This is symptomatic of the difficulty we have in the UK for recognising important parts of our heritage. We are happy to preserve old houses and warehouses because it is easier and relatively cheap, but given the opportunity to preserve aircraft that have contributed to the economic welfare of the UK by carrying business men and women who won orders for British businesses there is no corporate sponsorship to be found.

The other difficulty is the sheer size of the product we are interested in preserving. How long before we need space to preserve a B747-100 srs in BOAC colours, or better still a 747-200 in BCal colours :D and where in heavens name would it be housed? Far easier to tug at distant memories and preserve another 10 Spitfires!!

Are we going to be able to find a home for the present and the future large commercial aircraft that are part of the history of UK aviation; DC10-30 for BCal, DC-10-10 for Laker; Lockheed 1011 Tristar for BA, B767 and B757 again for BA etc etc. Heaven knows where we will ever house an A380!!

Look at the difficulties that the Bristol Aero Collection has recently had re the move of their Britannia from Kemble.

If the Spitfire tugs at the heartstrings for its deeds in 1940 then surely the heart strings of the general public can be pulled for aircraft that took them on their first trips to far off places on holiday or business? It needs one site to be developed for this purpose and it needs an airfield with a good runway and lots of development potential for a museum to grow in the future.

I have many photos to remind me of the missing a/c types and airlines at work, but others are not so fortunate and it would be good if they could at least see the aircraft on the ground.

SN,
Well said.
Temps

G-APFJ Boeing 707 to be scrapped RAF Museum in Cosford UK
 

I read on a website (http://www.aviation-friends-cologne..../Boeing707.htm) that the RAF museum in Cosford is going to scrap their Boeing 707, G-APFJ this year.

See link: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1011294/L/

I find this a disgrace. Why is it that allmost no transport aircraft are being kept (convair 880 / 990, Boeing 707, DC-8). Looks like we have to rely on Mr. Travolta and others to preserve a piece of history.

Cosford's Trident is also to be scrapped. The nose of the Trident,and that of the 707,plus the complete Viscount,and the complete BAC111 are all to be moved to East Fortune in Scotland. These all still belong to British Airways,and the rumour is that the RAF want them out.

This is a shame,but as happened when the Concorde was moved to East Fortune,other aircraft there have received their marching orders. I know that at least the Miles Monarch,which belongs to the Aircraft Preservation Society of Scotland (APSS),will be looking for pastures new. I personally value the aircraft they presently have,and they're possibly thinking that the airliners will draw more visitors. A very sad day.

I noticed there is already a discussion going on this under:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=205716

Sorry for the repost here. Still good the highlight this terrible decision.

Well, it is the RAF Museum and the RAF never operated the 707 so it isn't really an appropriate exhibit. I do not know how it arrived at Cosford, but presumably the museum was inveigled to take it and now there are no funds forthcoming to maintain and retain it, so unless an appropriate home is found for it (and funding) then it will have to go. If any enthusiasts feel strongly enough about it then they will presumably go out and find the cash to preserve these aircraft.

YS

sentry......................................... ;)

Used a development of the KC135 airframe, inception of which pre-dated the 707. Different fuselage cross section to the 707. For an account of the development of the 707 and its successors see:

Wide-Body; The making of the Boeing 747 (ISBN: 0340599839)
Irving, Clive

My original statement stands.

YS

Seems the RAF and MOD have an axe to grind with civil aviation at present.
See threads on Monarch pulling out of GIB.

At the end of the day there is only one person accountable and that is Tony Bliar.

Yellow Sun

E-3 and variants are developed from the 707 not the KC-135, so technically yes the RAF has operated the 707.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/e-3.htm

AFAIK,
The "Civil" a/c were? owned by BA..[Belfast excepted] not the RAF...sooooo.. IF these a/c should be preserved, then the [previous] owners should cough up. :E
bb

I cant help thinking that the RAFM didnt get a Concorde, so they are throwing their airliners out of the cot.

All a bit sad really.......

That said, the new, and pretty gopping if the truth be known, hangar at Cosford makes the place a little crowded, and a cull of some sorts was probably required. It would have been nice for all of the airframes to find a home in a complete condition.

Oh for the love of God - Tony Blair responsible for scrapping of BA707 ?
Helllllloooo earth to pprune.
BA haven't maintained the airframes for years. They are starting to deteriorate seriously and they do not belong to the RAF. Not the fault of Tony Blair.

Anyone going to Cosford this weekend? Could you let us know what is happening to the 707?

Also can you get near the VC10 at the moment? How bad is the corrosion? Accepting that the thin fairings will be rotten, what about the main structure that can be seen?

Thanks.

I was there last week, they were working on the 707. The engines and a few panels were off, lying on the grass. Tail held up with railway sleepers. Looked a bit sad... :{

I was there on Good Friday.
G-APFJ B707-436 - engines on ground, fenced off needing a respray :(
(last survivor of this mark)
G-ARVM VC10 - untouched but looking a little bedraggled but still a beauty
G-AVMO BAC111 - looking in need of TLC but still very much in one piece
G-ALWF Viscount - amazing machine - needing a bit of care and maintenence
G-ARPH Trident 1C - looked the best of the lot - so best to scrap it !
(last survivor of this mark)

The Comet and Britannia belong to the RAF I believe and look OK but need to be indoors.

Why East Fortune doesn't want the backbone of the EDI-LHR shuttle is beyond me. It looks really good for it's age. Incidentally the Belfast next to the VC10 looks immaculate.

Hurry while there's still time. You now only have photos and memories for the children...........

SKP 1E,
I agree with your astonishment about the Trident not being wanted by East Fortune given the strong Shuttle connection. Yet RAFM Cosford now seems to be suggesting they are taking the whole 707 airframe rather than just the cockpit. Why the 707, with no local connection that I'm aware of, but not PH?
Of course that may be completely wrong, given the RAFM's previous misleading statements on what is happening.

http://www.artistic.flyer.co.uk/C1.jpg
http://www.artistic.flyer.co.uk/C2.jpg
http://www.artistic.flyer.co.uk/C4.jpg
http://www.artistic.flyer.co.uk/C6.jpg
The Viscount GALWF is at Duxford, the Cosford one is GAMON I think.

Thanks TM
Looking at those photos I'm not convinced that the VC10 is too corroded to be saved. I remember seeing VC10 parts being milled out of solid metal. The reason they they were not successful commercially was because they were built too strong. I think it's just another example of the all the spin and misinformation currently being put about by the RAFM.
Work on the 707 seems to have stopped? When was the photo taken?

Easter Monday 17 Apr 06

Signs on the 707 fencing do not suggest that the cockpit only is to survive, but I got the feeling that the RAFM is walking on eggs when it comes to public info about the whole thing.

I am surprised that the small collection at Manchester Intl did not get the BAC 1-11 as it was very much part of the Manchester scene in the 70s. Perhaps they have their hands full with their new (ex Heathrow) Trident, and have run out of realestate.