XM496

Hi Wayne, it would be good to see you and your son. We regularly have children visit (as long as they let a grown-up come along too!), and we like to think letting them sit in the pilot's seat might just be the catalyst for an aviation career! One of our members, an ex-Loadmaster, lives in the Forest of Dean too. Cheers.

Hi Tony, you're a local! Pop over and see us sometime - we're open this Sunday (13th) and should have some visitors from the Italian Car Club as an added attraction. We're not sure yet what our involvement will be with the Best of Britain Show - unfortunately the location of the aircraft means we can't currently get her onto the show ground, so it might just be our Transport Command liveried van and possibly a display propeller (not easy to miss, it's 16' diameter). Once we've finalised out plans I'll post them here. Have a great day with your Ferret in Bristol.

Hello, thanks for the welcome! Yes, you're right - there's a Britannia painted in RAF Transport Command colours, but she is in fact an ex-BOAC civilian Brit - distinguishable externally by the lack of a large cargo door surrounding the forward port cabin door. Most (but confusingly, not all) the RAF Brits had the large cargo door through which a crew of hard-pressed loads could just about squeeze a Lightweight Land Rover. Cosford has done a great job of saving their Brit, after British Airways lost interest in it. Unfortunately though she's gutted inside and has no engines. That's why we can say ours is the only genuine surviving RAF Britannia, complete with engines and fully fitted out inside. We'd be delighted to show you round!

Good call! Here's one for starters, I'll add a post in the Aviation section and put some more photos there. This is the old girl as she looks at the moment.

Hi everyone, as well as being a new HVMF member I'm also part of the group preserving the ex-RAF Transport Command Bristol Britannia aircraft at Cotswold Airport (aka Kemble Airfield). We're opening up on 30th June for Armed Forces Day and we'd like to invite you to display your military vehicle in front of the aircraft. 30th June is a Saturday and we'll be open from approx 12:00 to 16:00 hours. Parking will be on the former peri track (Tarmac) and as we can park around two corners of our site, there's space for about 30 vehicles (depending on size!). Access is via the airfield North Gate, which is signposted off the A433 between Cirencester and Tetbury. There's no height restriction on the access road, and it should be suitable for all light to medium-heavy vehicles (but you won't get your tank transporter round the corner)! There's no charge for entry or display and it's a great photo opportunity with a big Brit in the background. We'll be glad to show you around the aircraft, including a tour of the flight deck. There's a restaurant and bar on site, about two minutes drive from the Brit. For more info on our aircraft, please see www.xm496.com and our Facebook page: RAF Bristol Britannia. The event is now listed on the Armed Forces Day website: http://www.armedforcesday.org.uk/events/details.aspx?id=8872638 Any questions, ask 'em here and I'll respond. If you reckon you'll be attending, could you post here so I have an idea of numbers. Cheers!

Hello! There are three reasons why I've registered here: 1) I do like historic military vehicles and admire the efforts of everyone who runs them, especially the heaviest and thirstiest vehicles, 2) I have a weakness for Series Land Rovers and after years of owning classic cars, I feel a powerful Landy urge coming on, and 3) I'm currently helping to restore a rather different military machine which I hope might be of interest to HMVF members. It has ten wheels, four engines and when operational, would fill up with about 100 squaddies, or 53 casevacs including 16 stretcher cases or about 15 tons of supplies. It would cruise along at about 360mph and also has two wings. So by now you've guessed it's an aircraft: it's an ex-RAF Transport Command Bristol Britannia, the only genuine survivor anywhere in the world, and it's based at the Cotswold Airport (better known to many as Kemble Airfield) near Cirencester in Gloucestershire. XM496 was in service with the RAF from 1960 to 1975 and in that time military vehicles obviously played a significant role in supporting her - not just the RAF tenders and transports, but Army vehicles too. She was capable of carrying a Lightweight Land Rover and trailer, and if I can find a picture I'll post it. So we're always pleased to be visited by military vehicles - have a look at our website, www.xm496.com, for opening dates (usually the first and third Sundays of each month) and also check us on Facebook: RAF Bristol Britannia. If there's a group of you who'd like to visit, get in touch via our website and we'll see if we can arrange a special opening. Finally, we're marking Armed Forces Day with a special opening on 30th June, and we'd like historic military vehicles to join us and display. There's no charge and we'll show you around the Brit (including the flight deck). I'll post separately under Events with more details. I guess I should point out we're all volunteers, and not a business! Cheers everyone!