The Best Item Ever on Ebay
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Slough
I cannot work out what is going on with the Vulcan auction.
With the bidding at over 2m now I don't think these are genuine bids, why turn the auction in to a farse, what is the point.
Some of the bidders have good feedback, people with good feedback are normally genuine so I don't understand why they are bidding.
With the bidding at over 2m now I don't think these are genuine bids, why turn the auction in to a farse, what is the point.
Some of the bidders have good feedback, people with good feedback are normally genuine so I don't understand why they are bidding.
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Hill Street Blues
£2,499,499 Now
they must be mad.
I cannot belive anybody would pay that much for it. I have seen it many times at Blackpool, when I go flying, and always feel sad for it.
Its a shame what has happened to a piece of Cold War history.
Out of interest about 6 or 7 months ago a Mig 25 Foxbat with lots of spares was auctioned off on Ebay for $3,000,000 it worked and was on the 'N' reg.
FF
they must be mad.
I cannot belive anybody would pay that much for it. I have seen it many times at Blackpool, when I go flying, and always feel sad for it.
Its a shame what has happened to a piece of Cold War history.
Out of interest about 6 or 7 months ago a Mig 25 Foxbat with lots of spares was auctioned off on Ebay for $3,000,000 it worked and was on the 'N' reg.
FF
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,948
Likes: 1
From: Cloud 9
I think you'll find the supersonic airliner sold on ebay outdoes the Vulcan or indeed Foxbat:
Though designed to meet an Aeroflot requirement for a high-speed airliner, the ill-fated Tu-144 was built primarily as a statement of Soviet national pride as well as to compete with the Concorde and a possible American supersonic transport. Although outwardly similar to the Concorde, the Tu-144 was a somewhat larger design able to seat up to 140 and cruise at speeds up to Mach 2.35. The design owed much to earlier studies of the Tu-125 and Tu-135 bombers. Although these aircraft were never built, they gave Tupolev engineers experience in optimizing the aerodynamic behavior of Mach 2 configurations, dealing with heating issues, designing engine inlets, and addressing other concerns associated with high-speed flight, such as sonic booms. The resulting design featured a highly-contoured ogival wing similar to that of the Concorde and employed elevons for pitch control rather than a standard horizontal tail. Also like the Concorde, the engines were placed in pairs near the trailing edge under each wing, and the forward fuselage employed a drooped-nose mechanism to improve pilot visibility during takeoff and landing.
Though first publicized in 1965, most of the world did not get a good look at the new aircraft until a Tu-144 appeared at the 1973 Paris Air Show. Unfortunately, this aircraft crashed in full view of the world press providing a major blow to the Soviet program. After several modifications, including addition of retractable canards for improved low-speed performance, new inlet design, increased wingspan, a lengthened fuselage, and removal of the pilot ejection seats seen on the prototypes, the aircraft was deemed airworthy. The Tu-144 first entered service in late 1975 and began a series of cargo and mail flights between Moscow and Alma Ata. Two years later, passenger service was also introduced between these cities. These flights lasted only seven months, however, before a second fatal accident resulted in termination of Tu-144 operations. Following the final commercial flight on 1 June 1978, the remaining Tu-144s were put into storage or donated to museums.
The only version that continued to fly was the improved Tu-144D used as a supersonic research testbed. One of these was further upgraded to the Tu-144LL standard and operated jointly by Russia and the United States as part of NASA's High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) project. This aircraft completed about 27 research flights to conduct tests of supersonic engine technologies, fuel systems, advanced flight controls, noise reduction techniques, and other concepts intended to make supersonic transports more economical and environmentally friendly. The sole Tu-144LL was later sold to a private owner over eBay for $11 million in 2001.
Though designed to meet an Aeroflot requirement for a high-speed airliner, the ill-fated Tu-144 was built primarily as a statement of Soviet national pride as well as to compete with the Concorde and a possible American supersonic transport. Although outwardly similar to the Concorde, the Tu-144 was a somewhat larger design able to seat up to 140 and cruise at speeds up to Mach 2.35. The design owed much to earlier studies of the Tu-125 and Tu-135 bombers. Although these aircraft were never built, they gave Tupolev engineers experience in optimizing the aerodynamic behavior of Mach 2 configurations, dealing with heating issues, designing engine inlets, and addressing other concerns associated with high-speed flight, such as sonic booms. The resulting design featured a highly-contoured ogival wing similar to that of the Concorde and employed elevons for pitch control rather than a standard horizontal tail. Also like the Concorde, the engines were placed in pairs near the trailing edge under each wing, and the forward fuselage employed a drooped-nose mechanism to improve pilot visibility during takeoff and landing.
