With only a handful of aircraft preserved, and our own G-ARPO being the last complete Trident 1C anywhere in the world, let’s make 2012 – this significant 50th year – the one in which we secure this aircraft’s future here at the North East Aircraft Museum.

We still need donations to help us achieve all there is left to do. Our Christmas present sales are still running, so please consider donating a product by clicking here, or alternatively just sending a regular donation to the project here.

Thanks for all your support so far, and Happy Birthday Trident!

Click the link below to view the video:

Trident Moved to the North East Aircraft Museum

OK, admittedly it wasn’t under its own power, and it certainly wasn’t operating the British Airways Shuttle flight into Heathrow, but Trident 1C G-ARPO lifted off the ground with the aid of two cranes from MSD as we lifted it onto specially made trestles ready for cutting the wings off.

Members of the Save The Trident team met up at Durham Tees Valley to begin the last major part of dismantling. The lift was partly to move the aircraft away from the fence to give us better access to the starboard wing and made quite a sight as the aircraft lifted a few feet off the ground and swung across to its new position. We placed the special trestles at the correct points along the fuselage to make sure it was supported correctly, then it returned to the ground again.

With the aircraft raised off the ground, it gave us an opportunity to remove the wheels. We will take these away and assess whether to repair or replace them. Neil and Stan also worked on the main wheel legs ready for when the wings are removed.

All-in-all we had a very productive day. Tomorrow we meet again and aim to start work on the wings, so stay posted for more news. In the meantime, see some photos below (c) Neil Lomax.

Thanks to Serco, MSD Cranes, J Parr (Mboro), JDPL, RES, HSS Hire and Hire Station for all their help today.

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The day got off to a great start, with the crane attached to the horizontal stabiliser ready to lift. However, the final bolts holding the stabiliser to the tail proved stuck fast and corroded, and we simply couldn’t remove them.

Elsewhere on site, more titanium and unwanted metal was removed from the rear end of the aircraft. A panel was cut underneath either side of the number 2 engine ready for the tail fin to be cut free. We also removed the other flap, leaving the wings free to be removed.

Sadly the tool we need to remove the bolts from the horizontal stabiliser was not available, so we will return to site at the end of September with the aim of removing this.

So, after a full week working on G-ARPO we can look back on a lot of positive work having been achieved and the aircraft a big step closer to its move. Sadly we weren’t able to separate the tail section yet, but this is not a big worry for us at this stage.

We thank our sponsors who have joined us this week and been incredibly helpful, enthusiastic and capable: ES Access Platforms, MSD Cranes, Driftwood Joinery Services, BHP Law, HSS Hire, Serco, and St George Hotel.

Some photos from today can be seen below:

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Thanks very much to Max Kingsley-Jones for this, and Flight magazine.

We will be bringing many parts back to Sunderland from Belfast, and these will need long term storage until we are ready to fit them into G-ARPO during its restoration. Therefore, we need a safe, secure and dry place to keep them.

Spacewise is a part of TAL International – the world’s largest container leasing company, with more than 1 million units. They have a variety of types of containers, with many different specifications. They also offer refridgerated and temperature controlled units.

This is a very kind offer, so thank you very much Spacewise!

Spacewise website is at http://www.spacewise.co.uk/

Following an arduous journey across to Belfast and back, via Sunderland to drop off parts into storage at the North East Aircraft Museum, the pair will have earned a rest, so we’re really grateful for St. George Hotel’s offer.

I already know first-hand what a great hotel it is, and quite historic too. It is situated in the former RAF Officer’s Mess at what was RAF Middleton St. George. Today it’s the perfect place to spend the night when flying in or out of Durham Tees Valley Airport, or when in the Teesside area. You can visit their site at http://www.stgeorgehotel.net/

Tony and Neil will take the van over to Belfast, whilst Matt, Peter and Phil Biley will travel by air from Newcastle to meet up and spend a day dismantling the parts we need. Tony and Neil will then drive them back to Sunderland, ready to use when G-ARPO arrives later this year.

Thank you very much Intack for this offer, and to those who have donated money towards petrol costs, and again to Stena for providing ferry crossings.

HSS Tool Hire have agreed to sponsor us again by putting Neil Lomax, a member of the Save The Trident team, through an abbrasive wheel course in April. Neil will be cutting the Trident prior to the transporting of the aircraft and it is the stipulation today with Health and Safety rules that this course is completed before doing so. The course would have cost £95, but HSS have very kindly given this as a donation in addition to tool hire previously offered.

We would very much like to thank David Brannon, Simon Collier and the rest of the HSS tool hire team for their commitment and support to this project.

HSS Tool Hire are a national company. The part of the company which handles training has sponsored this part of our project in particular. We can’t express our thanks to both this branch and the head office enough for their support. Please consider using them for your tool hire needs, big or small!

Check out the HSS Training Catalogue here or at www.hsstraining.com

Please come along to support him and the museum if you can. The talk will take place from 6.15pm.

Here’s a link http://www.raes.org.uk/event.asp?eventcode=000993&mastereventcode=Branch%20Lecture