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By: - 22nd October 2004 at 12:11 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Didn't even know there were any flyers left! I though G-BISU (destroyed on take-off in 1996) was the last of them.
Lovely aircraft. Big fat ugly beast! I remember seeing G-BISU at the Warwickshire Air Pageant Air Race at Coventry in 1986. What's the reason for grounding the Canadian Mk.31? Could it be brought back here and restored to flying condition?
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 12:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ah, the good ol' "Vibrator"!
Fond memories of several trips from Changi to Butterworth and back in the late 60's aboard 41 Sqn RNZAF examples. Quite an experience, especially in heavy rain!
Last one I saw was in the maintenance area at Heathrow in early 95 if memory serves. I think that got bent a year or so later.
Those were the days!
BR
Laurie. :rolleyes:
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 12:24 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Flew in them as well Changi/Tengah-Butterworth and vv. Backwards facing seats to keep the wind and rain out of your face I guess.....oh the oil... :diablo:
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 12:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Last one I saw was in the maintenance area at Heathrow in early 95 if memory serves. I think that got bent a year or so later.
Aye - that would have been G-BISU. :(
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 12:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Dave,
Try this link. When the page displays, click on Bristol Aero and then Worldwide Survey.
The Freighters are about halfway down the page.
http://www.filton.flyer.co.uk/index.html
BR,
Laurie
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 12:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ahhh, the Frightener.....
My first ever 'sit' in the office as a small boy was at Lydd when Silver City operated the type.
They used to fly over my house on finals and I used to look up and wonder....
So Lydd is where I did my PPL!
Doyaknow, you could see a Freighter coming, go get a camera, take a picture, take the film to 'Boots', get it developed, come home & it was still going by....
Ahh, Halogen dayzzzzzz! :)
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 12:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I remember walking home from school in the early 90s and seeing G-BISU en route to or from Coventry. Silver against a perfect blue sky. God was it slow and noisy!!! :)
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 13:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I was working at Bicester on the day that "Biffy" got bent... I watched her as she flew past the office en-route to Enstone. I was shocked when I heard the news that evening and saw he crimpled remains on the news...
Her mainplane and both engines are still at Enstone dumped next to the hangar. I've no idea where the other remains went. The cockpit appeared to be quite intact.
She was still registered C-FDFC at the time of her accident - she never regained the G- plate...
OAW
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 13:11 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I was working on Enstone that day.
Didn't see the incident.
Terrible shame about the aircraft though, she looked so smart
Moggy
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 13:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
She was always well turned out as I recall...
I also remember seeing her at the PFA Rally at Cranfield at the same time as the Vimy replica... It seemd like they were having a short take off competition!!
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 13:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Bristol Freighters in Australia
Australian Freighters
A recent acquisition by the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin from the defunct Airworld Museum has removed the uncertainty over the future Mark 31M VH-ADL (intended to be returned to the UK by bidders in the Wangaratta sale process, when that sale did not proceed there was suggestions scrappers may move in). It is an ex Pakistan Airforce aircraft that played an instrumental role in the challenge to the Airline duopology that existed for many years in Australia.
http://www.aarg.com.au/freighter.htm
For many years the RAAF Museum at Point Cook has had the Mark 21E A81-1 (VH-SJG) on display at Point Cook (this aricraft flew in support of the WRE weapons trials at Woomera.
http://www.raafmuseum.com.au/raaf2/html/mk21e.htm
This brings to two the count of survivors in Australia of a total of @12 remaining world wide.
Unfortnuately the remains of Australia's third "surviving" Freighter VH-TAB? which has sat derilict at Melbourne Airports fire training dump has finally succumbed to the scrapper.
regards
Mark Pilkington
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 14:03 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Last airworthy Freighter
Picking up an earlier message on why the last Freighter was withdrawn from use - it had been flown by Hawkair on a mining contract, and was restored specifically for that job. Then the contract finished, the Freighter was grounded at Terrace, BC, but was still maintained in live condition. The reason for not keeping her airworthy (apart from a lack of suitable work) was a lack of spares. In particular the props on C-GYQS were close to time-expired, and they were the last airworthy Freighter props in the world. To keep it flying would have meant manufacturing new ones, probably not economically viable. There are not two many Bristol Hercules in airworthy aircraft - only the Nord Noratlas in France I believe - so that would have been another headache. This Freighters Hercules engines were off a Varsity I think. I am sure the guys at Hawkair, particularly Paul Hawkins would have loved to keep her flying. As with everything else in this world, it comes down to money.
Regarding C-FDFC, which crashed on take off at Enstone in 1996, I have heard a rumour that the cockpit still survives, and is kept in the garden of someone closely involved with its restoration. As there are no Freighters in Europe, I'd love to see it on display; the Bristol Aero Collection at Kemble would be an ideal location.
Andy Appleton
Filton Airfield Enthusiasts Website
Bristol Aircraft Worldwide Survey
http://www.filton.flyer.co.uk
By: - 22nd October 2004 at 15:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Interesting, the CW article gives the impression that it was still currently flying - rather than having been airworthy but out of commission.
I seem to recall that one of the static Freighters here in NZ had some parts swapped off it to keep another flying in Canada, so I assume it was for this one, C-GYQS. Or maybe the ex-Canadian one that crashed in the UK.
I think that the Canadian one was also the Freighter used in Disney's 'The Rescue' from memory.
I recall several Safe Air Freighters used to sit idle, grounded, at RNZAF Base Woodbourne when I was based there in 1989. I think there were four of them. Some eventually went to museums but I'm pretty sure one was used as a fire training wreck on the back of base. I think I have some photos hidden away somewhere.
That Bristol link was interesting Laurie. So there are just 19 left, and some of them are merely cockpits. Interesting to see the Iraqi Air Force museum has one. I am not sure if there are still two at Ardmore - I seem to recall only seeing one last time I was there. It was very rotten looking and covered in moss. I think it is a huge hame how the Freighters have been treated there right in the midst of the NZ Warbird movement, they're a disgrace. Yes they would be expensive to house, but surely the owners could give them a scrub now and again.
And I have never heard of ZK-EPA at Awhitu. For that matter I have never heard of Awhitu. Does anyone know if this is a complete airframe or just cockpit or components?
I have a documentary on the Freighter in NZ service, both civil and military. Apparently when the first one arrived in Vietnam with No. 41 Sqn RNZAF, an American serviceman was heard to remark, "Is that the plane or the box it came in?" I reckon that's priceless.
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By: Dave Homewood - 22nd October 2004 at 12:06
I notice in the latest issue of Classic Wings that the last airworthy Freighter in the world has now been grounded in Canada. What a shame. It was an ex-RNZAF Mk31 and had served in the Vietnam War. It doesn't say what is to happen to it now - does anyone know if it'll be preserved in a museum somewhere? I hope it won't be scrapped or used for fire training.
Do any Freighters remain in museums in Britain? I know of several still in NZ, one at Ardmore, one at Waitomo, one at Omaka, one very nice example in Nelson, one with the RNZAF Museum, and some cockpit sections at Ferrymead, so it's not exactly rare in this country.