Preservation of C130 K and VC10 for Future Generations
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Preservation of C130 K and VC10 for Future Generations
I have recently completed my 22 year flying career, flying a total of 5600hrs on the C130K Hercules and VC10 aircraft, both aircraft being stalwarts of the RAF transport wing since the late 1960's.
I wonder if much thought has been given to preserving examples of each aircraft in a museum. Both aircraft have served for 40+ years, and rather than see them get scrapped, I think that at least one example of each aircraft should be saved from the scrapyard.
Both aircraft were classic designs, and combined with the professionalism of the aircrews flying them, contributed significantly to the defence of our country. I feel that our Lords and Masters must give my idea serious thought before the opportunity to preserve an example of each aircraft is lost.
I wonder if much thought has been given to preserving examples of each aircraft in a museum. Both aircraft have served for 40+ years, and rather than see them get scrapped, I think that at least one example of each aircraft should be saved from the scrapyard.
Both aircraft were classic designs, and combined with the professionalism of the aircrews flying them, contributed significantly to the defence of our country. I feel that our Lords and Masters must give my idea serious thought before the opportunity to preserve an example of each aircraft is lost.
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I believe that there are plans in place to preserve a VC10 at the RAF Museum Cosford which is why the BA example was broken up there a couple of years ago.
Plenty of space there for a K as well.
Plenty of space there for a K as well.
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As the Tranpsort fleet will be solely based at BZZ, why not have Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as gate guardians...!!
After all the RN seem to sink ships to create a reef off Plymouth...
To see the backbone of the AT world sat at the Gateway to the world could well be a fitting end to the demise of these great frames...
After all the RN seem to sink ships to create a reef off Plymouth...
To see the backbone of the AT world sat at the Gateway to the world could well be a fitting end to the demise of these great frames...
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Although I've been through the gates of Brize Norton many times for onwards passage to exciting destinations not found in the travel agents I can't ever remember seeing a gate guardian there.
Am I right in thinking that Brize is the largest station without a gate guardian?
Am I right in thinking that Brize is the largest station without a gate guardian?
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Good idea
Can I request that the VC-10 is restored to the original colour scheme and the Herc would look good in the old middle east colours with the white panel above the cockpit.
cheers folks
cheers folks
You'd have to demolish the Med and Dental centres, plus the Passes & Permits (or whatever its called these days) at Brize to get any gate guardians in place! Come to think of it, thats not a bad idea ........... 
The MOD won't finance it. The Britannia at Kemble has been maintained by the Bristol Britannia Preservation Society since it returned to UK. In 2005, the BBPS took over control of the aircraft, becoming the Bristol Britannia XM496 Preservation Society.
I guess the corrosion from the damp cushions at the back of the flight decks of both types could be a preservation hazard?
Certainly a VC10C1K should be preserved as a Brize Norton gate guardian - but where? And yes, it should be in ye olde Transporte Commande colours!
Certainly a VC10C1K should be preserved as a Brize Norton gate guardian - but where? And yes, it should be in ye olde Transporte Commande colours!
Could we not just preserve the ones that are currently in service - to help keep them in the air where they are needed?
Another gate collection anyone?
Another gate collection anyone?
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A capital idea Runaway Gun.
They could call it 'The Cold War Memorial Flight' or something along those lines.
They could call it 'The Cold War Memorial Flight' or something along those lines.
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They do say pepsi is the choice of the new generation, bearing that in mind, how about pepsi cans instead? 
Joking, of course... a fitting tribute needs to be made to these two stalwart aircraft.
Joking, of course... a fitting tribute needs to be made to these two stalwart aircraft.
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...the old middle east colours
48 Squadron at Changi were the first C130 squadron to use that white top paint scheme. On all 16 of their aircraft. They were of course, copying 52 who had it on their Andovers, who were copying...
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Fed-UP
I'm with you on wanting to preserve our once great aviation heritage but we can't consider pensioning off the VC10 and C130K just yet, even though they are well past retirement-age until our wonderful govt and MOD(PE) provided us with some replacements!
