Bristol Freighter on 'finals' to Filton
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Bristol freighter
When I was about 7years old we lived in a town called Swaythling, Hampshire.
I would often see Silver City Airways Bristol freighters on approach to Eastleigh.
The next time I saw one of the aircraft in question was about`20 years later
It was perched on a pylon near the airport at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. I believe that Wardair used to operate the type in the North.
I would often see Silver City Airways Bristol freighters on approach to Eastleigh.
The next time I saw one of the aircraft in question was about`20 years later
It was perched on a pylon near the airport at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. I believe that Wardair used to operate the type in the North.
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I recall flying from Southend to France (Calais?) in the back of a Silver City Bristol Freighter in about 1960. My mother asked when the car would arrive and the stewardess replied: "just before us" and to my mother's horror opened a door on the left hand side of the passenger compartment to reveal 2 cars and a motorbike. As we were taxying out my father enquired what we might do in the event of a ditching in the channel to which the stewardess pointed to a ladder and a roof hatch and told him to open the hatch and use the ladder! Those were the days!
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My one Bristol Freighter experience was standing in the Astro Dome between the engines during a ground run......very impressive!
The aircraft in question was in Dubai on a ferry flight from NZ to UK where it became the Enstone aircraft.
Tony
The aircraft in question was in Dubai on a ferry flight from NZ to UK where it became the Enstone aircraft.
Tony
The RNZAF Bristol Freighter in the colour pictures is now an exhibit in the museum at Wigram. I had the privilege of seeing it last week on their reserve collection tour, hosted by a former nav who had flown in it. A great hour and a half tour! 
Also in the reserve collection are a Devon navigation trainer, a Beaver and a Catalina, plus various other gems.
If you're ever in NZ I recommend a visit.
There are two (!!) other Mk 31 Freighters on view on South Island New Zealand. One is at the Founders Museum in Nelson, with a second at the Omaka Aviation heritage museum. Both are former Pakistani Air Force machines that were used in NZ for civil freighting work. If you like WW 1 aircraft a visit to Omaka will blow your socks off.....
Also in the reserve collection are a Devon navigation trainer, a Beaver and a Catalina, plus various other gems.
If you're ever in NZ I recommend a visit.
There are two (!!) other Mk 31 Freighters on view on South Island New Zealand. One is at the Founders Museum in Nelson, with a second at the Omaka Aviation heritage museum. Both are former Pakistani Air Force machines that were used in NZ for civil freighting work. If you like WW 1 aircraft a visit to Omaka will blow your socks off.....
Last edited by bobward; 6th Feb 2018 at 15:10. Reason: Extra info added.
There is also one you can sleep in, after visiting the spectacular Glow Worm Caves at Waitomo:
» Travel: 1950?s Bristol Freighter Plane Motel (Waitomo, New Zealand)
» Travel: 1950?s Bristol Freighter Plane Motel (Waitomo, New Zealand)
The RNZAF Bristol Freighter in the colour pictures is now an exhibit in the museum at Wigram. I had the privilege of seeing it last week on their reserve collection tour, hosted by a former nav who had flown in it. A great hour and a half tour!
Also in the reserve collection are a Devon navigation trainer, a Beaver and a Catalina, plus various other gems.
If you're ever in NZ I recommend a visit.
There are two (!!) other Mk 31 Freighters on view on South Island New Zealand. One is at the Founders Museum in Nelson, with a second at the Omaka Aviation heritage museum. Both are former Pakistani Air Force machines that were used in NZ for civil freighting work. If you like WW 1 aircraft a visit to Omaka will blow your socks off.....
Also in the reserve collection are a Devon navigation trainer, a Beaver and a Catalina, plus various other gems.
If you're ever in NZ I recommend a visit.
There are two (!!) other Mk 31 Freighters on view on South Island New Zealand. One is at the Founders Museum in Nelson, with a second at the Omaka Aviation heritage museum. Both are former Pakistani Air Force machines that were used in NZ for civil freighting work. If you like WW 1 aircraft a visit to Omaka will blow your socks off.....
The Bristol Freighter at Omaka has two live engines and can be taxiied around the aerodrome. The starboard engine “sucked the kumura” about three years ago (it was still running, but ever larger pieces of metal were being discovered in the oil filter), so it was removed from the wing and replaced with an engine owned by Al Marshall, who had it mounted on a trailer on which he used to run it from time to time. I think the plan is to sort out the starboard engine (it may need a backyard overhaul), then replace it back onto the wing so Al can claim his Hercules back.
And if the WWI collection at Omaka impressed you, next time you are in NZ you need to take a look at what The Vintage Aviator have got in their hangers at Hood Aerodrome in Wairarapa. Virtually everything at Hood can take to the air and fly, including the genuine WWI machines, the amazing reproductions, and a few replicas.
BTW, I can remember the days when SAFE Air were operating an aerial trucking operation backwards and fowards across Cook Strait with their fleet of Bristol Freighters. My Mum's cousin owned an aviation radio business at Wellington Airport (he installed the nav beacons and radio installations at the airport when it opened in the late-1950s, as well as the original radar installation up on Hawkins Hill) and I used to occasionally stay at his place during school holidays in the early- and mid-1960s. His house was up on the hill in Strathmore Park overlooking Wellington Airport. You could always see at least three Bristol Freighters at any time, sometimes as many as four of them - one on approach, one climbing out, one taxiing and one unloading and loading at the traverser.
It was Al Marshall who virtually single-handedly revived the Omaka Bristol Freighter.
There's a long thread on Dave Homewood's Wings over New Zealand board about the whole story, largely written by Al Marshall himself.
Omaka's Bristol Freighter to run again | Wings Over New Zealand
There's a long thread on Dave Homewood's Wings over New Zealand board about the whole story, largely written by Al Marshall himself.
Omaka's Bristol Freighter to run again | Wings Over New Zealand
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Plenty of photos on the 'Net of it in the aftermath of the crash
That's what I asked in my previous post.
A bit more research in the meantime suggests that the wings, tail feathers and engines may in fact still be at Enstone.
If that's the case, there are now enough bits in the UK to rebuild a substantially complete and representative Mk.31M. Let's hope that happens - it would fill an important gap in our heritage.
That's what I asked in my previous post.
A bit more research in the meantime suggests that the wings, tail feathers and engines may in fact still be at Enstone.
If that's the case, there are now enough bits in the UK to rebuild a substantially complete and representative Mk.31M. Let's hope that happens - it would fill an important gap in our heritage.
