Aviation Museums
and airworthy collections
and airworthy collections
[ now permanently closed ]
Date of visit: 31st May 2015
The Classic Air Force was once Europe’s largest collection of post-war classic aircraft, 30 of which were still airworthy. A few days after my visit the doors of the museum were closed and it was announced that the fleet was to be sold. The move followed the retirement announcement of CAF’s founder, Mike Collett, who was also co-founder of the Air Atlantique group in 1977, a freight and pollution control company that at one time owned the world’s largest fleet of WW2 Dakota freighters.
G-JAYI - change of ownership October 2015
G-VROE / WD413 - change of ownership March 2017
G-AKVF - Registration cancelled May 2018
G-APLO - subsequently sold in October 2015 to an owner in the Netherlands
TX310 / G-AIDL - change of ownership November 2015
G-AGTM - change of ownership September 2016
VP981 / G-DHDV - change of ownership April 2016
G-ARHW - withdrawn from use January 2019
WR470 / G-DHVM - Registration cancelled February 2018
WK436 / G-VENM - transferred to the USA August 2018 (seen previously at the Cotswold Air Show Kemble, 2011)
U-1229 / G-HATD - transferred to the USA January 2019
XJ771 / G-HELV - transferred to Jordon April 2016
G-AMPY - subsequently sold in October 2015 to RVL AVIATION LTD
G-ANAF - change of ownership November 2015
G-SIXC - preserved as a restaurant
built by Avro Aircraft Ltd
WK163 / G-BVWC - Re-registered G-CTTS in June 2016 to 'Vulcan to the Sky Trust'
Built in 1952 by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft under Licence from Gloster Aircraft Ltd.
WM167 / G-LOSM - change of ownership October 2018
WA591 / G-BWMF - transferred to the USA March 2018
XL954 / G-BXES - change of ownership August 2017
G-BVSP - change of ownership April 2016
XM424 / G-BWDS - change of ownership December 2017
XW433 / G-JPRO - change of ownership September 2017
G-LOFM - change of ownership December 2016
G-AKDK - change of ownership October 2015
VR259 / G-APJB - change of ownership March 2016
G-AKIU - change of ownership July 2018
G -APRS - change of ownership August 2017 (subsequently withdrawn from use)
WR963 / G-SKTN [Shackleton Preservation Trust]
VP293
G-ASAJ
G-NATI
G-AESE
G-AKRP 'Northamptonshire Rose' / RL958
XR441 / G-AORG (private, 'date of no fly' 10/09/2014)
G-AMSV (private, maintenance visit)
G-FLCA
G-ZERO
XV232 [Nimrod Preservation Group XV232]
G-AKKH
G-BKJB
G-BXPL (used as simulator)
G-OJON