Morayvia Get their Sea King

[bluetail]

It was announced last night that Morayvia's "Save a Sea King for Moray" campaign has been successful. Sea King HAR.3 XZ592 has now been purchased from the DSA and will be arriving by road at the Morayvia HQ in Kinloss sometime in early July. Without the support of the public and businesses in and around Moray dipping into their pockets to the raise funds required this wouldn't have had the relatively quick outcome it now has. It just proves that where there is a will there is more than often a way.

[Speedywheels]

Bid to home retired Sea King in Moray is successful - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-33009240)

Anybody know which primary school they are going to turn into the science and technology centre? I'm guessing it's at Kinloss.

[bluetail]

Its going to be in the old Abbeylands Primary School on the South Side

[Speedywheels]

Old? I remember the playing fields next to the OMQ before the school was built. I recall last time I was at Kinloss the school was unoccupied so it's great to hear it has found a new educational use

[Avtur]

Well done Stan and team.:D

[Oldsarbouy]

Plans to move 592 to Kinloss are well in hand probably the second week in July. If anyone has any history on this aircraft, jobs, incidents etc please PM me as we would like to compile as comprehensive a background as possible. Once again a big thank you to all from the officials in the buying chain to the members of the public, local and national businesses. The support has been fantastic and we at Morayvia look forward to opening 592 to the public. :ok:

Welcome to the official website of Morayvia | morayvia.org.uk (http://www.morayvia.org.uk)

[Pontius Navigator]

OSB, I would guess the RAF Forms 541/540 (in that order) as a starter. The first should give the flight details and the latter, hopefully, a narrative. Then just a question of tracking personalities and photos.

[tucumseh]

Well done, but a poor show that it had to be paid for.

[dagenham]

In some ways paying for it ensures it goes to a good home and is looked after.

There are many great airframes over here given to schools and VA clubs falling apart because it was a good idea at the time.

They are caught in a catch 22

no one wants them apart from those who do,

and those who have them can't give them to those who do

because no one knows who owns them to give them away.... but if you do them the one who knows but doesn't want to know will know and will smite you as well as smelter what you want.

[tucumseh]

because no one knows who owns them to give them away....

It is, or was for all the years I spent in MoD, a fundamental principle that every single item in the inventory had a designated owner, who determined its disposition from the day it was a Concept to the day it was disposed of. In practice, it was the job of the person who made materiel and financial provision, and acted as the interface between OR/DEC and procurers; a role nowadays shared between ILS and Requirement Managers. (And probably falls between the crack). Requests for such kit were a pleasant diversion and there was a well worn process for making sure the recipient knew the boundaries of what we would and wouldn't provide; now and in the future. Any prep work, like stripping out kit they weren't allowed, was tasked to an apprentice training centre. And there's the rub, we don't have such things now. We pay industry a fortune and lose flexibility.

Admittedly, a complete aircraft would be a bigger issue, partly because MoD would regard it as a PR coup and involve the press office and senior staffs who wanted pictures in the press. Not sure who'll turn up at handover in Moray given it has had to be paid for. A lost opportunity, especially after the screw ups that have decimated Kinloss. As they say, MoD know the cost but not the value........

[Oldsarbouy]

PN Yes, we'll start with the 540/541 but there's nothing like those involved getting in touch, as one has already, with a tale of daring do rescuing the crew of a Greek ship.

Anyone know of any Gnome engines looking for a home? A rescue hoist would be nice as well.

[NutLoose]

These lot had some that have just sold

Home - Jet Engine Trader : Jet Engine Trader (http://jetenginetrader.co.uk/)

Your problem is they are popular with the tractor pulling fraternity.

[NutLoose]

I don't know if you can get these out of the MOD

https://bipsbox.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/predannack-airfield-kynance-cove/

[Oldsarbouy]

Thanks Nutloose, a lot of that stuff looks past it's sell by date. Trouble with acquiring Gnomes is that they are still very much in use and it appears that suicidal Yanks use them on dragsters and power boats. We're hoping to get one on loan from RR but that will be on a stand for exhibition use. If we could just get the exhausts at least we could fit the blanks properly but it's early days and we don't expect the aircraft to start its move until mid July.
Jetenginetrader looks to be a handy outfit but no Gnomes at present.

[tucumseh]

Not just the yanks. In 1974 the RN had civilian apprentices at Fleetlands refurbish a few surplus Gnomes for the Embassy powerboat team.

Have you tried the likes of Vector Aerospace for a hoist? When these former MoD workshops were privatised a lot of the rigs, plant and machinery were transferred to the company, so disposal would be their concern. A Sea King rig would have a functional, although not necessarily serviceable, hoist with minimal practical value. I know new type rigs were bought in about 1996 - the RAF Sea King project manager (a Sqn Ldr) was actually in the Mk3 on the pan when the Nimrod went into the Moray Firth. His boss was hanging out the cargo door looking at the hoist and fell out when the aircraft took off! Best of luck.