Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre

[Spitfire]

Following on from this ....
http://www.iconicaircraft.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=9023

The team of volunteers has now rebranded itself away from the Coventry debacle and is moving forward on its own ... New name - new vision ...

Facebook ...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cornwall-Aviation-Heritage-Centre/1397272623928739?fref=nf

Website ...
Currently under construction

Twitter...
[url]@Cornwall_AHP[/url]

They have moved to a different location on Newquay Airport and have managed to keep a live VC10 - Hunter - Harrier - BAC 111 - Canberra ... plus loads of other stuff

ALL volunteers and all working hard to save what Coventry left behind when it ditched them so unceremoniously

Allthough they don't have a Rapide any more they are hoping to offer flights in a Chipmunk and a T6 Texan in the summer ... exciting stuff for Cornwall - more power to them

[Mayfly]

I'm not sure what actually happened or what caused the spilt. All I know is that suddenly it was announced Newquay would close. What a/c have returned to Coventry and are they now totally separate organisations?

[Spitfire]

Coventry decided to move to Newquay in what was the old Nimrod hangar - aircraft were gradually shuffled down here - the VC10 and BAC111 retired here - and the exhibit became quite spectacular - it was - I believe - expected that over time Coventry would decamp to Cornwall ... But flying aircraft maintenance was retained in Coventry and suddenly they just announced Newquay was to close - BANG.

I suspect - but don't know - that hangar rental was very expensive and it probaly didn't make the revenue they expected ... but anyone who knows Cornwall well knows that income can be very transient year on year ...
http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Shock-Newquay-8217-s-Classic-Air-Force-attraction/story-26231687-detail/story.html

Anyway they just upped and left, despite empty promises to the contrary, and the volunteers here decided to try and resurrect what they could - Coventry very diligently flew out whatever was flyable (Meteors - Vampire - Rapides) and left behind whatever was non-flyable and too expensive to move by road.

This left a spectacular VC10 - a Harrier - Hunter - Canberra - a Lightning in bits (to be restored) a Devon and a Varsity and some other stuff I can't remember...

So they have a solid base - but its a pretty long haul project to maintain all that stuff on a volunteer basis what with hangarage costs - although there new home is somewhat smaller.

I just hope they make a go of it and stick one up Coventry to show them it can be done

[Spitfire]

New website now live http://www.cornwallaviationhc.co.uk/

There's a list of aircraft now and details about each one ...

[Ray C]

I certainly wish them well David, considering the "Sparse" population down your way they have a
better collection than in the North West with a population of 5 million in Gt Manchester alone...

[Vulcan Bomber]

Didn't the Canberra get trucked down there?

[Spitfire]

Didn't the Canberra get trucked down there?

Yes I think they still have the Canberra - it's not on the list on the website but I'm sure Coventry didn't 'liberate' it back when they totally abandoned Cornwall They just filched all the good flying stuff

[Spitfire]

They're getting there - very nearly open ... now you can see what aircraft they've inherited from Coventry ... impressive

Promotional video ...

[10680]

Were the airframes just gifted to the volunteers?

Is there any paperwork?

[Spitfire]

Were the airframes just gifted to the volunteers?

Is there any paperwork?

No idea ... perhaps they stole them

You'd best ask them http://www.cornwallaviationhc.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cornwall-Aviation-Heritage-Centre/1397272623928739