZJ748 Meteor Mirach 100/5 orange drone
3150 Target Tech Banshee 400 drone
A92-466 GAF Jindivik 103BL red/yellow, target drone
Partial aircraft: cockpit sections, fuselage sections etc
"PD130" Avro Lancaster I FSM of cockpit section
(WD790) G. Meteor NF.11 RAE, nose & cockpit
WH876 EE. Canberra B.2(mod) RAF
(WJ865) EE. Canberra T.4 RAF
(WT859) V-S. 544 (Scimitar) RN
WV910 H. Sea Hawk FGA.4 ETPS
XF113 S. Swift FR.7 RAF green/grey, long nose & cockpit
(XG290) H. Hunter F.6 RAF
XJ474 DH.110 Sea Vixen FAW.1 RN, A&AEE
(XK699) DH.106 Comet C.2 RAF, forward fuselage, outside
(XN726) EE. Lightning F.2A RAF
XS231 BAC. Jet Provost T.5 cockpit (once G-ATAJ)
(XS790) HS.748 Andover CC.2 RAE, much modified nose section
(XV148) HS.801 Nimrod MR.1 cockpit section
(XV196) C-130K Hercules C.1 museum entrance is via a section of fuselage
(XV784) HS. Harrier GR.3 RAF
XW560 SEPECAT Jaguar SO.6 A&AEE, RAF grey/green camou.
XX343 HS. Hawk T.1 RAF
XX761 SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1A RAF, grey
XX919 BAC-111-402 RAE, cockpit
(XZ335) Sud Gazelle AH.1 Army, pod only
(ZD936) Panavia Fornado F.2 RAF, 226 OCU nose flash
"CM" Douglas C-47A Dakota USAAF WWII 435th TCG cols, nose
Listed in W&R 29, 2024 - may have walked past them!
"G-AMKL" Auster D.4 Replica, BAPC.645
WN890 H. Hunter F.2 A&AEE, cockpit
WT648 H. Hunter F.1 RAF, cockpit
WZ753 Slingsby Grasshopper dismantled
"XN149" Slingsby T.21B stored, BGA.BMU
On display outside:
Jet Provost T.4 XR650/28 and the forward section of DH.106 Comet C.2 XK699 "Sagittarius"
Hawker Hunter F.6A XF375/6 in red/white while with the Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS)
XX145 SEPECAT Jaguar T.2A fuselage is currently outside - the single piece wing unit safely inside the hangar doors.
Inside Hangar 1:
Marked ZJ748 a Meteor Mirach 100/5, weapon carrying orange drone. The drone section is the first seen following entry into the hangar through a section of Hercules fuselage.
I can remember watching from sand-dunes while GAF Jindiviks landed at RAF Llanbedr in a shower of sparks from the underside skid sliding along the runway. The controllers working from armoured 'pill-boxes' beside the runway.
Gloster Meteor U.16 WK800/Z in high visibility red/yellow from the days when flown as a pilotless drone out of RAF Llanbedr, near Harlech.
A fully interactive working Lancaster cockpit section re-creation.
A wonderful Be.2c replica constructed by BDAC volunteers taking history right back to 1912.
Although the origins of this Douglas C-47A nose section are uncertain, it makes a good memorial to the troops carried and dropped by the Americans from Skytrains (Dakota) aircraft
Auster AOP.5 MS968 (once G-ALYG) in camouflage and D-Day markings to record the Army co-operation role in WWII.
Although just a long-term non-airworthy tenant with BDAC Tiger Moth G-ANNG dates back to the same era.
Bristol 171 Sycamore 3 WA577, once G-ALST. One would hope that the similar early Sycamore 3, held by the Dumfries & Galloway collection can be restored to this quality of appearance.
Scout
Wasp
Avro 707
P.1
HAwk
Jag
Beagle 206
JP T5 black
Tornado GR
Sea Harrier
SOME OF THE COCKPIT SECTIONS ON DISPLAY:
FOR THE RECORD, OUT ON THE ACTIVE AIRFIELD:
PA-28-161 Warrior II, G-BFNK
All white Gippsland GA-8 Airvan G-SCOL used for para-drops.
N240GS Cessna 208B Caravan used for para-drops.
