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By: - 20th June 2015 at 18:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I suspect the photos you have seen were the ex Italian AF loaned F.3s that returned to the RAF. They were spares recovered at St Athan and the fuselages then went to a yard in Hertfordshire (?) before they started RTP at Leeming. now they go straight to the crusher once finished in RTP, or that's what I'm told.
As for getting hold of them before that....Pass, although Midland Air Museum managed to get hold of Gulf Killer.
TS
By: - 20th June 2015 at 18:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
One of my mates works the RTP at Leeming (he's just leaving though) and he says it's all completely destroyed on site by a very clever smelter that takes the stripped airframes less useful components, and melts them down to liquid. Each metal is sorted automatically by the smelter.
By: - 20th June 2015 at 19:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I believe the smelter has a very big appetite :apologetic:
And has consumed almost all the jets that have gone into Leeming, apart from a couple of new arrivals over the last few months... not that there is much left once stripped anyway.
T
By: - 20th June 2015 at 19:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
cheers guys I guess I was hoping for too much. I did see the front cockpit section of one at Newark last weekend, and am I right in thinking an artist got an F3 and polished it up to hang in a gallery. Any thoughts or ideas would be gratefully received.
By: - 20th June 2015 at 19:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hartman
Not sure where the F.3 that Jet Art sold went, but by polished and hanging up you might be referring to the Sea Harrier and Jaguar the artist had displayed at Tate modern?
T
By: - 20th June 2015 at 20:39 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Jet arts F3 sale fell through I believe. Acquiring a cockpit isn't impossible, but even from the scrap man you'd need to pay the value of the weight in scrap, so you're looking at a few thousand for a tornado cockpit.
By: - 20th June 2015 at 21:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It isn't just the scrapmans price these day's, it is the middle mans price that is more the factor on getting one or not.
By: - 20th June 2015 at 23:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
How many of the Tornado F3 fleet have made it into preservation three, four?
Seems a pity really as the Tornado F3 is a uniquely British development, more Tornado GR1 have already made it into preservation and more Tornado GR4 are likely to make it into preservation.
I also think the Tornado F3 is by far the better looking variant although it never seemed to benefit from the popularity that other aircraft types generate.
By: - 21st June 2015 at 09:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Was Gibbs Recycling at Hoddesdon the Hertfordshire yard ?
By: - 21st June 2015 at 12:03 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Was Gibbs Recycling at Hoddesdon the Hertfordshire yard ?
No it was a yard in Hitchin which recently did the 2 ex SAAF Pumas out of the 6 that we bought which never entered service (as HC.1s) or went into the HC.2 mod line
Tim
By: - 21st June 2015 at 18:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
No it was a yard in Hitchin which recently did the 2 ex SAAF Pumas out of the 6 that we bought which never entered service (as HC.1s) or went into the HC.2 mod lineTim
And for some reason people are getting very twitchy about airframes going for scrapping - there was almost a D Notice-like omerta on the Pumas on some of the enthuisast sites until after they had been scrapped, and the various Lynx airframes sold recently went on the express instruction that they had to be scrapped immediately.
By: - 21st June 2015 at 18:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
If you fancy a helicopter - on same site as the Phantom, they have a couple of Lynx cockpits going for around £1,000 . . although be warned, the parts will probably be expensive at present! :)
By: - 22nd June 2015 at 20:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
so is a grand for the Lynx cockpit section a good price and does anyone have any more sites scrapyards etc to look at for a cockpit project. still would like a Tornado but willing to look at anything reasonable. thanks to all for responses. Hartmann
Posts: 31
By: Hartmann - 20th June 2015 at 17:24
I have a question regarding the Tornado RTP programme. I've seen pictures of Tornado fuselage''s from radome to tail piled up after they have been stripped of parts. I'm guessing they are sold to a scrap man after that, is there any chance a mortal could get hold of one or at least the cockpit section. I'd love to have a cockpit project but can't afford huge amounts of cash it would take to buy one, like the Phantom cockpit up for sale at the moment.