Avro Vulcan B2 XM569 being broken up at Cardiff Airport. Delivered as a B2 Blue Steel, 569 was rerolled to the free-fall role before saddle bomb-bay tanks were delivered and ultimately received drum tanks. The gloss paint is non-standard and was probably applied at the museum. Gary Spoors photographer and present co-owner of 569's nose section remembers:
"My
partner in crime is a guy called Dave Price; we both currently work
for BA as engineers. We bought the bulk of the airframes from, and did
the scrapping at the now defunct Cardiff Wales Air Museum. Originally
we had a buyer for 569 as a complete aircraft; he had a budget of £100k
to buy her from us and transport her to a night club or something. But
Dave and I surveyed the aircraft and she was so badly corroded that
we couldn't even open the engine doors! At that point we invited Southend
[XL426] and Wellesbourne [XM655] to come and take what they needed for
their own aircraft, prior to scrapping. Supervising Dave Price is Barry
Parkhouse of Parkhouse Aviation. He broke the Abingdon Vulcan [XH537]
so was recruited for his expertise in removing the landing gear. 569's
nose is currently at Staverton in Gloucestershire [right]. It will be
at this year's [2003] 100th Anniversary of Flight at Fairford, and will
be stripped and repainted before the event."
Copyright © Gary Spoors