DAN-AIR Collection at Lasham

[Fenders]

After the sad demise of Dan-Air does anyone know what happened to their collect of aircraft. Are they still at Lasham? And if so who looks after them?

Fenders

[MReyn24050]

As reported in July issue of Aeroplane. " Avro York MW322 G-ANTK had its outer wings attached at Duxford during second week of June..... One of only two surviving Yorks, G-ANTK arrived at Duxford in May 1986 from Lasham, where it had been preserved by its former operators Dan-Air"

In the mid 80's Dan-Air realised the impracticality of the restoration work being undertaken and began negotiations with The Duxford Aviation Society. In May 1986 the aircraft was dismantled and on the 23rd of May made its journey to Duxford on seven low loaders

Not sure what happened to the other aircraft.

Mel

[treadigraph]

The Ambassador's also at Lasham in the refurb hangar - think it might be close to completion, thought these things are always relative.

Not sure what happened to the DC-3, it was G-AMPP... Wait, Google, apparently it's at Euro Disney... Quoi?

Was there a Comet too? I guess that would have been scrapped.

[Conan the Librarian]

There is certainly a Dan Dare Comet 4 at Wroughton. Don't have much of a clue as to whether it being the same one though.

Conan

PS The Science Museum at Wroughton is wonderful fodder the the peeps on ths forum. A little known Gem - so if you are that way, it is worth popping in, if open. Bet you would spend a good few hours there :-)

[Tempsford]

Isn't the Ambassador at Duxford?

[Tiger_mate]

The Ambassador is at Duxford, and nice to see that the work on it has been to this depth.

[Tempsford]

Nice one Duxford, keep up the good work.

Thanks for the clarification Tiger mate

Temps

[jabberwok]

Ahh. That takes me back..

[treadigraph]

I seem to be going through a phase of naming one airfield when I mean another! Must be the early onset of alzheimers, I'd better buy a bungalow...
Duxford, Duxford, Duxford! Hell, I'd better go there this weekend, er - I forget, isn't there a good reason why I should?

[DH106]

Dan Air originally intended to keep one of their 'last in service' Comet 4C's to include in this collection - G-BDIV. It survived until summer 1985 before being scrapped on site. It was the last of the many Dan Air Comet 4/4B/4C's to be scrapped there.

[Groundloop]

Don't forget Comet 4, 'PDB, is also at Duxford.

[treadigraph]

Another ex Dan-Air Comet went to Blackbushe for Doug Arnold - scrapped in-situ I imagine...

Pic here...

[DH106]

Originally Posted by treadigraph

Another ex Dan-Air Comet went to Blackbushe for Doug Arnold - scrapped in-situ I imagine...

Pic here...

Yes - I believe G-BDIT was scrapped when Doug Arnold sold Blackbushe. I think his original plan was to convert BDIT into a restaurant, but it obviously never came to anything. Apparently the Comet had to be moved from it's original parking position near to a main road as several accidents were caused by startled drivers.....

There are 2 other ex. Dan Air Comet 4C's that have been preserved:
G-BDIX - at East Fortune in Scotland
G-BDIW - at HermesKeil, Germany.

And the Science Museum at Wroughton has '4B' G-APYD (the only 4b to be preserved).

[ANW]

Some DA York photos on this thread click here
scroll down and click on thumbnails.
Similar on another thread. click here
As one who remembers the DA Yorks plying their trade on the BEA freight service from London to Glasgow via Manchester, it is great to see 'Tango-Kilo' looking alive and well. Well done to all who had a hand in her restoration, and likewise for the DA Ambassador. Those were the good ol' days !

[Fenders]

Thanks for all the responses.
Some of the details given cross check with mine.
There were 5 former RAF HS06's that Dan-Air bought.
GBDIT

[Fenders]

Thanks for the responses.
Some of the details cross check with mine.
Of the 51 Comets that Dan-Air had owned there were 5 former RAF HS06's.(All 4C's)
GBDIT Last flown in 1980 and sold to Warbirds of Great Britain at Blackbushe.
GBDIU Last flown in 1980 and then sold to BAE at Bitteswell.
GBDIV Last flown in 1979. Whereabouts unknown.
GBDIW Last flown in 1980. Sold to Classic Air Collection, Dusseldorf.
GBDIX Last flown in 1980. Soldto Museum of Flight, East Fortune.

Quite a few of the Comets that Dan-Air had aquired never flew and were obtained for scrapping and spares.

Are there any reminders of Dan-Airs existence at Lasham?

Fenders

[DH106]

Originally Posted by Fenders

GBDIV Last flown in 1979. Whereabouts unknown...
Quite a few of the Comets that Dan-Air had aquired never flew and were obtained for scrapping and spares.

As mentioned above, G-BDIV was scrapped at Lasham in 1985 - the last Comet presence at Lasham

Dan Air finally owned 49 of the total 77 Comet 4/4B/4C's built, although as Fender points out - many of them were bought for spares recovery only and never flew for Dan Air. 34 of these 49 were scrapped at Lasham.
(Source: Martin Painter's excellent Comet book)

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by Fenders

Are there any reminders of Dan-Airs existence at Lasham?

The maintenance organisation ATC Lasham uses the old Dan-Air base and hangars for a substantial Boeing maintenance operation. If you go there a rural-lanes road approach suddenly opens up to a range of 737s and 757s from all across Europe standing under repair. I didn't know the place in Dan-Air days but it looks like it really hasn't changed much, apart from the aircraft types.

[treadigraph]

Use to cycle occasionally up to Lasham from Alton through Lasham village and enter via the Dan-Air gate - seem to remember the security guard cheerfully waving at us as we passed! I imagine things have changed a bit?

[folkyphil]

In the mid 1960s I cycled to Lasham on most weekends. Unlike Treaders, I would approach from the northern road (the one past the gliding centre).
I would introduce myself to whoever appeared to be in charge, and was always welcomed for a walk around the hangars, with a good look around any a/c in for servicing. The only exceptions to this were when a pressurisation test was being performed on an Ambassador, and on one occasion when a Heron (4X-ARK) was in the main hangar.
I witnessed several engine runs on Ace Freighters DC4s in for service (GASEN, G-APEZ if my memory serves me correctly after a few decades!) whereby I would be allowed to stand alongside "the chap with the fire extinguisher".
Ambassadors, DC3s, Bristol Freighters, Argonauts and DC4s...the Comets came later...
Happy days indeed!
In 1964, before my regular visits to the airfield, I undertook a Boy Scouts' "1st Class Hike" which involved producing a report of the Air Scout activities at Lasham. This just happened to be the weekend when York G-ANTK arrived to be readied for use as the Air Scout Centre bunkhouse.The York's last trip (so I was told) was to convey a load of monkeys...whatever, it stank to high heaven!
I was photographed in front of the York, the photo subsequently appearing on the front cover of "Scout" magazine in 1965 (...will endeavour to find original print...).
Nowadays, with security/ health and safety considerations paramount, it is simply not possible to access Lasham in the manner which I have described above.
I feel privileged to have enjoyed the company of those employees of Danair who, by various means, helped preserve part of our nation's aviation heritage.