The World's last airworthy Bristo Aeroplane!!

[MReyn24050]

The following is an extract from this week’s copy of the “South Gloucestershire Observer” a free paper delivered in the Bristol Area.
“A Songwriter in Nashville, Tennesssee, has saved the world’s last airworthy Bristol Aeroplane Company airliner and now plans to fly it to the city where he, too, was born.
Graham Kelsby moved to the US three decades ago but has never forgotten his Bristol roots, nor his childhood days at Filton airfield photographing planes with his dad.
So when he heard that a twin-engined Bristol 170 Freighter was up for auction in Canada, he dug deep into his pockets to buy it.
Now he wants people to help to bring it to the West, where it will eventually sit alongside Concorde in a new aviation heritage centre.
He has launched a £75,000 appeal to pay for the 50-hour, 7,000-mile flight home from Alberta to Filton, from where the plane first took off in 1952.
“Its so exciting” said the 61-year-old. “This is the world’s very last flyable airliner that was designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. I want to give the people of Bristol and South Gloucestershire the chance to come together and save this important link in Bristol’s aviation story”.
Mr Kilsby was born in Redland in 1945, the same year that Filton’s engineers introduced the Type 170 Freighter.Over the next 12 years, orders for the aircraft poured in from all over the world. Meanwhile, Mr Kilsby studied at Bristol Technical School before finding work as a photographer on the Evening Post and the Western Daily Press. He went on to develop a career in songwriting, music publishing and singing, so the natural next step was to move to the home of country music, Nashville.”
The article continues by asking those that wish to sponsor the flight home to call a Bristol Telephone number stating that sponsors who donate £500 or more will get their names painted on the aircraft’s clamshell nose doors.
The paper was dated 5th April so I do not think it was an April Fool’s Joke. Can anyone verify this story?

[MReyn24050]

Thanks for that Mike, it looks like they have found another candidate probably an ex RCAF aircraft.

[PaperTiger]

Different Frightener, Mike. This one is CF-YQS:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Classic-Propliners/message/6232 (might have to register)

[Blacksheep]

The World's last airworthy Bristo Aeroplane!!
Aaaaaaahh!! Bristo !

My last encounter with the Bristol Frightener was with 41 Sqn RNZAF at Changi in '71. It was raining (tropical style) that day and we were soaked to the skin by the water rushing in through the gaps in the freight door. The next best flying machine to the Blackburn Beverley. I reckon everyone should experience a flight like that at least once in a lifetime. REAL flying that was! :ok:

[treadigraph]

Hope it makes it and they can keep it flying when it gets here - and it enjoys better luck than the last one!

7000 miles from Alberta to Filton? Shurely shome mishtake...

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Aaahhh.. commonly referred to amongst older Heathrow ATCers as the Bristol Frightener. Many moons ago one took off on 28R and the controller had a mental blackout as to the speed of the thing and launched a Trident very close behind.. As the Trident hurtled down the runway he realised his error and said to the 170: "Would you move over to the right, please, there's a Trident to come past". The Freighter moved over, the Trident flashed past and all was well! If only...... nowadays..

Last one I saw was CFDFC in the Heathrow 50th Anniversary fly-past. I believe that met an untimely and undignified end.

[treadigraph]

C-FDFC - yes I saw it on that excellent flypast too. It pranged a few weeks later at Enstone. Swung off the runway and "collapsed" (you should have seen the pics). Fortunately the crew survived unscathed so far as I remember.

[teeteringhead]

First time I ever flew was on a Bristol Freighter - Silver City Air Ferries Lydd to le Touquet on a family holiday (complete with car) in the summer of 1958.

I've got a note of the reg somewhere, but I remember it was called "Quatorze Julliet" (they all had names), which was the same airframe as my Airfix model........ happy days...

[Opssys]

I hope he realises his dream and flies her back.
The last Bristol 170 Freighter I saw, close up and personal, was in the BCAL Maintenance Area at Gatwick, chartered to ferry an Engine for an AOG 1-11.

I went down with the Load Control Guy. Elderly Skipper and very young F/O.
It was the last Aircraft I ever saw with a Chain Box full of real Chains.
If memory serves MTOW/Max Landing and Max ZFW Weights were the same and the 'notional' compartment limitations were marked by red bands with the allowed weights and I think when I added them up they exceeded the Max Weights.

Can't remember where she was going, but two tech stops to get there!

Actually seeing a 170 being loaded is about the only reason to watch a rerun one of the Morecambe and Wise films (can't remember the title).
DIH

[southender]

The exploits of Canadian Bristol Freighters have featured regularly in"Propliner" over the years and indeed the 'final' flight of the Hawkair 170 to the museum in 2004 was covered in some depth.

The current edition of this splendid magazine reveals that Hawkair, having only loaned the aircraft to the museum, now need to sell the Freighter to raise funds to help keep their current operations going.

It would be wonderful to see this aircraft returned home to the UK. I've always thought the Duxford collection is incomplete without a Bristol Freighter.

Cheers

Southender

[gas path]

treadigraph
Here's the one that got broke earlier:uhoh:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v462/gaspath/Img_1.jpg:ooh: :ooh:

[Chris Royle]

The bits are still around the back of one of the hangars on Northside Grass at Enstone.
Downwind take off with tailwheel unlocked.......:\ :hmm: :sad:

[WHBM]

Last one I saw was CFDFC in the Heathrow 50th Anniversary fly-pastStill have a video I recorded of the BBC programme about the flypast (1995 ?). For once it was well done, Raymond Baxter's presence doubtless contributing to this. There was an extended sequence about the Bristol Freighter, shot at Stansted.

[oncemorealoft]

Gas Path....

What on earth happened to it? It looks like it was sat on!

[Flap40]

AAIB report at:

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/sites/aaib/cms_resources/dft_avsafety_pdf_502112.pdf

[irishair2001]

Opssys
The Morcambe and Wise movie was called "The Riviera Touch" and like the Airfix model it was a Bristol 170 Mk 32 most Bristol 170 Freighters and Wayfarers were nicknamed " Biffo's"

[treadigraph]

Wasn't there a Freighter in "Dr No"? Or was it a Carvair? Or did I imagine that bit... It's been a while since I've seen it.

[PaperTiger]

Lot of Bristols in every James Bond movie, none of the 170 variety though :E
The Carvair was in Goldfinger.

[treadigraph]

Cheers PT!

I meant Goldfinger really but Arsula Undress distracted me... :ok:

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Lot of Bristols in every James Bond movie, none of the 170 variety though :E
The Carvair was in Goldfinger.

.....although the Carvair was not a Bristol.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Cheers PT!
I meant Goldfinger really but Arsula Undress distracted me... :ok:

She acquired the "Undress" nickname after another great aviation film The Blue Max.

[MReyn24050]

The following is an extract from May 2006 issue of Aeroplane Monthly.
“Bristol 170 Freighter C-GYPS looks set to return to Britain from Canada, to become the only example of the much-loved transport in the country of origin. A deal has been signed between the Freighter’s owners, Hawkair Aviation Services, and an undisclosed buyer, who represents himself and a group based in Bristol. The aircraft is currently on display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum at Wetaskiwin. The plan is to fly the aircraft to Britain later this year, the final destination being a parking spot next to a Concorde at the Bristol Aero Collection at Filton.”

The aircraft Mike identified. So it looks as though it is on it way home.

It also reported that the flight back to the UK will be supported by the City of Bristol, a fuel company and two newspapers who will soon start a publicity campaign. The BBC is planning to film the complete return journey for a documentary.