Source : Paul McTaggart (News & Star)
THE MAIN fuselage of a historic RAF plane has now arrived at its new home in Cumbria.
The relocation of the last remaining Blackburn Beverley RAF aircraft, known as ‘Big Bev’, involved a “complex process” of lifting and suspending the fuselage to refit the nose wheel and place trestle supports under the back end.
The last piece of the puzzle, the aircraft’s wings, are expected to arrive today (July 30).
The huge aircraft, with a wingspan of 162ft and weighing 36 tonnes, was originally stationed at Hull’s Fort Paull.
Its parts were hoisted over the fort’s wall by crane and transported to Carlisle by Lawsons Haulage Ltd.
The Blackburn Beverley, which first took to the skies in 1955, is a significant piece of history since it is the last of the 49 original models.
There were concerns about the aircraft being dismantled due to a lack of buyers, until Solway Aviation Museum embarked on a “last-gasp rescue mission”.
A fundraising campaign, raising over £75,000, helped move the aircraft to its new home.
Ahead of reassembly, the Blackburn Beverley now joins a vast collection of historic aircraft at the museum, including the Avro Vulcan XJ823.
The fundraising campaign is ongoing for anyone who wishes to support the project and preserve a piece of aviation history.
You can donate to the museum’s Blackburn Beverley XB259 JustGiving donation page.