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Concorde's spare parts auctioned Concorde's spare parts auctioned
(about 1 hour later)
An auction of spare Concorde parts is due to be held later in Toulouse, south west France. A four-day auction of spare Concorde parts is due to begin in Toulouse, south west France.
The auction is to raise funds for an aeronautical park to be built in the French city. The auction is to raise funds for an aeronautical museum for the French city, with the centrepiece one of the two supersonic jets it owns.
Items on sale to the general public include spare parts used for maintenance and a toilet seat. Items on sale include a 1.2 ton landing gear, a Mach-monitoring speedometer and a windshield.
Concorde was an Anglo-French project, with work on the supersonic aircraft taking place at Filton near Bristol, and Toulouse in the 1960s. Concorde was an Anglo-French project, with work on the supersonic aircraft taking place near Bristol and Toulouse.
Among the items on sale to the public are a 1.2 ton landing gear, a Mach-monitoring speedometer and a windshield. However, conspicuously absent from the sale will be the Concorde's trademark needle nose.
'Obscure things' It is a once in a lifetime opportunity Simon Jones, collector
Conspicuously absent will be the Concorde's trademark needle nose.
Three of them were auctioned in London and Paris in 2003 and 2004 - the first of which went for more than half a million dollars.Three of them were auctioned in London and Paris in 2003 and 2004 - the first of which went for more than half a million dollars.
Cockpit gauges, including air speed indicators and horizontal situation indicators, will be sold along with lower-tech paraphernalia like a cabin oven or plate-and-silverware sets. Cockpit gauges, including air speed indicators and horizontal situation indicators, will be sold along with lower-tech paraphernalia like a cabin oven or plate-and-silverware sets and toilet seats.
Oliver Deardon, of the Bristol Aero Collection, said: "Some of our members have seen the catalogue. Simon Jones has already spent £50,000 on his Concorde collection.
"They are quite obscure things [on sale], about 2,000 I think. We will take an interest but are happy with the aeroplane we've got." "I've earmarked probably £60,000 to £70,000 here and am hoping not to go above that.
Concorde was decommissioned by British Airways in 2003 after it was deemed to be uneconomical. "But I have heard there are some serious collectors in town. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
It had been in service for three decades. The auction is open to the public
Another collector added: "My one regret is that I never flew on her. Now I've started collecting, it would have been cheaper to fly."
Concorde was decommissioned by British Airways in 2003 after being in service for three decades.
Former French pilot Jacky Roman added: "There have been auctions in the past and prices are rocketing."