The trouble is made worse when those planned replacements suffer delays (C130J, A400M, C17) and when operational losses are not replaced
. Through my rose-tinted galsses I seem to recall that after the Falklands that Maggie at least did the decent thing and ordered replacements for the aircraft losses we experienced, including those lost on Atlantic Conveyor, and even the RN got some new ships to replace Coventry, Ardent, Exeter etc.)
It seems so un-necessary now as we managed to sustain ops in places such as Borneo, Aden, Oman and other far-away places with far less capable ac such as the Argosy, Britannia, Andover, Beverley, Hastings, Belevedere in the 1960's yet struggle to do so now?
The scary bit is that even the Tornado is 25 years old and will have to soldier on for many more years in the ground attack/CAS role before a replacement comes along. The post Cold War defence review promised a smaller and leaner BUT BETTER EQUIPPED armed forces but although we may have shrunk the equipment is getting very lonf in the tooth!
The RAF is rapidly becoming the R&AAF - the Royal and Ancient Air Force
.
MB
The trouble is made worse when those planned replacements suffer delays (C130J, A400M, C17) and when operational losses are not replaced
. Through my rose-tinted galsses I seem to recall that after the Falklands that Maggie at least did the decent thing and ordered replacements for the aircraft losses we experienced, including those lost on Atlantic Conveyor, and even the RN got some new ships to replace Coventry, Ardent, Exeter etc.)It seems so un-necessary now as we managed to sustain ops in places such as Borneo, Aden, Oman and other far-away places with far less capable ac such as the Argosy, Britannia, Andover, Beverley, Hastings, Belevedere in the 1960's yet struggle to do so now?
The scary bit is that even the Tornado is 25 years old and will have to soldier on for many more years in the ground attack/CAS role before a replacement comes along. The post Cold War defence review promised a smaller and leaner BUT BETTER EQUIPPED armed forces but although we may have shrunk the equipment is getting very lonf in the tooth!
The RAF is rapidly becoming the R&AAF - the Royal and Ancient Air Force
.MB
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Blacksheep
I stand corrected Sir.
I'm at crossed purposes with my memories of the whistling wheelbarrow operating out of Khormaksar. They carried the RAF Middle East titles.
Them were t'days.
I'm at crossed purposes with my memories of the whistling wheelbarrow operating out of Khormaksar. They carried the RAF Middle East titles.
Them were t'days.
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Yep, one of those
Oh yes, that's the beauty.
Still remember flying down to kenya in one of them
Also recall being amazed at the sight of the Beverley dragging itself into the air at Kormaksar
Anyway, back to the thread. these two types certainly deserve recognition as they've been the over worked backbone of RAF airlift ever since the decision in the seventies that we would not operate out of area anymore
Still remember flying down to kenya in one of them
Also recall being amazed at the sight of the Beverley dragging itself into the air at Kormaksar
Anyway, back to the thread. these two types certainly deserve recognition as they've been the over worked backbone of RAF airlift ever since the decision in the seventies that we would not operate out of area anymore
..... and even the RN got some new ships to replace Coventry, Ardent, Exeter etc .....
Purely on a point of detail, it would have been splendid if HMS EXETER had indeed been "replaced", but in fact she's still running 26 years after the Falklands Conflict.
Jack
Purely on a point of detail, it would have been splendid if HMS EXETER had indeed been "replaced", but in fact she's still running 26 years after the Falklands Conflict.
Jack
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BZZ Gate Guardian
HS. There was nearly a new candidate for Gate Guardian on Sunday night. The OmniAir decompressor charter DC-10 stopped shortly after a very nice landing. The Yank pilot told the self-loading luggage that he could not see the peri-track (in the rising fog) so he was waiting for guidance. While we savoured the prospect of the master race admitting to be lost at BZZ, we did not dare tell him that practical guidance on that airfield could take a while.