XM655

[FW18]

Looks like the future for the old girl at Wellesbourne is in doubt



Fingers crossed for a ferry flight being approved if it goes ahead.

[paintman]

As they can't keep XH558 flying I'd have thought that very unlikely. Only maintained in taxiable condition since arrival there 30 years ago.
http://www.vulcantothesky.org/uploads/documents/Eo...
Wiki says: "In 1984, XM655 was sold off to Roy Jacobsen who intended to keep it airworthy, but the costs proved prohibitive and also the runway was too short for it to take off, and XM655 was left to deteriorate. Title of XM655 then passed onto John Littler, owner of Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, who intended to get it to a taxiable condition, but not airworthy."

Edited by paintman on Friday 8th January 11:14

[aeropilot]

FW18 said:

Looks like the future for the old girl at Wellesbourne is in doubt



Fingers crossed for a ferry flight being approved if it goes ahead.

Absolutely no chance whatsoever of 655 being flown - period.

It will be scrapped insitu or at best tucked into a corner somewhere to be kept for a few more years, until the inevitable happens and the site owners want the space for more houses and it gets scrapped.

[ApOrbital]

Game over she will never ever fly again

[z06tim]

Might be worth considering signing this petition:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/106779

[paintman]

Only way for the whole site to be saved is for someone to buy it off the Littlers & that will be at full market value. So if one of you wins the Lottery on Saturday you could become the proud owner of a Vulcan.

[z06tim]

Fingers crossed for the lottery.

I might have to buy this to go with the Vulcan then:

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Jet/1...

Fastest civilian owned jet I believe!

[Lefty]

z06tim said:

Fingers crossed for the lottery.

I might have to buy this to go with the Vulcan then:

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Jet/1...

Fastest civilian owned jet I believe!

They've got a 29 too!

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/mobile/detailedResult...

[aeropilot]

z06tim said:

Fingers crossed for the lottery.

I might have to buy this to go with the Vulcan then:

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Jet/1...

Fastest civilian owned jet I believe!

That's open to debate, given Collings Foundation own a F-4 Phantom, and there are at least 3 x F-104 Starfighters flying in the USA on the civil register......

Not to mention, Thunder City's Lightnings, although I'm not sure how 'current airworthy' any of those 3 are, but there was a rumour that T.5 ex-XS452 flew to an airshow in Namibia a year or so ago?

[z06tim]

aeropilot said:

z06tim said:

Fingers crossed for the lottery.

I might have to buy this to go with the Vulcan then:

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Jet/1...

Fastest civilian owned jet I believe!

That's open to debate, given Collings Foundation own a F-4 Phantom, and there are at least 3 x F-104 Starfighters flying in the USA on the civil register......

Not to mention, Thunder City's Lightnings, although I'm not sure how 'current airworthy' any of those 3 are, but there was a rumour that T.5 ex-XS452 flew to an airshow in Namibia a year or so ago?

Fair point. I'd forgotten about Thunder City's Lightnings. The others you mention should definitely be contenders for the hot-rod of the skies!

[Dr Jekyll]

Presumably we lose the café as well as the Vulcan.

[Condi]

Cafe is a good stop, be a shame to lose it to housing but its been on the cards for ages.

[fatboy b]

Bugger. I'm about to convert my American PPL to a UK one, and start flying from Wellesbourne. I guess not for long then.

[AER]

z06tim said:

Fingers crossed for the lottery.

I might have to buy this to go with the Vulcan then:

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Jet/1...

Fastest civilian owned jet I believe!

The FAA lists it as fixed-wing*. Ha ha!





' * yes, I know, I know...

[Kitchski]

Official XM655 Facebook page said:

You may have read scare stories in the local press regarding the closure of Wellesbourne Airfield and eviction of the tenants. We can re-assure you that 655MaPS have not received an eviction notice, nor do we expect one. No planning application has been submitted for development of the site, and the local council have made it clear that they wish to encourage further development as an active airfield. Whilst we cannot rule out the possibility the airfield may eventually close, we expect to be able to continue with our present activities for many years to come.

[z06tim]

Kitchski said:

Official XM655 Facebook page said:

You may have read scare stories in the local press regarding the closure of Wellesbourne Airfield and eviction of the tenants. We can re-assure you that 655MaPS have not received an eviction notice, nor do we expect one. No planning application has been submitted for development of the site, and the local council have made it clear that they wish to encourage further development as an active airfield. Whilst we cannot rule out the possibility the airfield may eventually close, we expect to be able to continue with our present activities for many years to come.

Thanks - I meant to check their facebook page.

Although you would assume the Stratford Herald might have good info on this, but clearly not!

[Kitchski]

There was more chat on AHM's page about it, and the usual hysteria on various V-bomber pages, but eventually I saw that yesterday and felt a little less concerned.

I had been forming a plan into how to win the lottery, obtain planning permission to build a big hanger at Daedulus, obtaining a pilot's licence and then looking into decent lawyers for when I lost that licence (plus avoiding the likely jail sentence) for trying to fly it back to Lee-On-Solent on a Thursday night

[Boatbuoy]

Kitchski said:

I had been forming a plan into how to win the lottery, obtain planning permission to build a big hanger at Daedulus, obtaining a pilot's licence and then looking into decent lawyers for when I lost that licence (plus avoiding the likely jail sentence) for trying to fly it back to Lee-On-Solent on a Thursday night

Seems watertight!

[Kitchski]

Boatbuoy said:

Kitchski said:

I had been forming a plan into how to win the lottery, obtain planning permission to build a big hanger at Daedulus, obtaining a pilot's licence and then looking into decent lawyers for when I lost that licence (plus avoiding the likely jail sentence) for trying to fly it back to Lee-On-Solent on a Thursday night

Seems watertight!

I know! My other half was being all negative about it only last night. Guess it's just a question of attitude.

[Boatbuoy]

Kitchski said:

Boatbuoy said:

Kitchski said:

I had been forming a plan into how to win the lottery, obtain planning permission to build a big hanger at Daedulus, obtaining a pilot's licence and then looking into decent lawyers for when I lost that licence (plus avoiding the likely jail sentence) for trying to fly it back to Lee-On-Solent on a Thursday night

Seems watertight!

I know! My other half was being all negative about it only last night. Guess it's just a question of attitude.

And available runway takeoff length, but good luck anyway.