HOME FOR A HUNTER By Tom Docherty

MORAYVIA is an aerospace heritage and preservation group recently established in Moray in the north of Scotland. The group is in the early planning stages of development of a unique interactive aerospace visitor centre in Moray. If the plans come to fruition the centre naycentre may be located on the periphery of the it may be based in an enclave on the edge of RAF Kinloss estate., which is about to be taken over by the Army.

Acquisition of exhibits for the centre has already begun and among the major items already gathered are a complete Nimrod, XV244, and another Nimrod nose section from the former RAF Kinloss gate guard, XV240. XV244 is complete, both internally and externally with the exception of engines and a number of fuel tanks and XV240 has a complete interior from the cockpit to just aft of the radio navigators work station.

During a recent visit I interviewed the vice-chairman of Morayvia, Stan Barber and two members of the groups engineering team, Sean McCourt and Chris Herbert.

Stan Barber spent 23 years as a navigator and crew captain on the Nimrod and now as vice-chairman is responsible for day-to-day managementresponsible for day-to-day management of the ambitious project. Sean McCourt started his engineering career in the RAF on Comets and ended it as chief engineer of the unit responsible for the major

overhaul and servicing of the Nimrod. He is now a director of Morayvia and its chief engineer. He is ably supported by Chris Herbert, another very experienced aircraft engineer. Chris spent most of his RAF career with the Nimrod and now acts as engineering manager for Morayvia.

I asked Stan Barber what plans Morayvia had for XV244 and he told me:

Our concept is to provide a unique aerospace visitor centre in Moray with XV244 as its centrepiece. Acquisition of a number examples of other Moray-based aircraft such as the Jaguar, Buccaneer, Sea King and Tornado to surround this centrepiece as well as interactive displays, exhibition areas conference and restaurant facilities, a chapel and Imax cinema would complete the centre.

This is clearly a project which will not happen overnight and will require major funding and support. Morayvia already has the support of several local companies and groups, such as Spey Bay Salvage Ltdsuch as Spey Bay Salvage Ltd, as well as national aviation companies such as BAE SystemsBAE Systems and Thales.

During this early period the storage, preservation and maintenance of XV244 and XV240 is high on the groups list of priorities. A very experienced group of volunteer aviation engineers has been assembled to do this under the leadership of Sean McCourt and Chris Herbert. Sean McCourt told me:

XV244 is currently in open storage on a dispersal bay at RAF Kinloss. She was one of the last Nimrods to come out of overhaul before the Nimrod was taken out of service and consequently is in excellent internal and external condition. She recently had a repaint so should bear up to the elements fairly wellthoughwell though it would help to get her under cover during the winter months until we can get her under cover. We are lucky to have assembled a team of 10 volunteers, all very experienced aircraft engineers, to keep her in top condition.

Chris Herbert, the engineering manager has no illusions about the magnitude of the task of preserving and maintaining XV244 and the nose of XV240. He told me:

We have instituted a cycle of anti-deterioration preventative maintenance for both airframes using a cycle of weekly, monthly, 3-monthly and 6-monthly inspections of various components and airframe parts with the intention of keeping the aircraft in good condition as long as she is outside and exposed to the elementsuntil we can put them under cover.

The nose of XV240 is currently stored in Spey Bay, Moray and has recently had a blank inserted into the open rear end of the fuselage where the cut was made to separate it from the rest of the airframe. This blank will serve to protect XV240 internally and also provide access to the rear through a door positioned in the blank wall. Should Future plans come to fruition for XV240 may be stripped internally to provide include provision of wheelchair access to the front cockpit through this rear blank.

We have looked at a number of ways to protect the airframes including protective coverings such as the coating the RAF used several years ago on mothballed Nimrods. Unfortunately there are a number of issues with this type of protective coating, not least the cost. Secondly, although it is very effective, it is extremely difficult to remove. We are currently looking at other methods of preservation.

While negotiation with various organisations continue in the quest to raise funding for the ambitious plan Morayvias members plan to are busy generateing publicity for the group and project by taking the nose of XV240 to major events in the areaMoray, Grampian and Highland regions. Stan Barber told me of planned events for May to July 2012:

Since formation of Morayvia we have been busy promoting our vision and on 12th May we mounted provided and exhibitionasexhibition as part of at the Morays Heritage Open Day in Elgin, Moray. Future events should will be on a larger scale and mywilay include a display of XV240 at Cooper Park in Elgin on 3rd June as part of the Motor Fun Day. This maywill be followed by another outing for XV2400, this time to Fyvie Castle, Turriff on 9th June. This event attracts around 100,000 visitors each year and our presence with the Nimrod nose will hopefully generateencourage more supporters and volunteers for the project.

XV240 may will get her third outing on 21st July again inwhen she will be in Elgin again but , this time in the town centre, for Elgin Bids a Family Fun Day. All of the above is

subject to resolving the remaining premissions transportationpermissions, transportation and access issues.

A long term project such as Morayvia is planning clearly needs a lot of support both in terms of resources (finance and materiel) financially and in as well as volunteers. The Morayvia team welcome assistance in all guises both and if you are interested in helping bring the project to fruition Morayvia would be delighted to hear from you via their website http://www.morayvia.org.uk/ . If you wish to join as a member then you are invited tocontact Morayvia viathe membership secretary, Jim Simpson, at membership@morayvia.org.uk (Word Count: 995)