Kemble Airfield Scrap aircraft photo's - 5th January 2016

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

I took a trip up to Kemble to see what the current state is. There's a few changes around, with some new arrivals. There's some interesting things that you don't usually anywhere in the UK, such as a TAM A319, SilkAir A319 and China Eastern A319 to name a few.

There is a Sri-Lankan A340-300 there too, shame to see these going. BA have started some clearing out too, which has seen another B747 arrive, and a B767-300ER


Former BA 767-300ER G-BNWS stored at Kemble Airfield



The remains of ex-Monarch Airlines B757 G-MONJ at Kemble



The second BA 747-400 to arrive at Kemble is G-BNLW seen next to recent arrival TS-AMS



New to Silkair in 2002, 9V-SBD is now retired and is seen here outside the ASI shed's at Kemble with parts being removed.



Former SmartLynx A320 YL-LCA, painted in the Travel Service scheme, stands outside the ASI shed's at Kemble having it's parts removed.

This A320 started life in 1992 with Air Canada, and was with Smartlynx in 2010 and leased to Travel Service.





The CFM56-5A1 engine removed from Smartlynx A320 YL-LCA



Former MK Airlines B747 at Kemble, which was used for driving cars through it. It used to be rather dirty, but nothing like it's current battered state!





The hole which I understand was for driving cars through on G-MKCA



Former Qantas B747-400, under the owner of the Bank of Utah at Kemble being broken up. The cockpit has now gone to Switzerland to be used as a flight simulator.

The 747 was due to go to another operator, but was never sold and is now being broken up



4 Avro RJ's/BAe146's lined up at Kemble, featuring two former Brussels Airline's Avro's, Abu Dhabi Amiri RJ100 and Titan Airway's BAe 146



Former Air Atlanta/Saudi B747-400 TF-AMS at Kemble which had just arrived the day before, on the 4th January 2016




I hope you like them


James.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

8th picture - is that a Canberra on the left?

 

[westcoaster]

Thanks for sharing, one of the saddest things I saw at Kemble was an easyJet 737-700 being mothballed. After only a few years service (I worked for ezy at luton when she and her sisters were delivered straight from Boeing field ????????????). Worth more as parts than as a flying machine.
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Is ATC lasham still going.

 

[455driver]

Scrapyards have always fascinated me, especially train ones, but there is something quite strange about seeing a plane fly in just to be scrapped a while later, a very sad occurrence.

Lovely photos, thanks for sharing.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

8th picture - is that a Canberra on the left?

Yes Midairs Canberra XH134 which is next to their Hunter. That's the only airworthy Canberra left here, but unfortunately the owners have fallen into debt and they are off for sale in March, hopefully to be used in airshows again but who knows, people have said it could potentially be sold to someone outside the UK

Westcoaster - it is indeed, went there last year, I have a handful of photos if you are interested, there was a few scrap 727's there, along with the active Oil Spill Response 727
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455driver - yes me too! I actually wonder how it works sometimes too, especially the operational side of things, like who brings it over.

Apparently they bring it over themselves, so in the case of the other Saudi 747 it was flown from Jeddah to Kemble, pilot got out straight into a car, who drove the pilot to Heathrow to get the Saudi flight back.

I'm not sure why some end up at Kemble though, it's a bit of a hike sending that TAM 319 all the way from Brazil, I'm surprised it didn't end up in one of the American boneyards.

Most the BA fleet has gone to Victoriaville for them to be flown back, would have been easy for those that ended up at Kemble, lift back to Heathrow, job done!

 

[Rick1984]

Why did they cut a hole in a plane to let cars through?

 

[455driver]

Thanks for the info HoW!

Why did they cut a hole in a plane to let cars through?

Because it would have made a mess of the car and driver if they didn't cut the hole first!

I think it was for a film (or 2), cover the hole up with some lightweight plastic for the car to burst through, job done.

 

[sprinterguy]

Why did they cut a hole in a plane to let cars through?

It was used to demonstrate to journalists the abilities of the new Land Rover Range Rover Sport in 2013, by setting up a challenging course within the plane.

http://www.theaviationwriter.com/2013/07/video-range-rover-boeing-747-1248.html
Land Rover arranged for lucky journalists to test drive the 2014 Range Rover Sport through a Boeing 747 aircraft at Cotswold Airport. How cool is that?

