Tag: November

After an eight month dismantling process, a 70 mile journey along the M6/M54 motorway and a four month rebuild, the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is pleased to announce that its latest acquisition, VC10 serial number XR808 is now complete and on public display.

The media, aviation fans and visitors alike have followed the aircrafts journey to Cosford every step of the way and the Museum is thrilled to see the aircraft fully reassembled and in its new display position next to the Lockheed Hercules C130K Mk3.

The VC10 arrived at Cosford in June and was partially reassembled on the airfield at RAF Cosford before being moved onto the Museum’s site for completion. Since then the rear fuselage along with the outer wings, fin, tail plane and engines have all been carefully refitted onto the aircraft in the rebuild area directly outside the Museum’s Hangar 1.

The VC10 was moved into its display position during mid-October and the final task of attaching the starboard outer wing was completed the following week.

The VC10 was originally designed and built by Vickers-Armstrong and then later by the British Aircraft Corporation and entered service with Royal Air Force in 1966. This dual-role aircraft enabled the rapid deployment of troops and their weaponry and fast jet aircraft to many theatres of operations around the world and proved one of the RAF’s most significant assets for nearly 50 years. The RAF VC10’s allowed true global mobility offering a combination of speed and range never previously attained by an RAF Transport Command aircraft type. Having served for such a long period of time in a wide variety of roles, it would not be possible to accurately portray the history of the RAF without an example of the type – therefore it is essential that such a pivotal aircraft is preserved by the RAF Museum

Ian Thirsk, Head of Collections at the RAF Museum said:

“The VC10 is an icon of the British aviation industry and one of the most significant aircraft types ever to serve with the Royal Air Force. We are delighted to have XR808 on public display at Cosford and indebted to GJD Services for all their dedication and professionalism in making this a reality. BAE Systems Heritage and the RAF Charitable Trust have also played a crucial part in making this project possible and we thank them for their continued support.”

The dismantling, transporting and rebuild process was carried out by GJD Services, a specialist maintenance and aircraft salvage company based at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire.

Gary Spoors, Accountable/Engineering Manager at GJD Services said:

“Taking an idea that something can be done and turning that theory into a reality is always driven more by the belief that it can be achieved than all the drawing, planning and measuring involved. The challenge of dissembling, moving and reassembling a Vickers VC10 has certainly been a team achievement and without the dedication and good will of all involved this would not have been being as successful as it was; from the GJD guys who gave 110% to the task, the teams from the haulage, transport and crane companies, to the RAFM staff I take my hat off to all involved and wish to thank everyone who supported us along the way. As a company, we are not often given the opportunity to show off, but now we can point to BOB and be very proud of what we have achieved.”

The transportation of the VC10 was made possible thanks to the support of BAE Systems Heritage.

Howard Mason, BAE Systems Heritage Manager, said:
“We are delighted to be able to once again support RAF Heritage and the RAF Museum in ensuring that this iconic example of British engineering is preserved as part of the national collection of examples of aircraft that have served our country over the last century.”

For more information about BAE Systems Heritage visit: http://www.baesystems.com/en/our-company/heritage/

RAF Charitable Trust Chairman Air Marshal Sir Kevin Leeson said “One of the aims of The RAF Charitable Trust is to inspire and encourage young people to think about aviation and the technology that underpins it and to become involved themselves in this exciting career. Where better to do this than within the fuselage of this aircraft which will serve as a “living classroom”? The VC10 played such an important part in the technological history of the aerospace industry and was a key part of the Royal Air Force for nearly 50 years. In its history, the VC10 has transported UK VVIPs and the UK Armed Forces globally; it had a key weapons resupply role in the Cold War to the RAF in Germany; and as an air to air refuelling tanker it was a pivotal force multiplier for over 20 years. The Trust intends the teaching facility that it will provide to be motivational to as many young people as possible and we are pleased to be supporting such an inspirational project. My thanks go to the MoD Defence Equipment and Support organisation AT/AAR Project Team, GJD Aero Tech and the RAF Museum technical team for delivering this amazing engineering and logistic project.”

For more information about the RAF Charitable Trust visit: www.rafct.com

For further information please visit the Museum website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford or call 01902 376200. The Museum is open daily from 10am and entry to the Museum is FREE of charge.

Christmas has come early at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford with the arrival of the Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP) technology demonstrator. This experimental jet helped pave the way for the renowned Eurofighter Typhoon and thanks to support of BAE Systems is now on display to visitors within the Museum’s Test Flight collection.

The EAP, built by BAE Systems predecessor company British Aerospace (BAe), was the most advanced fighter design ever built solely by a UK manufacturer; its purpose being to bring together technologies applicable to future advanced agile aircraft. This twin engine, single seat aircraft of canard delta configuration was designed for close air combat/air superiority and battlefield close air support. EAP incorporated a fly-by-wire control system and featured good supersonic manoeuvrability and a short take-off performance, making it an aircraft way ahead of its time.

During the 1970’s BAe and its predecessors had started studies into a combat aircraft that could replace a number of existing RAF aircraft including the Harrier and the Jaguar. The new aircraft was to be used in a ground attack role but with self defence capability. Originally planned as a partnership between Britain and neighbouring European countries including Germany and Italy, a lack of funding caused them to withdraw from the project and it became entirely funded by the UK Ministry of Defence and the British aviation industry.

EAP was rolled-out at BAe Warton in April 1986 and made its maiden flight in August the same year flown by Test Pilot David (Dave) Eagles, BAe’s Executive Director of Flight Operations. During this initial sortie EAP reached Mach 1.1, faster than the speed of sound. After months of testing the aircraft had attained a maximum speed of Mach 2.0 and investigated or proved some 36 technological developments before going on to perform for crowds at airshows. Four more years of trialling the latest technologies followed before the aircraft conducted its last flight in May 1991, having flown 259 sorties totalling 195.21 flying hours. EAP was capable of attaining speeds in excess of Mach 2 and could fly at angles of attack of over 35 degrees in controlled flight, exceptional even by today’s standards.

The aircraft then spent almost 16 years on display at Loughborough University in the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, being used for undergraduate student design appreciation exercises.

After being transported by road to the RAF Museum Cosford in March 2012, EAP remained in storage until late Summer 2013 when it was moved in the Museum’s award winning Michael Beetham Conservation Centre. Following a small amount of conservation work the aircraft has now been placed on display for Museum visitors to enjoy.

Nick Sturgess, Alex Henshaw Curator at RAF Museum Cosford said:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have the EAP joining our Research and Development Aircraft Collection. Only one EAP was ever built and its importance in aviation cannot be understated. During its flying career as a proof of concept demonstrator (circa 1986-1991) it contributed much to computer controls, advanced aerodynamics and new methods of construction. Many of the concepts that were pioneered and proved by EAP are now in frontline use in the form of the Eurofighter Typhoon, an aircraft that bares more than a passing resemblance to EAP.”

Chris Boardman, Managing Director at BAE Systems said:

“I am delighted that BAE Systems has been able to donate the Experimental Aircraft Programme aircraft to the RAF Museum at Cosford. The EAP was fundamental in developing many of the ground breaking design characteristics and capabilities that we now see in today’s Eurofighter Typhoon. It is only fitting that it should now reside alongside other historic aircraft including Tornado P.02, the Jaguar ACT Demonstrator and TSR2 that have all helped keep Britain at the forefront of military aviation.”

The Museum is open daily from 10am and admission is free of charge. For more information on the Museum, visit www.rafmuseum.org or call 01902 376200.