The cockpit Collection

[Man-on-the-fence]

I was lucky enough to have a visit to RAF Coltishall a few weeks ago. This included a look at the cockpit collection. All I can say is wow!! To say that all of the finished articles are immaculate is a gross understatement.

First up is Jag T2 XX830

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/XX830.jpg

Jag GR.1 XZ375 which will be in a Gulf War scheme as The Guardian Reader

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/XZ375.jpg

Extensive use is being made of Jag cockpit XX979 for spares

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/XX979.jpg

Lightning XS899 immaculate in 23Sqn markings

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/XS899.jpg

Somewhat more compact Lightning XP703

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/XP703.jpg

Now for the big WOW. To a man we gasped when we saw this beauty.

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/XV426L.jpg

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/XV426.jpg

And I nearly cried when I saw this.

http://mysite.freeserve.com/cockpit/Hanna.jpg

A more fitting tribute to some great pilots I haven’t seen. Each cockpit rail carried a different name.

I really didn’t understand the fascination with cockpit collecting. After seeing this lot I am beginning to get it.

[BeauMan]

MOTF, those shots are fabulous. I'd seen the T2 at Cockiptfest last year, and so I knew about that one, but didn't have a clue about the others. The F4 is simply stunning, and as for Mark's name on the canopy... well, words fail me. What a great tribute.

[Airbedane]

Thanks MOTF, you've just reminded me how old I am - two aircraft I flew as an operational RAF pilot are now in museums! I flew 830 when operational on the beast (70's), I was project pilot on 979 at Boscombe (80's), and even worse, I don't think 375 was even built when I left the Jag force......................

But life goes on; nice pics, all the same.

A

[hairyclameater]

No, sorry, still can't see the point of nose collecting.

It appears to me to be the aviation equivalent of the pointless, barbaric killing of sharks for sharks fin soup - catch shark, cut off "useful" fins and throw the majority of the poor creature still alive back into the sea.
:(

[You want it when?]

Often though "the rest" is a bit big to stick in the garage or local ATC parade ground :O. If the airframe is going to be scrapped anyway then save the best bit - after all children want to grow up to be pilots, not airframe fitters..

:ok: Excellent pictures as usual MOTF, thank you for sharing them.:ok:

[Man-on-the-fence]

Thanks chaps, I must admit to being a bit of a cockpit cynic. But these are all that could be saved of the aircraft and why are immaculate.

Airbedane, my the years have been kind::} :} :E

[DamienB]

This particular collection of noses/cockpits are without a doubt the most immaculate out there - Mick Jennings and his team have done a fine job. Not only do they save part of an airframe that would otherwise simply be scrapped in its entirety, these particular ones are useful recruitment aids as the boys from Colt drag them round various shows and events. So that's exhibit, recruitment aid and memorial (in the case of the F-4) all in one - damn good value for money there!!

[Man-on-the-fence]

I think the F-4 is a commemoration as well as a memorial, the LHS front Cockpit rail bears the name of the nutter (in the nicest sense of the word) who took Thrust SST supersonic accross the black rock desert.

Not sure about the WSO names though.

[seacue]

The only place I've seen that let kiddies sit in the FO's seat was
.............
on a Tunisair Club Med charter 727 from Paris to Djerba & return maybe 20 years ago. We were flying over deepest France and/or the Med at the time. Cockpit visits were avialable on both the southbound and northbound flights.

Honest, true story.

[hairyclameater]

Nope, sorry guys, still not wholly convinced!!

I can see the attraction of them being exhibits at fetes and shows, but surely the pilots of tomorrow want to sit in a comfy, reclining bang seat surrounded by VDUs resembling their playstations , x boxes etc rather than a black tub with cathodes and diodes and clocks and dials as the means of instrumental reference!?

I’m convinced that it’s a good way for the dullard penny counters at the MoD to sell the majority of a lovely aeroplane for scrap , then sell the nose to a collector and claim to have “preserved” the type!

‘Spose its not so bad with Phantoms and Jags as there are still some around, its just when those idiots at Boscombe did it to Viscounts, Varsities, Comets, research Canberras etc and other one offs

No, for me preservation is the whole, not part of it.

[LOMCEVAK]

Hairyclameater,

there are many of us who work at Boscombe who are just as frustrated and incensed as you when "our" aircraft are broken up by order of soulless, heartless "managers" - especially when they are still capable of doing a valuable job and are not adequately replaced! But I digress.....

Airbedane,

as another ex-979 project pilot (only a couple down the road from you), it is a great shame that the RAF "stole" 979 back from us in the mid 90s then scrapped it! Also, 830 was an ETPS machine in the late 80s and early 90s and finished its flying days painted red, white and blue. It had developed a fuel leak that was never cured so it was sent to St Athan for them to sort it out. They never did and it was scrapped!


Just remember: "It is hard to soar like an Eagle when you work with Turkeys"

[DamienB]

Mick did mention that 830 may go back into raspberry ripple colours in the fullness of time - for its recruitment aid role it has acquired the same c/s as current RAF Jags.