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Old 17th Dec 2023, 16:22
  #203 (permalink)  
JW411
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Age: 83
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Some recollections may vary. They were not all at Kemble by November 1976. XR366 was kept at Brize Norton as a demo aircraft for potential buyers. I last flew her there on 25 February 1977. I first flew XR368 as G-BEPS from Manston on 14 February 1978. The original plan was to buy all 10 aircraft but the money ran out after 3 had been delivered to Manston (XR362/G-BEPE, XR368/G-BEPS and XR369/G-BEPL). We only ever had the three aircraft there in my time.

Incidentally, I flew XR371 from Brize to Kemble for storage on 26 August 1976. She was destined to be broken up at Hucknall (Rolls-Royce were only interested in the engines) but R-R presented her to the RAF Museum at Cosford so she went Kemble - Hucknall - Cosford. R-R got XR369 (Manston - Hucknall) as a substitute. XR364, XR366, XR369 and XR370 were broken up at Hucknall.

XR362/G-BEPE, XR363/G-OHCA, XR365/G-HLFT, XR367/G-BFYU and XR368/GBEPS all ended up with Heavylift although XR363 was delivered to Southend and never flew again but was used for spares.

I don't remember the Colerne bit at all but my memory isn't what it used to be.

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