Journalists were guided through a special course, where they drove the car up a ramp, into the Boeing 747 (which even had some seats inside), through a challenging little course inside the plane (which, at one point, tipped the car at a 40-degree angle), and then back out again.

 

[Rick1984]

Cheers for the reply

 

[142094]

How many 747s are BA refurbishing - I had read that due to the lower oil prices it made more economic sense to refurb them instead of buying in the new builds which have better fuel economy.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I remember British Airways flying their last 747-100 out to VCV for storage and scrapping. They invited Blue Peter to film the whole event and I watched as they removed all but the forward seating (first class) and painted over the tail and names before it left Heathrow - surprised this has not happened with these 767s

I'm actually surprised the 767s have gone to EGBP as they normally go to Cardiff for component recovery

 

[Domh245]

I remember British Airways flying their last 747-100 out to VCV for storage and scrapping. They invited Blue Peter to film the whole event and I watched as they removed all but the forward seating (first class) and painted over the tail and names before it left Heathrow - surprised this has not happened with these 767s

I'm actually surprised the 767s have gone to EGBP as they normally go to Cardiff for component recovery

Unless the aviation industry has a slightly illogical way of doing things, the aircraft will go to the highest bidder for scrapping

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Yes, but BA normally fly theirs to Cardiff to remove components and seating before they fly off to VCV as BA9xxx

 

[CC 72100]

James, brilliant photos as always.

Whilst I don't know the ins and outs, seeing a 2002-built A319 being scrapped strikes me as slightly odd and a bit of a waste. I guess it's a buyer's market at the moment and why go for 14 years old when you can pick up at new at a very competitive price?

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I'm actually surprised the 767s have gone to EGBP as they normally go to Cardiff for component recovery

Well at the moment that is actually the only 767 that has arrived at Kemble, it apparently went to Cardiff first though. Not sure why the titles are painted out, one of the other BA 747's had the titles and tail painted out. Not that it matters, it's pretty obvious what it was!

Yes that SilkAir was short lived, probably had a good 6 years left. Not sure if it was ever up for sale first, but I suspect some operators are after the A320neo's now instead. I know of a few operators that has ordered them

 

[Ploughman]

Its a while back but the only time I was at Kemble the Red Arrows were based there back in 1979.
We, a Royal Engineer unit, had the task of servicing the Arrester gear on the runways.
I remember the Base commander getting very shirty about us being allowed to drive on his base, especially when our CO pointed out to him that our normal airfield that we worked and drove around on every year was a frontline Jaguar base in Germany.

 

[thejuggler]

My wife has just stepped off a BA flight from the States, a 777-200ER. I've tracked it and I'm amazed the plane is 20 this year, probably one of BAs first deliveries of the aircraft.

It doesn't seem that long since I was watching and reading the book about the development of the 777 and how it was ground breaking for so many reasons, (all exit doors being exactly the same size and shape being one). That must now be 25 years ago, in another few short years this one will probably be pensioned off for a 787.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Its a while back but the only time I was at Kemble the Red Arrows were based there back in 1979.
We, a Royal Engineer unit, had the task of servicing the Arrester gear on the runways.
I remember the Base commander getting very shirty about us being allowed to drive on his base, especially when our CO pointed out to him that our normal airfield that we worked and drove around on every year was a frontline Jaguar base in Germany.

!!

If you are interested, there is a former Red Arrows gnat preserved, parked outside the cafe. Not my photo:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/n48284/12174074933
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My wife has just stepped off a BA flight from the States, a 777-200ER. I've tracked it and I'm amazed the plane is 20 this year, probably one of BAs first deliveries of the aircraft.

It doesn't seem that long since I was watching and reading the book about the development of the 777 and how it was ground breaking for so many reasons, (all exit doors being exactly the same size and shape being one). That must now be 25 years ago, in another few short years this one will probably be pensioned off for a 787.

Yes some of them are getting on! Especially the 'triple Z's' (G-ZZZx), but I've only seen the cascade plans for 767's and 747's.

