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Last Concorde goes on show at new Aerospace Bristol museum Last Concorde goes on show at new Aerospace Bristol museum
(about 2 hours later)
After languishing on a scrubby strip of disused runway near Bristol for more than a decade, the last Concorde to be built is taking pride of place in a glittering £19m home.After languishing on a scrubby strip of disused runway near Bristol for more than a decade, the last Concorde to be built is taking pride of place in a glittering £19m home.
From Tuesday visitors will be able to follow in the footsteps of world leaders, rock stars and royalty when they step on board Concorde G-BOAF – also known as Alpha Foxtrot – at the new Aerospace Bristol museum. From Tuesday, visitors will be able to follow in the footsteps of world leaders, rock stars and royalty when they step onboard Concorde G-BOAF, also known as Alpha Foxtrot, at the new Aerospace Bristol museum.
Filton, just north of Bristol, bills itself as the British spiritual home of Concorde, the Anglo-French supersonic plane that crossed the Atlantic in under three hours on the edge of space. Filton, just north of Bristol, bills itself as the British spiritual home of Concorde, the Anglo-French supersonic plane that crossed the Atlantic in less than three hours on the edge of space.
The planes were built and maintained in Filton but since their retirement, Concordes in the fleet have been placed in museums around the world. Alpha Foxtrot remained exposed to the elements since its final flight in 2003. The planes were built and maintained in Filton, but since their retirement, Concordes in the fleet have been placed in museums around the world. Alpha Foxtrot had remained exposed to the elements since its final flight in 2003.
John Britton, who was the plane’s chief engineer in Britain from 1994 and now a volunteer at the museum, said it was emotional to see Alpha Foxtrot, one of 20 Concordes built, back under cover and in pristine condition. John Britton, who was the plane’s chief engineer in Britain from 1994 and is a volunteer at the museum, said it was emotional to see Alpha Foxtrot, one of 20 Concordes built, back under cover and in pristine condition.
“It’s brilliant,” he said. “I was here when this plane took off for the first time from Filton and I was here when she landed for the final time. It was very sad when they shut the engines down for the last time.”“It’s brilliant,” he said. “I was here when this plane took off for the first time from Filton and I was here when she landed for the final time. It was very sad when they shut the engines down for the last time.”
The impact of a Concorde crash in 2000, the September 11 attacks and rising maintenance costs contributed to the decision by British Airways and Air France to retire Concorde. “If something is not making money, it goes,” said Britton. “I’m glad I’ve been able to bring my grandchildren here so they can see what was achieved. I think we’ll see commercial supersonic flight again but perhaps on a smaller scale.” The impact of a Concorde crash in 2000, the September 11 attacks and rising maintenance costs contributed to the decision by British Airways and Air France to retire Concorde. “If something is not making money, it goes,” said Britton. “I’m glad I’ve been able to bring my grandchildren here so they can see what was achieved. I think we’ll see commercial supersonic flight again, but perhaps on a smaller scale.”
Displays at the museum feature Concorde menus, bottles of champagne, the super-smart uniforms cabin crew wore and, almost inevitably, a picture of the late actor Roger Moore in the cockpit. Displays at the museum feature Concorde menus, bottles of champagne, the super-smart uniforms cabin crew wore and, almost inevitably, a picture of the late actor Sir Roger Moore in the cockpit.
On board the seats are made of soft Connolly leather but visitors may be surprised at how cramped the cabin feels – the legroom is just adequate – and the toilets are nothing to write home about “It was all about speed,” said Britton. “It wasn’t as plush as people may think.” Onboard, the seats are made of soft Connolly leather, but visitors may be surprised at how cramped the cabin feels – the legroom is just adequate – and the toilets are nothing to write home about. “It was all about speed,” said Britton. “It wasn’t as plush as people may think.”
While Concorde is the star of the show at the museum, a second hangar at the museum tells the wider history of the aerospace story in Filton and Bristol.While Concorde is the star of the show at the museum, a second hangar at the museum tells the wider history of the aerospace story in Filton and Bristol.
In 1910 entrepreneur Sir George White announced his firm, the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company, was going to branch out into aircraft, and by the time the first world war began his British Colonial Aeroplane Company (BCAC) was building reconnaissance and fighter planes. In 1910, the entrepreneur Sir George White announced that his Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company was going to branch out into aircraft, and by the time the first world war began, British Colonial Aeroplane Company (BCAC) was building reconnaissance and fighter planes.
Since then warplanes, helicopters, missiles, satellites and rockets have been built in Filton, Bristol and the surrounding areas by successor companies and other firms. Since then warplanes, helicopters, missiles, satellites and rockets have been built in Filton, Bristol and the surrounding areas by successor companies and other businesses.
Exhibits at the museum range from a Sea Harrier jet fighter, famed for its vertical take off, to the twin-rotor helicopter the Bristol Type 192 Belvedere, which was originally designed for inter-city travel but found a use as a troop carrier. Exhibits at the museum range from a Sea Harrier jet fighter, known for its vertical take off, to the twin-rotor Bristol Type 192 Belvedere helicopter, which was originally designed for intercity travel, but found a use as a troop carrier.
Linda Coode, collections manager, said: “We’re trying to tell the complete aerospace story in Bristol and to inspire future generations to look at careers in the industry.” Linda Coode, the museum’s collections manager, said: “We’re trying to tell the complete aerospace story in Bristol and to inspire future generations to look at careers in the industry.”
Coode said one of the exhibits she expected visitors to be surprised by was a dinghy that helps tell the story of the Bristol Plastics Division, which came out of wartime work to create gun turrets.Coode said one of the exhibits she expected visitors to be surprised by was a dinghy that helps tell the story of the Bristol Plastics Division, which came out of wartime work to create gun turrets.
But Concorde, inevitably, will command most attention. Following its final landing in 2003, the crew scribbled their names and messages on the inside of the fuselage close to the flight deck. One of the notes sounds all the more poignant now: “Gone but never forgotten. G-BOAF is home.” But Concorde, inevitably, will command the most attention. After its final landing in 2003, the crew scribbled their names and messages on the inside of the fuselage close to the flight deck. One of the notes sounds all the more poignant now: “Gone but never forgotten. G-BOAF is home.”