BRITANNIA AIRCRAFT PRESERVATION TRUST
Today:
Welcome to our Web Site. we hope you will find it enjoyable and informative.
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The Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust have been reviewing the future of the project after the loss of our Chief Engineer, Mick Bates. This has come as a great blow to the Trustees both personally and to the continuation of the project.
After investigation it has been decided that the only way forward is to employee skilled personal to help move the project forward. This of course will cost the Trust considerably more money than they expected to be paying out at this time. It is the view of the Trust that we need to get the aircraft up on its undercarriage before the end of this summer. This we hope will attract more sponsorship and interest. The main items that are required to accomplish this is the finishing of the main two fuselage joins and the preparation and installation of all the undercarriages.
As a Trust we feel that the project must continue so that it will stand as a tribute to our former Chief Engineer.
We estimate that it will cost in the region of £10,000 to cover all the costs to get aircraft up on its wheels. If you want to see Britannia CF restored. We need your help please and are appealing to you for donation, however large or small to see this unique aircraft restoration project completed.Cheques should be sent to the BAPT at 12 Northway, Lewes, Sussex BN7 1DS. For further details contact Roger Hargreaves telephone 01273-476283 or email Britboss1 (at) aol.com
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REVIEW OF 2009
2009 proved to be a challenging year for the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust.
Early in the New Year the working relationship with the Jetstream Club and the rebuild of Britannia Charlie Fox at Speke came to an end.
There were a number of reasons for this, but the arrangement simply was not working for either party so the ''parting of the waves'' was the only way forward. We would like to put on record our thanks to the members of the Jetstream Club who worked on the project with such enthusiasm and hard work since the aircraft arrived at Speke nearly three years ago. Without their support Charlie Fox would we are sure have ended its days on the scrap heap at Kemble. We are eternally grateful.
An agreement was then made with Kewgreen Hotels who own the site at Speke and the Crown Plaza Hotel who run the hotel in the former terminal building at Speke, for Charlie Fox to remain on its present site outside the hotel. We are grateful to both Companie for their continued support of the project.
In early Spring we came to an arrangement for the Newcastle Aviation College to provide final year aircraft engineering students to work on Charlie Fox on a regular basis. This involved up to eight students and their tutor Brian Dixon, driving from Newcastle to Speke, working on the aircraft, staying overnight, working on the aircraft the next day before driving back to Newcastle. The standard of work provided by the students was excellent and a special thanks goes to Brian Dixon for making it all possible, The students mainly worked on the rear fuselage join and strap which involved fitting hundred of rivets. Not an easy task in sometimes appalling weather conditions.
In July, Charlie Fox was open to visitors during the annual Air Fair organised by the Jetstream Club. This proved very popular and it is our intention to open the aircraft on a regular basis once the aircraft is standing on its undercarriage.
Work on Charlie Fox has been slow over the past year and on the face of it, it looks as though very little progress has been made. However the front and rear join and strap are nearing completion, ready for the aircraft to be lifted onto its undercarriage during 2010, the front nose gear has been extended from its undercarriage bay where it has resided for the last 22 years and the rear crew area has been cleared, cleaned and etched ready for the installation of crew bunks, toilet and galley during 2010.
Our other aircraft G-ALRX which is on loan to the Bristol Aero Collection at Kemble has been under going some restoration work under the expert guidance of Bill Meehan and Mike Jones. During 2009 the rear bulkhead was replaced and restoration of the small cabin interior commenced. In addition one of the cockpit windows has been removed with a view to getting a new one manufactured by a Company in London. It is hoped that the interior restoration will be completed by June 2010.
G-ANCF after being unloaded at Speke - © Roy Coates