Then again, there is going to be a few 747's remaining anyway right through to 2030!

 

[EbbwJunction1]

As a matter of interest, how easy is it to get access to the airfield?

Is it open to the public at any specific times, and is there an entrance charge? I've had a look at their web site, but apart from giving information on which gate to use, it doesn't say anything about this.

Thanks.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

If you can drive there's a lay-by off the A429, which is where the BA767 is with the line up of ones ready for scrap, which is by the scrap pad. You can see all this from the lay-by, there's often people there with camera's as it's next to the runway and there's usually General Aircraft (GA) doing bumps and circuits.

From here, you can go up the A429, with the airfield on your LEFT and take the second left turn onto Windmill Road here:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6...HvEXGtPBG2TVOA-Esg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Then take the road to the A433 and turn left on this road, then take the next left which spurs off the A433 here:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6...TWF0TSfaQGWTK0Xrgg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

The google streetcar doesn't go down that road, but that takes you to the Kemble Industrial Estate, and you can follow the road around the estate and it takes you AV8 cafe and tower. Free for all cafe, you don't need to be a pilot or anything. This is the car park by the cafe, and you overlook the runway from the fence, so again you can see the GA's, which there's usually something to watch especially on weekends:

http://www.av8-cotswoldairport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/av8-outside.jpg

There's sometimes an MG meet, or like the picture above, a bike meet, or something. Last time there was some event there was a small Jaguar meet, quite nice to be watching/photting planes and looking at some Jag's as well!

En-route to this cafe, there is fences, this is where I took the shot of the Silkair and BA 747 shots. You can pull over and take photo's, it's not a chain link fence so is easy to take pictures through the gaps.

There is also a preserved Britannia there too, which has open days on a handful of sunday's where you can look around and sit in the cockpit

http://www.xm496.com/

Apart from that it's free to explore, just don't walk through any open gates, nor jump over any small gates as you are then on an active airfield!

But you can see the stored stuff very easy and don't need to climb over fences or pay your way in. Weekends are easier as the business park is closed, and they don't really like spotters, however I have been on a few weekdays, but to be honest I prefer weekends as there is usually more activity with the GA's


Arriving on train however will involve an hour or so walk from Kemble station, though you could probably arrange for a local taxi firm to take you there and arrange a time to take you back.

You can find the up to date list of serials/aircraft stored there on this site:

http://www.airportspotting.com/storage-lists/kemble-uk/


I hope that helps, and anything else you want to know, feel free to ask

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I hope that helps, and anything else you want to know, feel free to ask

I don't drive, so I would be on the train, but all of your advice looks very good - thanks!

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Just had a look at the other sites planes are stored at on wessex's list - surprised to see some aircraft getting new regs given their ages

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Just had a look at the other sites planes are stored at on wessex's list - surprised to see some aircraft getting new regs given their ages

Most are registered back to their lessor, usually with a temporary serial stuck over the old one, pointless when it's going to be broken up but you have to have the correct serial on.

Usually they are 'N' reg, much like the China stuff, usually owned by some bank in America
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I don't drive, so I would be on the train, but all of your advice looks very good - thanks!

That's alright! Looking at google maps planner, it reckons it's about 40mins, I'd say that probably isn't far off, it's about 5 minutes on the road so even if you got a taxi it wouldn't be that much

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Most are registered back to their lessor, usually with a temporary serial stuck over the old one, pointless when it's going to be broken up but you have to have the correct serial on.

Usually they are 'N' reg, much like the China stuff, usually owned by some bank in America

Didn't Airplane Repo - the original one - show that when he took back some A300s? Most china stuff is dryleased but they do reg some of their own stuff

Personally, I wonder what use could a nearly 40yo plane have

 

[mic]

jet 2 (Yorkshire branded one) was there late last year also a Moranch A320

 

[EbbwJunction1]

That's alright! Looking at google maps planner, it reckons it's about 40mins, I'd say that probably isn't far off, it's about 5 minutes on the road so even if you got a taxi it wouldn't be that much

Thanks again.

 

[contrex]

Yes Midairs Canberra XH134

If you zoom in the serial it looks more like 135, which is also at Kemble and is being used as a source of spares for 134.