Concorde, 10 years

[Concorde Speedbird]

This month marks 10 years since Concorde retired from passenger service. It's the 4th today, so in the 20 days to the anniversary of the final day on the 24th I'll run through the airframes and their current placement.

001- F-WTSS

The first Concorde took to the skies on 2nd of March 1969, to start off the career of possibly the most talked about and well known aeroplanes ever. 397 flights later and her role as a prototype test airframe complete, she now rests at the French air museum, Le Bourget, Paris.

CS

[John Privett]

Heck, 10 years...

It really doesn't seem that long ago that I stood on the perimeter road at Heathrow beside 27R watching and videoing the last three passenger flights come in one behind the other - and the traffic on the perimeter road literally coming to a halt while it happened.

[Ian Jones]

Hey good on yer CSB - I remember it well (oops , the maiden flight I mean, a bit revealing eh?) looking forward to the rest of your posts on this.

 

Ian

Edited By Ian Jones on 05/10/2013 00:14:26

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Hi CSB , it seems like it was yesterday....

Joe

[Geoff Bradley]

Good idea for a thread CSB......when you build your Concorde model where will you put the Saito ?

[Concorde Speedbird]

In the cargo hold. It'll probably be EDF, since I wouldn't want to invest so much into Turbines (which would be amazing though!) and it will be in the latest BA scheme, not sure what airframe. But that is for another time...

I'll do today's airframe later, when the British get in on the act. Thanks for the response.

CS

[Geoff Bradley]

You may regret not going for Turbines....go on ! You know you want to !

Keep up the good work !

[Concorde Speedbird]

It depends on when I do the model if fairly small and reasonably affordable turbines are available, maybe just use two. I'll probably start actually building it after University, so for now it is only planning, maybe do a small Vulcan at some point for practice.

CS

[Concorde Speedbird]

002- G-BSST

Britain's first Concorde was not a necessity, but built for national pride. She also completed 438 flights providing excellent information alongside 001 for the engineers, which proved the performance and flight envelope of the aeroplane as expected. She now rests at RNAS Yeovilton, in an excellent hangar, which I have been too, alongside many other interesting aeroplanes.

CS

[David Molineux]

Hi CSB, I live near/work at RNAS Yeovilton and so have been to see 002 a few times. She certainly is a pretty old girl

I think I'm going to enjoy these posts of yours.

Dave.

[Mike Etheridge 1]

Good picture above, I was amazed at the 'old technology' in the Concord pictured . I remember seeing the Mini-Concord flying at Farnborough (I think there were two?) in the 60's when it had an undercarriage fault on the front nose leg? I also saw the plane in the picture when it was of course the FD 2-a super plane.

MJE

 

Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 05/10/2013 11:55:22

Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 05/10/2013 11:55:52

[Lorenz Mueller]

Interestingly enough my girlfriend and I (yes, she does build!) were just recently wondering whether there is a decent plan available anywhere for a wooden structure EDF Concorde, preferably about 6ft long? This was after visiting the original in the museum at Sinsheim in Germany right next to the "Concordski" Tupolev 144...

Lorenz

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

I thought of you last last week when I was in Seattle & saw this CSB.....

Thought you'd like to know it's over there showing the 'Mericans how we Brits do it......

[John Privett]

Steve - you saw G-BOAG, the last of the three to land at Heathrow on October 24th ten years ago.

[Concorde Speedbird]

Absolutely correct John, so far away she is almost forgotten by many.

101- G-AXDN

The first pre-production Concorde (and the only British one with an odd numbered registration) is unique in many ways. She is the first with the new nose-visor which went on to be used on the rest of the Concordes, the only one with this nose and the short tail cone and she holds a prestigious record: the fastest Concorde, reaching Mach 2.23, 1450 mph. Now resting at Duxford in virtually perfect exterior condition, it was also the first Concorde I saw!

CS

[Shaunie]

Nice pictures CS, shows what a complete travesty it was taking them out of service!

Shaunie.

[Roy Mundy]

Nice thread CSB I remember seeing the last flights of Concord too, it's a shame they are no longer in service

[Concorde Speedbird]

102- F-WTSA

The first Concorde to have the same dimensions with the extended tail-cone of the production aircraft, and the new reverse thrust bucket design, is Sierra Alpha. This airframe for much of her life flew with the old Air France scheme on the port side and the British Airways scheme of the time on starboard (as shown below), and finally with solely an Air France scheme. Much development was carried out including revolutionary carbon brakes and the new thrust reverser design. She now rests outside Orly airport, Paris. She was sadly struck by graffiti on but has now been cleaned up.

CS

[David Tweddle]

Hi CS thanks for that I had a flashback to the news at the time, and thought Oh No.... RB211

Also was the last flights ten years ago seems like yesterday.

David

[Concorde Speedbird]

201- F-WTSB

The first 'pre-production airframe', SB is almost production standard apart from some structural changes to the production airframe. Alongside the tomorrow's airframe, this one carried out the necessary testing in order to get the aeroplane certificated for service. Now it resides outside the Airbus headquarters at Toulouse.

CS

[Concorde Speedbird]

202- G-BBDG

The final airframe before production airframes were brought in. Delta Gulf had an interesting career carrying out much work for certification along with Sierra Bravo, although never used in airline service (although BA did consider modifying and using her as an 8th aircraft) it became the first aeroplane to carry 100 people at Mach 2 in 1974. After retirement the aircraft was kept serviceable at Filton, till BA bought her and used her for spares- the nose cone is on G-BOAF because AF's one was damaged, and is now on DG after repair. She was in rather a state till she was moved to her current location at Brooklands and repaired and on display.

CS

[Luke Lane]

On the TV tonight at 9 o'clock on Quest, Channel 38 Freeview. Concorde: The Final Flight.

[Mark Stringer]

Such memories!!

I was there as a lad for the first UK flight and by luck i saw her escorted back to Filton on her last flight over here and watched her land (after shooting off for one last sound barrier blast).

I promised before but for this thread i will try and take a picture of the cut-away plan i have and post it - my uncle gave it to me a few days before the first flight - he worked on the project in Bristol - the plan is huge!!

[Concorde Speedbird]

203- F-BTSC

Originally registered F-WTSC, F-BTSC was the first production Concorde built. It was also the heaviest of the Air France fleet, about a ton heavier than the lightest (F-BTSD). Before being purchased by Air France it took part in sales tours in the middle East and was the Concorde in the Airport 79 film. She then carried out service for Air France.

This was the airframe that tragically crashed with the loss of all on board on 25th July 2000. There is no point discussing the reason behind it, so let this post today be a tribute to all the people who died on that sad day.

CS

[Concorde Speedbird]

204- G-BOAC

The first British production airframe was, like F-BTSC, initially used for testing purposes of air conditioning and landing trials. Although the oldest in the BA fleet it was not the first delivered, AA had that honour. It was considered BA's flagship thanks to the BOAC registration of their predecessors. It now rests at Manchester, and in 2011 she was powered up once again to the excitement of any Concorde enthusiast.

CS