Aircraft flown into Duxford ?

[diddy1234]

Does anyone know what aircraft have been flown into Duxford ?

I know that the Concorde had been flown in (prior to the runway being cut short by the M11), but was wondering what other aircraft had been flown in and when.

I wonder if the Britannia was flown in ?

[treadigraph]

Britannia was certainly flown in, 1974 or 75?, as have been all of the larger aircraft so far as I can remember. Concorde was the challenge and was squeezed in before the runway was shortened by the M11, think it made it with only a few days to spare - 1977?

Largest aircraft roaded in that I can think of off hand are the York, Lancaster, Sunderland (even if that had been airworthy, would have been an interesting landing!) and the Ambassador.

[The Flying Pram]

I've got some video somewhere of the B52 landing - well I suppose you could call it a landing!! Probably just as well it was being retired......

[BYALPHAINDIA]

QUOTE
I've got some video somewhere of the B52 landing - well I suppose you could call it a landing!! Probably just as well it was being retired......

REPLY BYALPHAINDIA
I bet the crew said something like this after the landing - 'yeah we came in and shot the runway, Kind'a heavieee, Gee that was somme arrival.:O:cool:

[JEM60]

B.29 flew in from Mildenhall. F.111 also flown in after the Motorway was opened, if I remember rightly. Runway arrestor gear was installed for this. SR71 NOT flown in. THAT would have been worth seeing if it had been!!!.

[T-21]

Javelin FAW.9, CF-100, Comet 4C and Shackleton MR .3 as well.

[Phileas Fogg]

As I recall they had to delay the M11 construction whilst waiting for Concorde.

The Herald was definately flown in to Duxford, trouble was that the engines went 'walkabout' that should have gone back to Norwich, subsequent customs and police investigation and some arrests made in the vicinity of the Norwich hangar :)

[Fareastdriver]

I believe I flew the last RAF aircraft to use Duxford''s runway when it was an operational RAF station. In 1962 I was doing my IF training at Oakington on Vampire T11s and we did our practice GCAs at Duxford.

One Friday afternoon (logs books not available so I cannot tell the date) as I rolled off the runway to RTB Duxford's ATC came up with "Duxford is now closing, Goodbye from Duxford."

Undoubtedly other RAF aircraft would have landed later but then the station was non-operational.

[JEM60]

CF100 was flown in by the late Ormond Haydon-Baillie.

[JEM60]

I suspect the Vulcan and Victor were also brought in by air. Anybody know the answer??

[falcon12]

The Vulcan was definitely flown in shortly after they were disposed of.

Ever tried taking one apart and then putting it together again so that it looks like it was never taken apart to move it?? It's was a lot simpler to fly them to their last resting place.

The SR71 arrived by road and it looks like it judging from the way it was rebuilt.

[T-21]

Vulcan XJ824 flew in 13.3.82,Comet G-APDB 12.2,74,Shackleton 22.8.72,Concorde 01 20.8.77,Sea Vixen 17.3.72. Time flies.

[Seat62K]

And the Super VC10?

[treadigraph]

VC-10 arrived 15th April 1980 - thanks to the DAS site for the info.

Memory thinks that the late Mike Russell (of Russavia and Rapides) flew the Britannia to Duxford. Can't find anything via Google, anyone recall if that's right? I think he flew 767s for Britannia before retirement, but was he with Monarch before that? Sorry, just curious...

[airborne_artist]

Concorde was almost certainly flown in during August 1977. I was doing my flying scholarship at Luton, and I remember 'Jonny' Johnson (not the JJ) taking another student to the area to watch the landing.

[ZFT]

VC-10 arrived 15th April 1980 - thanks to the DAS site for the info.

I seem to recall it landed on 3 engs only.

[DHfan]

The Sea Vixen flew in, it was the first airborne arrival, and I'm pretty sure the B.17 flew in too.
Sorry, just seen Sea Vixen mentioned above...

[goudie]

The fusalage skin of the Duxford B52, forward of the wings, is somewhat wrinkled, apparantly due to the heavy landing.

[pulse1]

With reference to the above link describing the last flight of the Victor into Duxford, there used to be a similar story on the HP website which described in great detail a Victor's last landing at Catterick.

I have never been able to find it again. Does anyone know where it can be found?

