Concorde histories and aircraft on display

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Concorde
British Airways Concorde G-BOAC 03.jpg
British Airways Concorde in 1986
General information
TypeSupersonic airliner
Manufacturer BAC (now BAE Systems)
Sud Aviation (now Airbus)
StatusRetired
Primary users British Airways
Number built20 (including 6 non-airline aircraft) [1] [2]
History
Introduction date21 January 1976
First flight2 March 1969
Retired26 November 2003

Twenty Concorde aircraft were built: two prototypes, two pre-production aircraft, two development aircraft and 14 production aircraft for commercial service. With the exception of two of the production aircraft, all are preserved, mostly in museums. One aircraft was scrapped in 1994, and another was destroyed in the Air France Flight 4590 crash in 2000.

Contents

Prototypes

F-WTSS on display at the French air museum in Le Bourget Airport. Concorde Prototype.jpg
F-WTSS on display at the French air museum in Le Bourget Airport.
G-BSST at Yeovilton, 1976 G-BSST at Yeovilton.jpg
G-BSST at Yeovilton, 1976

In all there were six "development" aircraft: the two prototypes (001/002), two pre-production (101/102) and two production aircraft (201/202). The two prototype aircraft were used to expand the flight envelope of the aircraft as quickly as possible and prove that the design calculations for supersonic flight were correct.

Pre-production aircraft

Both pre-production aircraft were used to further develop the design of the aircraft. Changes to design include different wing planform, more fuel, different engine standard and different air intake systems.

Development aircraft

The production aircraft were different in many ways from the original prototypes, necessitating re-examining certain areas to obtain certification.

British production aircraft

G-BOAA being transported on the River Thames Concorde 206 G-BOAA on River Thames-2004-04-06.jpg
G-BOAA being transported on the River Thames

British Airways had seven production aircraft in commercial service:

Concorde G-BOAB in storage at London (Heathrow) Airport, following the end of all Concorde flights Concorde g-boab heathrow.jpg
Concorde G-BOAB in storage at London (Heathrow) Airport, following the end of all Concorde flights
Concorde G-BOAD on 15 May 2003. 235ac - British Airways Concorde; G-BOAD@LHR;15.05.2003 (8056002570).jpg
Concorde G-BOAD on 15 May 2003.
G-BOAD's nose cone was knocked off by a truck at the end of June 2008. [17] [19] [20] The damage was repaired and subsequently the aircraft was moved back to Pier 86 in Manhattan (and placed on the pier, rather than on a barge) on 20 October 2008 as part of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. On August 9, 2023, G-BOAD was removed from the Intrepid Museum again via boat so that it could be given maintenance and a new paint job. [21] G-BOAD spent more time in the air than any other Concorde, at 23,397 hours. [22]
Concorde G-BOAG at the Museum of Flight. MOF-Concorde front WL.jpg
Concorde G-BOAG at the Museum of Flight.

As part of tenth-anniversary celebrations on 24 December 1985, British Airways photographed G-BOAA, G-BOAC, G-BOAF and G-BOAG formation flying for their publicity material. [29]

French production aircraft

Air France also had seven production aircraft in commercial service:

Concorde F-BVFA on display at Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, USA. Concorde F-BVFA (205) at Smithsonian.jpg
Concorde F-BVFA on display at Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, USA.
In February 2010, it was announced that the museum and a group of volunteer AF technicians intended to restore F-BTSD so it could taxi under its own power. [45] In May 2010, it was reported that the British Save Concorde Group and French Olympus 593 groups had begun inspecting the engines of a Concorde at the French museum; their intent was to restore the airliner to a condition where it could fly in demonstrations. [46]

List of aircraft

Of the 20 aircraft built, [48] 18 remain, with 16 on display to the public. [a]