Though first publicized in 1965, most of the world did not get a good look at the new aircraft until a Tu-144 appeared at the 1973 Paris Air Show. Unfortunately, this aircraft crashed in full view of the world press providing a major blow to the Soviet program. After several modifications, including addition of retractable canards for improved low-speed performance, new inlet design, increased wingspan, a lengthened fuselage, and removal of the pilot ejection seats seen on the prototypes, the aircraft was deemed airworthy. The Tu-144 first entered service in late 1975 and began a series of cargo and mail flights between Moscow and Alma Ata. Two years later, passenger service was also introduced between these cities. These flights lasted only seven months, however, before a second fatal accident resulted in termination of Tu-144 operations. Following the final commercial flight on 1 June 1978, the remaining Tu-144s were put into storage or donated to museums.
The only version that continued to fly was the improved Tu-144D used as a supersonic research testbed. One of these was further upgraded to the Tu-144LL standard and operated jointly by Russia and the United States as part of NASA's High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) project. This aircraft completed about 27 research flights to conduct tests of supersonic engine technologies, fuel systems, advanced flight controls, noise reduction techniques, and other concepts intended to make supersonic transports more economical and environmentally friendly. The sole Tu-144LL was later sold to a private owner over eBay for $11 million in 2001.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Slough
Highest bidder must be a joker.
I think they all are, I don't know why the seller is letting the auction continue.
If it is not stopped then ebay will charge him commission on the final price and as this is millions the ebay fee will be tens of thousands of pounds.
I think they all are, I don't know why the seller is letting the auction continue.
If it is not stopped then ebay will charge him commission on the final price and as this is millions the ebay fee will be tens of thousands of pounds.
Last edited by BOAC; 2nd November 2004 at 16:43.
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
From: Was Rhoose Regional
You said its at Blackpool, can you go up to it and "have a look," or is it strictly "look from a distance" (across the airfield)????
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: The Village of the Aliens
vulcan bomber on ebay
i wonder if it will end up as scrap or maybe even a garden ornament
but then all the neighbours will want one too..
seriously though could a museum not take it or have they already got their quota of these planes
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Slough
Ebay were keeping an eye on the auction and have at last taken action.
It now seems all the bogus time wasting bids have been cancelled and it is back to a normal auction, its now sitting at just over 10 grand.
It now seems all the bogus time wasting bids have been cancelled and it is back to a normal auction, its now sitting at just over 10 grand.
Eight Gun Fighter
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Western Approaches
Chris Ollerenshaw, from Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, was the successful bidder with £15,102.03 when the e-Bay auction finished on Saturday.
On Sunday he handed over the cheque to its previous owner Brian Bateson at Blackpool Airport where it has been stationed for the past 21 years.
Mr Ollerenshaw plans to site the plane behind his pub, The Snipe Inn.
"I'm not really sure why I bid for it, we've been to Blackpool so many times and passed it," he said.
"I am very pleased. We didn't think we would get it."
The father-of-three said: "I'm scared stiff of flying; perhaps it is as well it is staying on the ground."
Mr Ollerenshaw hopes the bomber, which last saw service when it was on standby on Ascension Island in the Falklands War, will be an attraction at his pub.
But his family have mixed feelings about the 40-ton jet with a wing span of 120 feet.
"It's barmy, I can't believe he's done it," said his wife Bev, who placed the bid on e-Bay for him.
But she added: "I'm glad for him."
Former owner Mr Bateson, who paid £6,000 for it, said: "I think the airplane, especially with a new owner who will give it some TLC, will be a new attraction somewhere else."
BBC online
On Sunday he handed over the cheque to its previous owner Brian Bateson at Blackpool Airport where it has been stationed for the past 21 years.
Mr Ollerenshaw plans to site the plane behind his pub, The Snipe Inn.
"I'm not really sure why I bid for it, we've been to Blackpool so many times and passed it," he said.
"I am very pleased. We didn't think we would get it."
The father-of-three said: "I'm scared stiff of flying; perhaps it is as well it is staying on the ground."
Mr Ollerenshaw hopes the bomber, which last saw service when it was on standby on Ascension Island in the Falklands War, will be an attraction at his pub.
But his family have mixed feelings about the 40-ton jet with a wing span of 120 feet.
"It's barmy, I can't believe he's done it," said his wife Bev, who placed the bid on e-Bay for him.
But she added: "I'm glad for him."
Former owner Mr Bateson, who paid £6,000 for it, said: "I think the airplane, especially with a new owner who will give it some TLC, will be a new attraction somewhere else."
BBC online
Nice-but-dim
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 640
Likes: 0
From: Rural Yorkshire
... Oh dear........
Last edited by timmcat; 6th January 2005 at 15:36.
