Britannia prototype presented to Bristol Aero Collection

On 23rd December 1953, the second prototype Bristol Britannia took off from Filton's runway. Just over a month later, on 4th February 1954, G-ALRX belly-landed on the Severn Estuary mudflats after a dramatic in-flight engine fire. Thanks to the skills of test pilot Bill Pegg, none of the thirteen people on-board were hurt, however the aircraft's reputation was little bruised by the impromtu landing. 'RX was damaged beyond repair when the tide came in, but the forward fuselage section lived on as an instructional aid until 1995, when it was acquired for preservation by the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust and loaned to the Bristol Aero Collection Trust.

Britannia G-ALRX during dismantling on the Severn mudflats.

On 23rd December 2013, exactly sixty years since its first flight, ownership of the Britannia was transferred to the Bristol Aero Collection in a ceremony at Filton, when the Collection is in store. The Britannia is now guaranteed a future in the Bristol Aerospace Centre, the planned museum at Filton, which will open in a few years time. 

Roger Hargreaves (left), chairman of the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust, hands over Britannia G-ALRX to Oliver Dearden (right) of the Bristol Aero Collection Trust.

Bristol Aircraft in 2013

The biggest news item of the year has been the go-ahead for a new museum and learning centre at Filton, the spiritual home of Bristol aircraft. Named the Bristol Aerospace Centre, it will tell the story of the history of aviation and aerospace on the site. Centrepiece will of course be Concorde 216, which made the last Concorde flight when it flew into Filton in 2003. In addition to Concorde, the centre will house the contents of the former Bristol Aero Collection museum at Kemble, which went into storage in 2012 and is now housed in the Brabazon Hall at Filton. New additions to the Collection this year have been the reproduction Bristol Fighter built by employees of Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN in 2010, and the (unofficial) last aircraft to be built at Filton: the Whitakker MW4 microlight.

Some of the Bristol Aero Collection exhibits in store at Filton.

2013 has also been a significant year for a number of individual Bristol aircraft. The world's last airworthy Sycamore helicopter made it's first flight after several years of storage and a major overhaul. Now registered OE-SXY, the Flying Bulls team at Salsburg in Austria have done a great job bringing it back to flight. The Sycamore made its return to flight in July, flown by top aerobatic helicopter pilot Sigi 'Blacky' Schwarz.

Bristol Sycamore OE-XSY in flight at Salsburg

Another significant first this year was made on 11 September at Point Cook in Australia, when reproduction Bristol Boxkite VH-XKT took to the air for the first time. This doubles the number of airworthy Boxkites, the other being the Shuttleworths reproduction built in 1965. The Australian Boxkite has a number of differences from the Shuttleworth example, the most obvious being the upper wing extensions that became standard on most Boxkites from 1911. It also does not have the central vertical tail surface the was added to the Shuttleworth Boxkite during filming of Those Magnificent Men... More details of the build and flight can be found on the Boxkite 2014 website.

Bristol Boxkite VH-XKT on its first flight at Point Cook

The rebuild of the sole airworthy Bristol Blenheim (actually a Canadian-built Bolingbroke) achieved a visual landmark moment when it was rolled out in camouflage at Duxford in August. The restored Bristol Mercury engines had not yet been fitted, but the airframe itself now is very close to completion. The long-nose Blenheim Mk.IV (G-BPIV) suffered damage from a landing accident in August 2003, and the opportunity has been taken to rebuild the aircraft as a Mk.I, replacing the 'long nose' with a 'short nose' which had been converted to a car in the 1940s. More details on the Blenheim Society website.


Also worthy of mention is the Bristol Scout project currently underway by Rick and David Bremner in the Shropshire. Regular updates can be found on their blog. Great progress has been made in 2013, with the airframe itself complete and just the fitting of equipment and fabric covering to go.

Repaint for Cosford Brit

Following the completion of the Cold War building at Cosford, work is now starting on other exhibits. Scaffolding has been erected around Britannia G-AOVF, which was repainted in BOAC colours shortly after its arrival in 1984. It will be repainted in Royal Air Force colours, even though this aircraft never actually saw service with the RAF. Hopefully the work will restore some of the corrosion on the aircraft, which has been outside for 23 years. Unfortunately the Brit was not selected to go indoors during the recent reshuffle, and the restoration work will hopefully ensure her survival for a few more years.

New home for Britannia Charlie Fox

After a year in open storage at Kemble, a new home for Britannia G-ANCF has been found. During February and March 2007, the components of 'CF were moved to the apron in front of the former Speke Airport terminal, now a Mariott Hotel. The Jetstream Club are the new custodians, and it will be displayed alongside their other aircraft, including a Jetstream 41. The fuselage and main wing sections arrived on site on 7th March, and arranged so that the aircraft can be assembled during the spring. Once complete, the Britannia will be painted in the colours of British Eagle, as it flew with this airline from Speke in the mid-1960's.

Home needed for Britannia

Over the winter months the Bristol Aero Collection at Kemble has been moving from its home of 10 years to another hangar on the Kemble airfield. This has resulted in a reduction in floor space, and the collection has been rationalised. Bristol Britannia G-ANCF has been excluded from the move, as the dismantled fuselage takes up a lot of space. The airliner has been on loan from the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust, and will be returned. This unfortunately leaves the Britannia without a home, and the BAPT are actively seeking a new location to store or display the aircraft.

'Charlie Fox' was dismantled at Manston in the late 1980's, and it was soon earmarked for the Bristol Aero Collection. The intention was to not reassemble the aircraft until a permanent museum was built at Filton. The front and rear fuselage sections had resided at the back of the BAC hangar. The nose of Britannia G-ALRX will be moved to the new hangar, and the complete Britannia, XM496, will remain where it is under the care of the Bristol Britannia XM496 Preservation Society.

Kemble Britannia in period livery

Britannia XM496 has been painted in the RAF Transport Command livery that it carried during its military career. The port side was painted in June 2005, and unveiled at the Kemble Air Day later that month. The starboard side is due to be completed by the end of the year. The aircraft has also received a makeover inside, and is now fitted with a ten rows of period RAF seats, as well as new display boards.

Britannia XM496, shortly before it was towed to the Kemble Air Day arena.

The Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust has now passed support for XM496 to the Bristol Britannia XM496 Preservation Society, who will continue to maintain the aircraft. The intention is still to bring the aircraft up to a state where it can taxi under its own steam, and will require a change of the number 2 engine.