NumberRegistrationFirst flewLast flewFlying hoursDisposition/Location
001F-WTSS2 March 196919 October 1973812On display at Musée de l'air et de l'espace, Le Bourget, France
002G-BSST9 April 19694 March 1976836On display at Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, England, UK
101G-AXDN17 December 197120 August 1977632On display at Imperial War Museum, Duxford, England, UK
102F-WTSA10 January 197320 May 1976656On display at Musée Delta, Paris, France
201F-WTSB6 December 197319 April 1985909On display at Aeroscopia, Toulouse, France
202 G-BBDG 13 February 197424 December 19811282On display at Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, England, UK
203F-BTSC [b] 31 January 197525 July 200011989Destroyed in an air crash on 25 July 2000. The remains of this aircraft are stored at a hangar at Le Bourget Airport.
204G-BOAC [c] 27 February 197531 October 200322260On display at Manchester Airport, England, UK.
205F-BVFA [d] 27 October 197512 June 200317824On display at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, Virginia US
206G-BOAA [e] 5 November 197512 August 200022768On display at National Museum of Flight, East Lothian, Scotland, UK
207F-BVFB [f] 6 March 197624 June 200314771On display at Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum, Germany
208G-BOAB [g] 18 May 197615 August 200022296Stored at Heathrow Airport, London, England, UK
209F-BVFC [h] 9 July 197627 June 200314332On display at Aeroscopia Museum, Airbus Factory, Toulouse, France
210G-BOAD [i] 25 August 197610 November 200323397On display at Intrepid Museum, New York City, US
211F-BVFD [j] 10 February 197727 May 19825814Scrapped in 1994. A small section of the fuselage remains at Le Bourget, France and the nose cone was sold to an American collector.
212G-BOAE [k] 17 March 197717 November 200323376Stored at Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados
213F-BTSD [l] 26 June 197814 June 200312974On display at Musée de l'air et de l'espace, Le Bourget, France
214G-BOAG [m] 21 April 19785 November 200316239On display at Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington, US
215F-BVFF [n] 26 December 197811 June 200012421On display at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France
216G-BOAF [o] 20 April 197926 November 200318257On display at Aerospace Bristol, England, UK [27]
No.Reg.LiveryLocationPhoto
001F-WTSSAir France Musée de l'air et de l'espace, Le Bourget, France Concorde Prototype.jpg
002G-BSSTBritish Aircraft Corporation Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, England Concorde G-BSST at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.jpg
101G-AXDNBritish Aircraft Corporation Imperial War Museum Duxford, England Concorde G-AXDN on Display at IWM Duxford.jpg
102F-WTSAAir France Musée Delta, Paris, France Concorde expose pres d'Orly, decembre 2013 (01).jpg
201F-WTSBAir France Aeroscopia, Toulouse, France GroundedConcorde.jpg
202 G-BBDG British Airways Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, England Concorde G-BBDG at the Brooklands Museum.jpg
204G-BOACBritish Airways Manchester Airport, England Airport Viewing Park, Manchester (461751) (9455946828).jpg
205F-BVFAAir France Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia, U.S. Concorde 205 F-BVFA Udvar-Hazy Center-2005-07-05.jpg
206G-BOAABritish Airways National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, Scotland Museum of Flight Concorde 16.jpg
207F-BVFBAir France Technik Museum Sinsheim, Germany 'F-BVFB' Air France Concorde supersonic passenger jet, Technik Museum Sinsheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany (Ank Kumar, Infosys Limited) 10.jpg
208G-BOABBritish Airways Heathrow Airport, England Concorde G-BOAB 'Alpha Bravo' at Heathrow, 8 July 2020.jpg
209F-BVFCAir FranceAeroscopia, Toulouse, France Concorde vor dem Musee aeroscopia.jpg
210G-BOADBritish Airways Intrepid Museum, New York City, U.S. New York Manhatten - panoramio (1).jpg
212G-BOAEBritish Airways Grantley Adams Airport, Barbados Museo Concorde 2007 003.jpg
213F-BTSDAir FranceMusée de l'air et de l'espace, Le Bourget, France Concorde 213 F-BTSD (11728075745).jpg
214G-BOAGBritish Airways Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington, U.S. Concorde (Seattle).JPG
215F-BVFFAir France Charles de Gaulle Airport, France Aerospatiale-British Aircraft Corporation Concorde, Air France JP6581889.jpg
216G-BOAFBritish Airways Aerospace Bristol, Filton, England Concorde-G-BOAF.jpg

