A description of PA04's final moments from a guy I have known and respected, as a man and boy in maritime, for more years than I care to remember..
"We assembled to carry out the deed before dawn so that no prying eyes could see what was about to happen and to clear the apron for other company aircraft activities.
The hangar doors were open and the sky was lightening in the east.
The growl of the tug's engine and the tell-tale slight bounce of the towing arm showed that ZJ514 - formerly XV251 in it's MR1 and MR2 guise was starting its final journey.
Last in the air on 9th September 2010, it was now a mere hulk. Its engines and any useful recoverable equipped had been stripped out.
Although bereft of of its radome, MAD boom, SATCOM canoe and wing tip 'rugby balls', there was still enough of it left to be recognisable as an MRA4 Nimrod.
There must have been something of the Nimrod left in it though because as it moved from being pulled to pushed by the tug on its final journey, from somewhere deep within its DNA it managed to chuck a few gallons of fuel onto the pan.
Thanks to that gesture it was definitely a Nimrod then, and at that moment it suddenly got just dusty enough out there to make your eyes water.
It was a beautiful if poignant sunrise."