[DHfan]

The link was posted on the Flypast forum a couple of months ago.http://www.tonycunnane.co.uk/finalflights1.htm#top

[Mike51]

...........I'm pretty sure the B.17 flew in too.
'Sally B' flew in (many times!) - the example now with IWM ('Mary Alice') was roaded in in pieces.

[KeMac]

If anyone is interested, I found an old copy of the now defunct "Aviation News" with a full page article of the B 52 landing along with 5 photographs.
It made 3 passes before landing on the 4,800ft runway and using only half the distance. The M11 was closed for the landing and one of the photos shows the aircraft over the motorway as it comes in to land.

[diddy1234]

please do KeMac

Sounds very interesting. I bet the B52 was as empty as can be and the pilot had nerves of steel to land in that short a distance.

RD

[The Flying Pram]

I've just found in my collection, and watched, the local news clip of the B52 landing. It was a "firm" arrival and bounced a couple of times, but when the braking 'chute was deployed it stopped pretty quickly. The huge wings flexed noticeably whilst this was going on. The report mentioned it was carrying minimum fuel and had been stripped of all unnecessary equipment. They had to taxi it right on the edge of the tarmac to keep the port outrigger wheel from hitting the fence. It was a 15,000 hr Vietnam veteran, and carried "689" on the nose. Interviewed afterwards the captain claimed that landing on such a short runway was little different from normal - he did say however, that the anticipation of landing in front of all those crowds meant that he really didn't want to "screw it all up"!

[diddy1234]

The Flying Pram (http://www.pprune.org/forums/member.php?u=196069), is there any way you could get the video onto the web at all ?

i.e. you tube ?

Sounds like an interesting landing.

[Dunregulatin]

The pilot of the B52 had a little difficulty finding the place. He was helped by someone who should have known better doing a sort of "SRA" (or two) from the R&D airfield (now sadly closed) not far up the road.

That radar unit proudly claimed to be the "dustbin" of East Anglia - if nobody else would work it or do it, we could!

[The Flying Pram]

diddy1234, I haven't crossed that particular technological boundary yet! It's on VHS and 2nd generation at that, but I can copy it onto a DVD to get it to my P.C. Don't expect it to look very good. I will have to see what's needed to convert and compress it for uploading. Or I'll get it to someone who has the necessary kit.

Stay tuned as they say....

[Charles Sierra]

Hi flying Pram
Charlie boy here will assist if at all poss. Suggest get it on to a DVD for starters.

CS :8

[The Flying Pram]

I've just gone out and bought a Video capture device, and here is the result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSIGd6COFb8

Whilst trying to find out when this was, I found this site (http://s110605900.websitehome.co.uk/80s/index.htm) which has some nice pictures of it, and others at Duxford.

Hope you like it, I might post some more of my collection when I have time.

[treadigraph]

Cheers, Flying Pram, excellent!

[diddy1234]

excellent video. thanks for posting the vid.

looked of a bit tight squeez !

[KeMac]

diddy1234 - Check your PMs
Keith

[gordonroxburgh]

Some background on Concorde at Duxford: Trubshaw was concerned about the length - originally just under 2,000M - as Concorde 101 only had steel brakes and not the full production spec reserve system, so he had 2000m marked out at Fairford and prior to delivery flew some test circuits there to confirm suitability. In 1977 the Fairford Concorde test base had been closed, so 101 was actually in storage at Filton.

On Landing the aircraft needed only 2/3rd of the runway...so either the practice worked, or it was a fuss over nothing.

These arguments were presented to BA that the existing runway of 1500M plus some run off, would have been sufficient for a lightly loaded Concorde to be retired to Duxford, but sadly BA used the "runway not long enough" excuse and decided Duxford would not get a Production spec Concorde.

[diddy1234]

Was that THE Brian Trubshaw ?

I did have a good read of his book on the concorde, very good read.

Did Brian Trubshaw fly the prototype into duxford ?

[cliver029]

Diddy1234


Yes it was, I was there when it flew in having done a circuit of Cambridgeshire. Can I also suggest you watch BBC Look East today (21/4) where they are covering some of the aircraft that flew into Duxford.

Cliver029

[diddy1234]

thanks Cliver029, will do.