Notes

  1. G-BOAB is at London Heathrow Airport and sits adjacent to a taxiway. It is visible from numerous areas inside and outside the airport, but is inaccessible to the public. G-BOAE is at the Concorde Experience at the Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados, which has been closed since 2017.
  2. Test flown as F-WTSC
  3. Used G-N81AC and N81AC during Braniff lease period
  4. Used N94FA during Braniff lease period
  5. Used G-N94AA and N94AA during Braniff lease period
  6. Used N94FB during Braniff lease period
  7. Used G-N94AB and N94AB during Braniff lease period
  8. Used N94FC during Braniff lease period
  9. Used G-N94AD and N94AD during Braniff lease period
  10. Used N94FD during Braniff lease period
  11. Used G-N94AE and N94AE during Braniff lease period
  12. Test flown as F-WJAM; used N94SD during Braniff lease period
  13. Originally registered G-BFKW
  14. Test flown as F-WJAN
  15. Originally registered G-BFKX; used G-N94AF and N94AF during Braniff lease period

References

  1. Towey 2007, p. 359.
  2. "Ageing luxury jet". BBC News . 25 July 2000.
  3. Chris Hatherill (9 March 2016). "When Astronomers Chased a Total Eclipse in a Concorde". Motherboard. Vice.
  4. "F-WTSS (001)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  5. "CONCORDE SST : PROTOTYPE FLEET : Concorde 001". www.concordesst.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  6. "Concorde G-BSST". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  7. "Concorde G-AXDN (101)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  8. "F-WTSA (102)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  9. "F-WTSB (201)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  10. "Brooklands Museum :: Concorde". Brooklands Museum. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  11. "Concorde G-BBDG (202)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  12. "G-BOAC (204)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  13. "G-BOAA (206)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  14. "G-BOAB (208) British Production". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  15. Aircraft 210: G-BOAD
  16. "Intrepid Museum Exhibits". Archived from the original on 21 August 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  17. 1 2 McGeehan, Patrick (7 July 2008). "A Concorde Is Disfigured While Parked in Brooklyn". The New York Times.
  18. Concorde Sst : Latest News
  19. Monahan, Rachel (14 July 2008). "Retired Concorde suffers damage at Floyd Bennett Field". Daily News. New York.
  20. Clout, Laura (9 July 2008). "US leaves Concorde gift from UK to rot in airfield". The Telegraph.
  21. Barron, James (9 August 2023). "The Concorde Is Taking a Slow Boat to Brooklyn". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  22. "G-BOAD (210)". heritage-concorde. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  23. "Barbados Concorde Experience". Archived from the original on 18 August 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  24. "G-BOAE (212)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  25. "G-BOAG (214)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  26. "Concorde alpha foxtrot: the last concorde to be built and the last to fly". Aerospace Bristol. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  27. 1 2 "Aerospace Bristol - Last Concorde". Aerospace Bristol. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  28. "G-BOAF (216)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  29. "10th Anniversary Formation Flight 24th December 1985". Concorde SST. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  30. "F-BTSC (103)". Heritage Concorde. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  31. "F-BVFA (205)". Heritage Concorde. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  32. "F-BVFB (207)". Concorde Heritage. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  33. "F-BVFB Aerospatiale Concorde 102". Aussie Airliners. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  34. "Concorde | Technik Museum Sinsheim | Germany". sinsheim.technik-museum.de. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  35. "Civilian supersonic: Exploring Concorde and Russia's Tu-144 at the Technik Museum Sinsheim". CNET. 10 November 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  36. "F-BVFC (209)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  37. "Air France Loss Doubles". The New York Times. 21 January 1983.
  38. Chittum, Samme (2018). Last Days of the Concorde: The Crash of Flight 4590 and the End of Supersonic Passenger Travel. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. p. 10. ISBN   978-1588346292.
  39. "Aircraft on Display - Concorde F-BVFD Exhaust Cowlings". Farnborough Air Sciences Trust.
  40. "Cloués au sol, où se cachent aujourd'hui les Concorde ? - Edition du soir Ouest-France - 05/03/2019". Ouest-France (in French). 5 March 2019.
  41. "Scrapping F-BVFD". Heritage Concorde. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  42. 1 2 "Pepsi Blue Concorde 1996". Heritage Concorde.
  43. "CONCORDE SST : Pepsi concorde". Concorde SST. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  44. "F-BTSD (213)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  45. "Air France Concorde to taxi again under own power". FlightGlobal. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  46. "Work starts in £15m plan to get Concorde Flying". BBC News. 29 May 2010. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  47. "F-BVFF (215)". Heritage Concorde. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  48. Towey 2007, p. 359.

Sources