The Armstrong-Whitworth AW.650 Argosy XP411 (c/n 6766) was world's first turbo-prop powered freighter. The project was initiated in 1956 and the prototype first flew on 08Jan58. Riddle Airlines ordered 7 AW.650 series 100 and British European ordered 3, too. The BEA example (designated series 102) were later traded in for 6 Series 200, which were heavier and had more powerfull (Rolls Royce Dart) engines. The largest order was placed by the Royal Air Force, which ordered 56 AW.660 C.Mk.1s.

The Short Belfast C.Mk.1 (XR371) was introduced in service with the RAF in 1966 (only 10 of an intended 30 were produced, all for the RAF) and provided transportation on long range distances. The Belfast had a larger capacity than the Lockheed Hercules and could accommodate cargo with dimensions upto a height of 3.66 meters and 3.66 meters wide. Not many can do that. Its loads contained helicopters, boats, spaceships, containers, military vehicles, etc. For the RAF the Belfast could carry 150 fully-equipped troops or a Chieftain tank or two Wessex helicopters. Belfast C1 XR371 was flown to Cosford in the Autumn of 1978. When the RAF saw costs rising of these large turboprop transports by the end of the 1970s, they were phased out. Five of these SC.5 Belfasts were bought by HeavyLift and for many years they were put to good use in a commercial role. Follow this link for more on HeavyLift

The Cosford Aerospace Museum has Vickers Viscount 701 G-AMOG (c/n 7) preserved, in the colourscheme of British European Airways. TCA (later Air Canada) placed an order in November 1952 and Vickers realized it could improve its design by taking in account the feedback of TCA and make it marketable for the rest of the world. The basic AV.630 design was stretched into the V.700. G-AMAV, the first of the 700 Series, first flew in the colours of British European in 1953 (but was never used by BEA). The BEA fleetlist in 1968 listed 39 Viscounts (Series 802 and 806), some of them leased to other operators. When BA pulled the plug on this museum, G-AMOG was donated to the National Museums of Scotland for display Edinburgh's East Fortune airfield; see my report 12JUN11 visit.

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Source: Civil Aircraft, by Robert Jackson (Amber Books, 2001)
Back to Propliners in the UK, 2003

Shocking news was published in April 2006: THE BRITISH AIRWAYS MUSEUM COLLECTION IS ON THE MOVE The British Airways Museum Collection of airliners is on the move to new homes. The five historic aircraft, owned by British Airways and displayed for many years at the Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford will all be relocated and re-housed in the coming months. The decision to re-house the aircraft was made following a review of the aircraft by British Airways and the Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum. Both parties are taking great care to ensure the preservation of these aircraft The first aircraft to be moved will be the Boeing 707-436 (G-APFJ). This airframe will be transported to its new home at The Museum of Flight, East Fortune, part of the National Museums of Scotland. The aircraft will be dismantled and transported to the Museum of Flight by Air Salvage International. The National Museums of Scotland will be communicating in due course as to when the Boeing 707 be on display to the public. The other aircraft in the British Airways Collection will be relocated as follows: BAC 1-11-510 (G-AVMO): Relocated and reassembled in full at The National Museums of Scotland V. Viscount 701 (G-AMOG): Relocated and reassembled in full at The National Museums of Scotland Hawker Siddeley Trident 1C (G-ARPH): Cockpit section relocated to The National Museums of Scotland Vickers VC-10 (G-ARVM): Cockpit and front fuselage section relocated to The Brooklands Museum. S. Coates Receptionist & Group Visit Co-ordinator Royal Air Force Museum Cosford www.rafmuseum.org The National Cold War Exhibition (NCWE) was opened, for the Press, at Cosford on 08Feb07. An article on this event was published in Aeroplane Monthly (March 2007 issue) and a list what was on display I reproduce herewith- AW Meteor NF.14 WS843 Avro York C.1 TS798 Avro Vulcan B.2 XM598 Canadair F-86 Sabre F.4 XB812 Douglas C-47 Dakota C.4 KN645 English Electric Canberra PR.9 XH171 General Dynamics F-111F 74-0177 Gloster Javelin FAW.1 XA564 Handley Page Hastings T.5 TG511 Handley Page Victor K.2 XH672 Hawker Hunter T.7A XL568 Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.1 XN962 McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1 (nose only) XV591 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 01120 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 PF-503 Scottish Aviation Pioneer CC.1 XL993 Scottish Aviation Jetsream T.1 XX496 Short Belfast C.1 XR371 Vickers Valiant BK.1 XD818

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