Aerospace Bristol merged with Bristol Freighter for UK

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20 years 2 months

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With no Bristol 170 Freighter preserved in the UK now, there was talk of one being acquired in New Zealand and being brought to Kemble for the Bristol Aero Collection. Does anyone have any news on this and I am wondering if it is this one, should anyone fancy a holiday with a difference?

http://www.woodlynpark.co.nz/planemotel.html

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24 years 2 months

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It's one of the Dwen Airmotive machines that's on offer I believe . All comes down to cost though.

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17 years 1 month

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If it is a Dwen machine then it would be c/n 13135 G-AMPK/NZ5911/ZK-EPG, this is currently derelict on Dwens site at Ardmore airfield.
I have stayed in the motel Bristol. It is divided into two units, which each sleep 4 and can be rented seperatly or together, so you have the choice of front or back! They also have a railcar and a Hobbitt cave that you can also book as accomodation.
Prior to this use, the Bristol served as part of a restaurant as Waihi Beach. Your food was prepared in a seperate kitchen, but the tables and chairs were in the aircraft.

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19 years 9 months

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I have always thought the abandoned Bristol Freighter in Canada was a suitable candidate with dis-assembly and return to the UK?

http://www.ruudleeuw.com/images/search/crash-bristol_freighter-1.jpg

I understand the remains of the flying Bristol Freighter that crashed in the UK many years ago still existed, and it could possibly provide missing items such as engines and cowls, and perhaps other parts, this wreck still appears to have the main freight doors from the nose lying in the water on either side of the wreck?

Obviously its location or remoteness might make its recovery more costly than purchase and shipping costs from NZ?

I am also unaware of the Canadian aircraft's history, as to it being a mark 21 or mark 31? I assume the NZ aircraft is a mark 31?

regards

Mark Pilkington

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17 years 1 month

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Yikes - that looks horrible! Someones attempt at an amphibious Freighter?
Pic of ZK-EPG as it is now follows - it's a Mk.31NZM.
After it was sold by the RNZAF, it was flown Whenuapai-Ardmore 31Aug78, no later use. However, it did have brief period of civil activity for three months in 1955, when it was loaned out to Straits Air Freight Express Ltd. as ZK-BJP

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19 years 8 months

Posts: 2,146

G' day

We here in Oz have a few around don't we?:confused:

I remember old leaky, the Air express 170 up at the drome very well, and can ever remember her old musty oily smell:D .

I even once met some old dude's that flew her:cool: , when I'd go hang around the old Ipec hangar, they told me they came back from Tassie a lot on one engine:eek: .

Talked like they did not like the old bus:rolleyes: , but underneath I could tell they still had luv for the old girl:D .

Maybe we could swap one for something a little better, for the old aircraft line up we have down here in Oz .

What's a fair swap for an old 170 ;) I dunno I will have to think about it:diablo:

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15 years 6 months

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Meanwhile...NINE YEARS later after this thread was started, I have just heard from 'my man in New Zealand' that NZ5911 at Ardmore has been purchased by the Bristol Aero Collection who are now looking at costs for shipping it back to the UK. I hope that won't be the deal killer!

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14 years

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Fantastic news:I hope it happens, and I hope they have room in the new museum!

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17 years 1 month

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Not long ago the ramshackle sheds surrounding this airframe have been removed. The Bristol is now quite visible, and when I was at Ardmore just last week I took this pic.

So this is what you now get for your money.

B170 NZ5911 ex ZK-BJP and ZK-EPG, Ardmore 6Dec2016

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m169/flyernzl/Bristol%20Freighter/NZ5911_MG_3843-Edit_zpse3zgbox5.jpg

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15 years 6 months

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Presume the engines and tail fin are stored nearby?

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9 years 6 months

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There is the mortal remains of C-FDFC at Enstone.

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16 years 3 months

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Meanwhile...NINE YEARS later after this thread was started, I have just heard from 'my man in New Zealand' that NZ5911 at Ardmore has been purchased by the Bristol Aero Collection who are now looking at costs for shipping it back to the UK. I hope that won't be the deal killer!

There is the mortal remains of C-FDFC at Enstone.

Surely they will have checked the freight costs before committing their money. Will certainly be great to see an example of this British classic on display in UK.

The remains at Enstone are exactly that, well beyond recovery to even static display condition.

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15 years

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There is the mortal remains of C-FDFC at Enstone.

Well the complete wing was there when I used to work there, I believe it is still behind the hangar.

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14 years 11 months

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There is the mortal remains of C-FDFC at Enstone.

Wasn't the majority of that sold to Canada some years ago to aid in a restoration there? I seem to recall that.

When I was there in early 2010 there was the complete wing tip-to-tip in the undergrowth behind the hangar, with cowlings and control surfaces and other sections stored underneath. Vertical tail, nose doors and rear end of fuselage plus engine and a bent prop in a shed. Other engine and bent prop in a semi-open hangar. IIRC the cockpit was sitting in the owners driveway under a tarp.

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17 years 7 months

Posts: 158

Wasn't the majority of that sold to Canada some years ago to aid in a restoration there? I seem to recall that.

When I was there in early 2010 there was the complete wing tip-to-tip in the undergrowth behind the hangar, with cowlings and control surfaces and other sections stored underneath. Vertical tail, nose doors and rear end of fuselage plus engine and a bent prop in a shed. Other engine and bent prop in a semi-open hangar. IIRC the cockpit was sitting in the owners driveway under a tarp.

This.........
[ATTACH=CONFIG]250226[/ATTACH]

About a year ago I was talking to a guy who lives a couple of roads away and he was telling me about being involved in bringing back a Bristol Freighter to the UK, he seemed quite positive about getting it - I assume it's the one mentioned here.

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14 years 8 months

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I recall my dad telling me how he once flew to France from Lydd in a Bristol freighter, with his Mk 2 Jaguar.

Must have been some experience, and some cost...Don't think you'd fit too many cars and passengers

Member for

14 years 11 months

Posts: 1,755

This.........
[ATTACH=CONFIG]250226[/ATTACH]

About a year ago I was talking to a guy who lives a couple of roads away and he was telling me about being involved in bringing back a Bristol Freighter to the UK, he seemed quite positive about getting it - I assume it's the one mentioned here.

There was a pretty decent plan some years ago to bring over another Canadian example for a private party. Haven't heard any more on that project, but could be that one too?

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17 years 11 months

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I recall my dad telling me how he once flew to France from Lydd in a Bristol freighter, with his Mk 2 Jaguar.

Must have been some experience, and some cost...Don't think you'd fit too many cars and passengers


My Mother worked for a firm in Farnborough called 'Solatron' who were involved with various electronics for Concorde. She was sent, several times, in the company Vauxhall Cresta estate car, via the Silver City flights from Lydd, to deliver completed modules to Toulouse.

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16 years 6 months

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Oh I hope it happens .... My first ever flight Southend - Selsy Bill - Southend with a school party 1959 aged eleven !

Keith.

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9 years 6 months

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Hi Martin your post..
Must have been some experience, and some cost...Don't think you'd fit too many cars and passengers.

Well myself and two pals in 1963 flew my Mini along with two very expensive cars(their owners look sideways at us) across the same route on our way to the Paris airshow.
My notes indicates -Car £6, Passengers-£19 for all 3. and here's the crunch Petrol coupons £8 /18/ 6 RAC Touring Service £3/10/ 0 old money.
Vaguely remember one was only allowed to take out a very small amount of money. Twenty two airfields visited , what a memory.

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16 years 4 months

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It would be a real shame if the Freighter is prevented from coming 'home' due to the cost of it as freight!