Scrap Man's Axe Falls

摘要

After more than 15 years in open storage at London/Southend Airport, following the collapse of Janes Aviation, three of the former carrier's Hawker Siddeley 748s are in the process of being scrapped. The three aircraft: 5Y-CHB (c 1697, ex G-OSOE); 5Y-CHD (c 1689, ex G-SOEI) and 5Y-CHC (c 1687, ex G-AYIM) had been acquired by a Kenyan company last year with a view to making them airworthy again. However, the Civil Aviation Authority stepped in and issued grounding notices in May for all three because of corrosion problems. With no alternative available, the airframes were scrapped by Trygon. Just two HS 748s remain in storage at London/Southend, both are former Royal Australian Air Force aircraft -VH-AHL (c 1606) and VH-AMQ (c 1603) - and they are owned by the manager of the Skylark Hotel on the north side of the airfield. (Story and picture Simon Murdoch)