Bruntingthorpe Super Guppy has been moved to the scrapping pan to be cut up

[NutLoose]

Sad and so much for no plans to scrap anything, worse is the way those that looked after it have been treated.

https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/end-brunty-guppy

[treadigraph]

That's a great shame.

I recall gazing at her in wonder as she passed westwards over Purley in the mid 1970s. Presume she was going to Filton. Also either she or her sister ship F-BPPA doing a low pass at a Hatfield open day some years later...

[DHfan]

Sad and so much for no plans to scrap anything, worse is the way those that looked after it have been treated.

Is that fair? Presumably Cox (?) wanted it moved and there was no way it was going to fly out so what other options were there?

[Akrotiri bad boy]

Those beasts are part of my adolescence and the reason why I never got to Oxbridge. They used to grumble over my school on finals into Ringway causing me to forever gawp out of the window instead of applying myself to educational achievements.

[GeeRam]

Is that fair? Presumably Cox (?) wanted it moved and there was no way it was going to fly out so what other options were there?

Exactly.
The fate of the Guppy was pretty much this from the day Cox issued their notice letters, as will be the fate of the Vicky Tens and all the Tristars as well before too long, as they won't be flying out either.
And anything else not owned by David Walton and which can't be moved from site.

[Krystal n chips]

Those beasts are part of my adolescence and the reason why I never got to Oxbridge. They used to grumble over my school on finals into Ringway causing me to forever gawp out of the window instead of applying myself to educational achievements.

Would that be 24 or 06 ( as was ) ?.....fascinating aircraft to take apart, well at least to unlock and then secure the nose...the lower securing bolt was easy, the upper involved hanging on to a ladder / structure / torque wrench.....all at the same time. Also had an original porcelain sink in the toilet.....obviously weight was never an issue in a different era as they say.

[Quemerford]

Luckily there are well-preserved Super Guppies at Hamburg and Toulouse. Large aircraft like this are always going to be vulnerable.

Any news on the Comet?

[Akrotiri bad boy]

Krystal. I was constructed in Stockport beneath the approach to 24, Guppys were an almost every day occurrence. I was fascinated that these beasts were a direct descendant of Enola Gay.

[SpringHeeledJack]

How big is the parcel of land the previous owner has to put aircraft on ? Could the exhibits not be slotted together in some fashion to fit into the space ?

[N707ZS]

Has the 747-200 been cut up. Fancied that spiral staircase to go up to my loft.

[Krystal n chips]

Krystal. I was constructed in Stockport beneath the approach to 24, Guppys were an almost every day occurrence. I was fascinated that these beasts were a direct descendant of Enola Gay.

Thanks for that. Two locations on the A6 opposite each other spring to mind as does one beginning with A directly under the approach.

Another interesting feature was the control cables quick disconnect / re-connect performed by the F/E....lets just say there was no faffing around with turnbuckles and wire locking.

[DaveReidUK]

Another interesting feature was the control cables quick disconnect / re-connect performed by the F/E....lets just say there was no faffing around with turnbuckles and wire locking.

I would have thought that the idea of letting a F/E loose on turnbuckles during a turnround would strike fear into the heart of any pilot. :O

[treadigraph]

Those beasts are part of my adolescence and the reason why I never got to Oxbridge. They used to grumble over my school on finals into Ringway causing me to forever gawp out of the window instead of applying myself to educational achievements.

I blame the late John Farley and his Dunsfold colleagues for distracting me during maths and French. Though to be fair, the view of the girl's netball/tennis courts were also a distraction during maths when the senior girls were playing...

[GeeRam]

Any news on the Comet?

The Comet is one of the aircraft owned by David Walton, so it will be moved to the new hard standing area being created/prepared by David Walton next to the LPG QRA building on the land still retained by D.Walton.

[Quemerford]

The Comet is one of the aircraft owned by David Walton, so it will be moved to the new hard standing area being created/prepared by David Walton next to the LPG QRA building on the land still retained by D.Walton.

Good to hear - thanks. Recent events must point towards a move elsewhere though.

[Compass Call]

Is there any news on the fate of the Sea Vixen?

[DHfan]

Good to hear - thanks. Recent events must point towards a move elsewhere though.

Quite apart from where - how? I gather it was originally bought with the intention of keeping it airworthy but after so many years as a research aircraft, despite outward appearances it wasn't really a Comet any more in the eyes of the CAA or whoever's responsible.

[DHfan]

Is there any news on the fate of the Sea Vixen?

Yes, and sadly not good.

https://navywings.org.uk/sea-vixen-update-5/

I quite understand the reasoning, and it's pretty difficult to argue with but personally I think it's a shame.

It was the last big (ish), loud, fast, all-British jet still flying and had some serious display presence.
Accusations of bias will be cheerfully accepted.

[Jhieminga]

Or was that a question about XJ494 at Bruntingthorpe? ;)

[treadigraph]

You are just biased... :p

I guess in retrospect it was poignant to have both the Sea Vixen and the Vulcan overfly Shoreham in the wake of the Hunter accident - last time I saw either fly.

[DHfan]

Or was that a question about XJ494 at Bruntingthorpe? ;)

Given the context of the question, almost certainly. However, since I don't remember there being a Sea Vixen at Bruntingthorpe, and haven't been there for probably approaching 20 years, I plead old age.

[GeeRam]

Given the context of the question, almost certainly. However, since I don't remember there being a Sea Vixen at Bruntingthorpe, and haven't been there for probably approaching 20 years, I plead old age.

Certainly is a Vixen at Brunty, and the crew that looked after it had done wonders over the years to get it to a running and taxiable condition, and I remember seeing a video clip from back in 2013-2015 timeframe? of it doing a slow taxi around under its own power, with wing fold/unfold etc.
I'm not sure who owns the Vixen there though, and if not David Walton, then its future is pretty bleak unless it can be moved to another location pretty soon, which for a running and taxiable Vixen would be a crying shame.

[GeeRam]

Good to hear - thanks. Recent events must point towards a move elsewhere though.

What recent events?
David Walton isn't moving any of the aircraft that he owns to elsewhere?

[treadigraph]

XJ494 is listed as owned by David Thomas/ Classic British Jets Collection.

[MAC 40612]

Luckily there are well-preserved Super Guppies at Hamburg and Toulouse. Large aircraft like this are always going to be vulnerable.

Any news on the Comet?

The Super Guppy at Hamburg isn't exactly in any sort of public viewing area. It is in a line of preserved aircraft [Hansa Jet, Noratlas. Transall and the Super Guppy] that is on the Airbus factory site at Hamburg-Finkenwerder. You might get a glimpse of it if you go on a factory tour but they don't visit any of the preserved aircraft and no cameras are allowed on the tours.
Luckily, I had taken my sons in the past to visit the Bruntingthorpe example

[TURIN]

Thanks for that. Two locations on the A6 opposite each other spring to mind as does one beginning with A directly under the approach.

Another interesting feature was the control cables quick disconnect / re-connect performed by the F/E....lets just say there was no faffing around with turnbuckles and wire locking.

From memory the chap wasn't really an FE in the traditional sense. More a Flying Spanner Engineer type. We used to assist the opening and closing sequence, disconnecting/connecting, control cables, and various other bits and bobs. My job (as a junior) was to hold a stick with a chock on the end, following the drive wheel round as the nose was swung open.