The Big Plane On The Top Gear Test Track.??

[Smokey2326]

Not sure if i should of put this in the tv section but i thought i'd get a better answer here.

I was just wondering why the big plane (i think it's a 747) is permanently parked at the TG track?

Who owns it, does it work, and if it does why is it sat on the runway and not flying?

No real reason why i want to know, just curious i suppose.

Thanks.

[ninja-lewis]

G-BXDJ

Ex-BA/charter, now owned by Aces High for film work. Modified with the B52 engines and fuel tanks for Casino Royale.

[mik.ross]

Dunsfold Park is home to the only 747 in Europe available exclusively for filming. As an operational airfield it also offers the additional benefit of permanent flying opportunities.


from here

http://www.dunsfoldpark.com/film-television.html

[anonymous-user]

ninja-lewis said:

G-BXDJ

Ex-BA/charter, now owned by Aces High for film work. Modified with the B52 engines and fuel tanks for Casino Royale.

B52 'style' engines.

[thatone1967]

for about the 27th time....

[williamp]

mik.ross said:

Dunsfold Park is home to the only 747 in Europe available exclusively for filming. As an operational airfield it also offers the additional benefit of permanent flying opportunities.


from here

http://www.dunsfoldpark.com/film-television.html

...apart from the one at Bruntingthorpe, used for filming

[Dogwatch]

mik.ross said:

Dunsfold Park is home to the only 747 in Europe available exclusively for filming. As an operational airfield it also offers the additional benefit of permanent flying opportunities.


from here

http://www.dunsfoldpark.com/film-television.html

Both sentences are true, however they are not related. If it ever got off the ground the engine noise would be drowned by the screams of the well heeled locals. (During a balloon flight I was on in the area a few years ago I saw that one had a helicopter on the front lawn). Engines replaced by lumps of concrete I believe.

[Simpo Two]

Dogwatch said:

(During a balloon flight I was on in the area a few years ago I saw that one had a helicopter on the front lawn). Engines replaced by lumps of concrete I believe.

Why did he replace his helicopter engines with lumps of concrete?

[perdu]

Simpo Two said:

Dogwatch said:

(During a balloon flight I was on in the area a few years ago I saw that one had a helicopter on the front lawn). Engines replaced by lumps of concrete I believe.

Why did he replace his helicopter engines with lumps of concrete?

There's some funny peoples about innit

[Smokey2326]

Thanks for the answers guys.

I'm a little confused though, can it actually fly or have the engines been filled with concrete?

Also, does anybody know roughly what it was purchased for ? I know it's an old plane but can the income from renting it out for filming pay for it ?

Cheers

[Eric Mc]

It cannot fly.

And obviously, the income it generates can justify its retention. It only has scrap value otherwise.

The weird double engines were added for a Bond movie.

[Smokey2326]

Aaw, thanks Eric.

I watched a programme on discovery or nat geo channel about breaking up planes for Scrap. I'm sure it said even as scrap a big airliner was worth in the region of £20million (could of been $). I wouldn't of thought they could cover that expense with the money from filming.

Is £20 million about right for the value of it ?

[Eric Mc]

I doubt it.

And many of the valuable bits will have been parted out from it already.

It is a series 200 747 and compaeratively few of these now remain in service so the second hand parts value of the bits will get less as the demand dwindles over time.

[anonymous-user]

Smokey2326 said:

Thanks for the answers guys.

I'm a little confused though, can it actually fly or have the engines been filled with concrete?

It certainly can't fly it's just an old 747 with no engines. The B52 'style' ones aren't real engines, just plastic pretend ones.

[Smokey2326]

Thanks again, Eric

ETA- and el stovey

Edited by Smokey2326 on Tuesday 22 February 10:40

[john_p]

I'm sure if you towed it down the runway fast enough it would fly ... briefly

[Eric Mc]

You would need a bloody big tug.

Still, big things have been towed aloft before -

[mrmaggit]

Eric Mc said:

You would need a bloody big tug.

Still, big things have been towed aloft before -

By two Heinkel 111's joined together with an extra engine. But then it did have a tank inside it. There are a few of them at the bottom of the Mediterranean. Gigants, that is, not five engined Heinkels.

Editted so as to correct speelung.

Edited by mrmaggit on Tuesday 22 February 13:33

[Hooli]

Launch it with a coveyor belt?

[Eric Mc]

Hooli said:

Launch it with a coveyor belt?

Been done (although with smaller aircraft).