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Lincolnshire pair sells Tornado fighter jet on Gumtree | Lincolnshire pair sells Tornado fighter jet on Gumtree |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A Gulf War-era fighter jet has been put on sale online for £20,000 by a couple who took six years to rebuild it. | A Gulf War-era fighter jet has been put on sale online for £20,000 by a couple who took six years to rebuild it. |
Dave and Leslie Blissett, of Lincolnshire, bought the Tornado GR1 - extensively involved in the 1991 conflict - as a shell. | Dave and Leslie Blissett, of Lincolnshire, bought the Tornado GR1 - extensively involved in the 1991 conflict - as a shell. |
For sale on Gumtree, it has no engine, or guns and the wings have been removed for transportation purposes. | For sale on Gumtree, it has no engine, or guns and the wings have been removed for transportation purposes. |
The ex-RAF engineers, whose love of aeroplanes brought them together, said it would make an ideal museum display. | The ex-RAF engineers, whose love of aeroplanes brought them together, said it would make an ideal museum display. |
Mr Blissett said he has always had a passion for taking things apart. | Mr Blissett said he has always had a passion for taking things apart. |
'Like a metal caterpillar' | 'Like a metal caterpillar' |
He took on the project after being involved in the restoration of a Lightning jet at RAF Binbrook, near Market Rasen. | He took on the project after being involved in the restoration of a Lightning jet at RAF Binbrook, near Market Rasen. |
"What we started with was literally a bare frame - you couldn't recognise it as a Tornado," he said. | "What we started with was literally a bare frame - you couldn't recognise it as a Tornado," he said. |
"Over the years we've bought, swapped and gone through scrap bins to get it to where it is now." | "Over the years we've bought, swapped and gone through scrap bins to get it to where it is now." |
Mrs Blissett said when it first arrived it looked like a "metal caterpillar on the back of a lorry". | Mrs Blissett said when it first arrived it looked like a "metal caterpillar on the back of a lorry". |
"Some people go for garden gnomes, we go for aeroplanes," she said. | "Some people go for garden gnomes, we go for aeroplanes," she said. |
The Panavia Tornado GR1 was used extensively in combat by the RAF in 1990s, including in the Gulf War in 1991. | The Panavia Tornado GR1 was used extensively in combat by the RAF in 1990s, including in the Gulf War in 1991. |
On the classified ads website, the couple have written: "She is virtually complete and is ready to move as her wings have already been removed." | On the classified ads website, the couple have written: "She is virtually complete and is ready to move as her wings have already been removed." |
Andrew Panton, manager of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, said it was "unusual" to sell aircraft on Gumtree, as they are generally sold via the Ministry of Defence surplus service. | Andrew Panton, manager of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, said it was "unusual" to sell aircraft on Gumtree, as they are generally sold via the Ministry of Defence surplus service. |
"They way they are doing it - making it known worldwide - could work in their favour," he said. | "They way they are doing it - making it known worldwide - could work in their favour," he said. |
As interesting as the piece is, it is the "wrong era" for the centre in Spilsby, which focuses on World War II aircraft, he said. | As interesting as the piece is, it is the "wrong era" for the centre in Spilsby, which focuses on World War II aircraft, he said. |
Strange military items sold online |