Saturday, December 07, 2002

Freighter movements

Not one but two Bristol 170 Freighters are scheduled to be moved soon. Former Argentine Air Force TC-330, part of the Museo Nacional de Aeronautica in Buenos Aires, is in the process of being dismantled for transportation to the museums new home at MorĂ³n Air Base. It has been with the museum at the Jorge Newbery Aeroparque since its withdrawal from service in 1967. It is the oldest surviving Bristol Freighter.

The other is VH-ADL, formerly of the Airworld Collection at Wangaratta in Victoria, Australia. The Collection closed its doors in February 2002, with the local council taking over the museum artifacts. The first tender block closed on October 25th, and a buyer was found for the Freighter. The identity of the new owner is not yet public knowledge, but it is expected that it will be transported to the United Kingdom for display. The Freighter is said to be in excellent condition, but it seems unlikely that it will ever return to the skies. For one thing, there are no Freighter propellers in existence that are not time expired, and it would be expensive to manufacture new ones.