Hi all,
I was lucky enough through work to be able to visit the scrapping area at Kemble on the morning of Wednesday 27th March 2024. I couldn’t see the one Vigilant T.1 that I wanted (ZZ193/SR) until I was almost stood right by it. I’ve no idea how people can claim all of them from outside sadly, given the very limited views and the way some of these are on the floor now. Some look like they’ve had forklift treatment.
The guide said that these were probably going to be scrapped next week and that the ones stored outside at St Athan were coming here for the same treatment. He also said that Vigilant T.1 ZH263/UV was still on site at Kemble and going to his farm, not his back garden. I’m hoping that giving people the heads-up that the time is nigh for the Kemble Vigilants and very likely soon too for the St Athan ones, it might focus minds and give you the chance to try and see them over a holiday weekend.
I took lots of photographs but was asked not to publish most of them because of customer sensitivity. If anybody wants clarification of where each of the 18 Grob Vigilants were in the scrapping area that morning, then please message me privately. I am assured by Ben Sadler that he could only read ZH116/TB, ZJ960/SH and ZH193/UF in the scrapping area from outside two days later. Shows how hard these are to see and read off from outside and so getting a flight over is your best option here…..
Vigilant T.1 ZH205/UL was just outside the scrapping area and would have been visible from the A429 Cirencester-Malmesbury road. I didn’t see this but Ben tells me that Vigilant T.1 ZH145/TS can be seen from the airfield entrance approach road and is behind a building all on its own at – 51.671269, -2.044597
It was a work trip, time was short and the weather was lousy, so I didn’t log everything I saw…….I was lucky enough to see ZeroAvia Do.228 G-HFZA outside which I don’t think happens very often. Their first aircraft (PA-46 which crashed) was visible through a Hangar C2 door window – it is on a trailer I think? Hangar C2 is just South of the Britannia. I tried to arrange for prior permission to get into The Resource Group facility where the VFW-614 is kept, but was given a firm no – any access tips for this place anybody?
Thanks!
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The few photographs that I’m allowed to publish can be seen at;
https://www.flickr.com/photos/62861611@N08/albums/72177720315772910
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XE665, Hawker Hunter T.8C, G-BWGM, United Kingdom (HABL003009?)
XM496/496, Bristol 175 Britannia 253F, EL-WXA, United Kingdom (13508)
(XP502)/XR540, Hawker-Siddeley Gnat T.1, United Kingdom (FL517)
ZH116/TB, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGE, United Kingdom (6505)
ZH118/TD, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGG, United Kingdom (6507)
ZH119/TE, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGH, United Kingdom (6508)
ZH125/TL, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGO, United Kingdom (6518)
ZH126/TM Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGP, United Kingdom (6521)
ZH127/TN, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGR, United Kingdom (6522)
ZH146/TT, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGX, United Kingdom (6529)
ZH148/TV, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMGZ, United Kingdom (6531)
ZH184/TW, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMHA, United Kingdom (6532)
ZH193/UF, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMHJ, United Kingdom (6544)
ZH194/UG, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMHK, United Kingdom (6545)
ZH205/UL, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMHO, United Kingdom (6549)
ZH211/UR, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMHW, United Kingdom (6557)
ZH268/SA, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMIG, United Kingdom (6568)
ZH270/SC, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMII, United Kingdom (6570)
ZJ960/SH, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMHV, United Kingdom (6556)
ZJ961/SJ, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMIK, United Kingdom (6574)
ZZ192/SQ, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMHX, United Kingdom (6559)
ZZ193/SR, Grob Vigilant T.1, G-CMIJ, United Kingdom (6572)
9H-AZC, Boeing 747 4H6 (29900)
G-HFZA, Dornier Do 228 200, ZeroAvia (8046)
(G-HYZA), Piper PA-46 350P Malibu Mirage (4636130)
G-SMLA, BAe 146 200, Jota Aviation (E2047)
(LY-BKM), Airbus A319 112 (1277)
LY-SPC, Airbus A320 231, GetJet Airlines (415)
M-STAR, Boeing 727 2X8/W (22687)
N542FT, Airbus A320 214, (China Eastern Airlines) (1542)
OY-SRL, Boeing 767 232BDSF, Maersk Air Cargo/Star Air (22219)
OY-SRP, Boeing 767 232BDSF, Maersk Air Cargo/Star Air (22220)
TF-AMI, Boeing 747 412BDSF, Air Atlanta Icelandic/Magma Aviation (27066)
Photo credits: Grant Robinson
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Best regards,
Grant Robinson
https://www.facebook.com/groups/oxfordaviationgroup
https://www.flickr.com/photos/62861611@N08/albums