Extending Airspace, Duxford 2005 - 2006 a pictorial record
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:12 pm
Back in 2005-06 IWM Duxford extended the airspace hangar and almost doubled it's size. I didn't see much of it for the first few months then a friend who I was working with on various projects got seconded to be a manager on the project and I had to visit regularly to discuss his ongoing contracts with me. From time to time he showed me around the works and I took quite a lot of photos due to my interest in aviation. Unfortunately I only had a digital compact in those days so not highest quality but hopefully of interest all the same....
13th January 2006 and I was surprised to see Concorde 01 G-AXDN standing outside as I drove up the M11, i had to turn off to head towards Royston (to meet same contractor /friend on one of my projects) so briefly stopped to get these pics:
02 aircraft outside ready for the work to start 13-1-2005, 2 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
01 aircraft outside ready for the work to start 13-1-2005, 1 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
(note the dove, it features again later)
by August my contractor friend was working on the Airspace project and still part time on contracts with me so this was one of my early visits with Concorde on display and accessible outside
taken from the high level balcony which by then was completed enough to walk out onto it:
04 Concorde 01 outside from balcony 15-8-2005 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and 2 from ground level with the works visible in the background:
05 Concorde 01 outside airspace hangar 15-8-2005 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
06 Concorde 01 open for tours 15-8-2005 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
January 2006 and some of the aircraft had been moved in under cover for protection during the winter and duly sheeted over to keep some of the dust off them (some including Concorde were classified as historical artefacts and there were tight rules on keeping them from the elements)...
06 winter storage 10-1-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
May 3rd 2006 and some of the aircraft were being moved back in permanently so this was the last chance to see them in the sunlight. I got a call telling me that I should go over for a meeting and bring my camera, Concorde 01 had been put inside for good a day earlier but TSR.2 XR222 was still outside but due to go in later in the day so this was it's last day in the open:
07 TSR.2 XR222 waiting to go into the Airspace hangar 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
08 TSR.2 XR222 outside Airspace hangar 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
one of the IWM guys told me they considered hanging it from the ceiling at one time but the wing to fuselage joint had many bolts missing so they decided it wasn't such a good idea!
Concorde 01 was already inside but not in it's final position at that time, the work continued around the aircraft a bit but mainly on the extension areas which were for displays and lecture halls and offices etc for another few months
11 Concorde 01 inside airspace hangar 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
if only my editing skills were better this could have been really effective, an olympus gathering:
12 an olympus powered triubriate 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
13 from the inside looking out 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
19th July 2006 and the positioning of the aircraft has progressed well, note the work in the background , the former front doors (now interior doors) are open and visible (note the Dove G-ALFU on the floor)
17 front of airspace hangar 19-7-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and later in the day they started lifting the dove to the ceiling (as the Vulcan trust would say - dove to the sky!)
16 Dove G-ALFU to the roof 19-7-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
and a view from the balcony the same day with the display looking remarkably similar to what it is today:
18 some of Britain's finest 19-7-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr
that's about it, there are quite a few more (mainly military ones) in my flickR album if you are interested: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125470545 ... 083061193/
hope you like them, C&C welcome
Andrew
13th January 2006 and I was surprised to see Concorde 01 G-AXDN standing outside as I drove up the M11, i had to turn off to head towards Royston (to meet same contractor /friend on one of my projects) so briefly stopped to get these pics:
02 aircraft outside ready for the work to start 13-1-2005, 2 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr01 aircraft outside ready for the work to start 13-1-2005, 1 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr(note the dove, it features again later)
by August my contractor friend was working on the Airspace project and still part time on contracts with me so this was one of my early visits with Concorde on display and accessible outside
taken from the high level balcony which by then was completed enough to walk out onto it:
04 Concorde 01 outside from balcony 15-8-2005 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickrand 2 from ground level with the works visible in the background:
05 Concorde 01 outside airspace hangar 15-8-2005 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr06 Concorde 01 open for tours 15-8-2005 by Andrew Goldsmith, on FlickrJanuary 2006 and some of the aircraft had been moved in under cover for protection during the winter and duly sheeted over to keep some of the dust off them (some including Concorde were classified as historical artefacts and there were tight rules on keeping them from the elements)...
06 winter storage 10-1-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on FlickrMay 3rd 2006 and some of the aircraft were being moved back in permanently so this was the last chance to see them in the sunlight. I got a call telling me that I should go over for a meeting and bring my camera, Concorde 01 had been put inside for good a day earlier but TSR.2 XR222 was still outside but due to go in later in the day so this was it's last day in the open:
07 TSR.2 XR222 waiting to go into the Airspace hangar 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr08 TSR.2 XR222 outside Airspace hangar 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickrone of the IWM guys told me they considered hanging it from the ceiling at one time but the wing to fuselage joint had many bolts missing so they decided it wasn't such a good idea!
Concorde 01 was already inside but not in it's final position at that time, the work continued around the aircraft a bit but mainly on the extension areas which were for displays and lecture halls and offices etc for another few months
11 Concorde 01 inside airspace hangar 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickrif only my editing skills were better this could have been really effective, an olympus gathering:
12 an olympus powered triubriate 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr13 from the inside looking out 03-5-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr19th July 2006 and the positioning of the aircraft has progressed well, note the work in the background , the former front doors (now interior doors) are open and visible (note the Dove G-ALFU on the floor)
17 front of airspace hangar 19-7-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickrand later in the day they started lifting the dove to the ceiling (as the Vulcan trust would say - dove to the sky!)
16 Dove G-ALFU to the roof 19-7-2006 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickrand a view from the balcony the same day with the display looking remarkably similar to what it is today:
18 some of Britain's finest 19-7-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickrthat's about it, there are quite a few more (mainly military ones) in my flickR album if you are interested: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125470545 ... 083061193/
hope you like them, C&C welcome
Andrew
