The first time I ever saw a Concorde, she was in flight. I was at a rowing training camp and she roared over the course. Despite the fact that she was still subsonic, the noise was incredible.
Sadly, not many months later, an air France plane crash. This ultimately heralded the end of the most magnificent civilian aircraft ever to fly. As Jeremy Clarkson said at the time, not only did we mourn the loss of the people involved in the crash, we mourned the aircraft too. When the crash happened, I knew the days of Concorde were numbered. A few years later Concorde was to fly for the last time an human progress was to take a massive step backwards. Now, a supersonic passenger plane developed in the 1970s and arguably more complex than the space shuttle will never fly again.
Recently I saw a Concorde on an almost daily bases; she was parked up in the BA section of Heathrow. Obviously she stood out but, as she was parked up next to lots of other planes, it looked like she was only there temporarily rather than decommissioned.
This time was different. I saw her in an aircraft museum in Scotland. She stood alone in a hangar, surrounded by relics of her life in service. The whole atmosphere was still and quiet. Our footsteps echoed off the walls of the hangar. And in the middle of it all was this machine, capable of almost incomprehensible feats, with phenomenal presence. It was breathtaking and awe-inspiring. I know I'm going heavy on the hyperbole but it was a surprisingly emotional experience. Yet again I felt genuinely sad about what had happened.
The museum itself was in the buildings of a former World War II airfield which probably added to the atmosphere. As it was a week day, my dad and I were virtually the only customers and wondering around the deserted, windswept airfield which was littered with relics and without another human in sight felt very isolated. It was one of the few places I have visited where history has gently but assertively made it's presence felt. It would be an exaggeration to say that seeing a Spitfire or an airship come into land wouldn't have come as a surprise but shut your eyes and the image comes to mind easily.
It wasn't just seeing Concorde that was a bit sad. Another hangar was devoted to military aircraft. On display were a Harrier, a Buccaneer and a Tornado. All three have been in service until recently. I have read the book by the general who deployed the Buccaneer in the first Gulf War, I have read about the exploits of Harriers and I have seen the Tornados train and respond from Leuchars. These are still very contemporary aircraft. They still have potential roles to play and it seems a shame that the only reason they have been decomissioned is mismanagement of funds by previous governments. They are not museum pieces. It would be a huge shame if there was a repeat of the Falklands where, to get Vulcans (an example of which was also at the museum; one of only a small number to have flown in the Falklands) airworthy, air museums had to be plundered for parts and equipment. The story about a vital component serving as an ashtray in the Officers' mess is funny but sad as well.
Before this gets too depressing may I qualify the above by saying the museum is fantastic. It is well laid out, informative and very hands on. Not only that but there are lots of opportunities to get up close to iconic aircraft and learn manageable amounts about them.
Well worth a trip.
JR
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