The Vimy leaves Top Gear hangar and flys to Brooklands Part 1 - The Flight

The very last flight of the Brooklands Vimy replica from the Top Gear Hanger at Dunsfold to its finally resting place at Brooklands Museum. It took place on the 15 of November 2009 after a fifteen year career during which it had flown from England to Australia, as well as England to South Africa and crossing the Atlantic. It was now time for the Vimy to retire to Brooklands where the first Vimys had been built.

The Video is filmed both from the ground and from the air using a small camera attached to the tail fin.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Vimy
• Brooklands
• museum
• top
• gear
• Dunsfold
• Vickers
• aviation
• vintage
• aeroplane
• last
• flight
• topgear
• andysvideo
• andys
• video
• G-PIGY
• Peter
• McMillan
• John
• Dodd
• Clive
• Edwards
• G-EAOU
• NX71MY

[lexander5]

It's only an idea but was it made by Peter McMillan? I know that they built a Vickers Vimy to fly from England to Australia from National Geographic and that is why I also know that they took a Vimy from England to South Africa. Is it possible that this is the Vimy of Peter McMillan?

[andysvideo]

Yes it is the same one.

Peter can be clearly seen just before the final landing standing up in the cockpit and photographing the rest of the crew.

On my home page you will also find a video of Peter (and Lang) flying it into Brooklands for the first time, before it went to Australia.

[UpholderOfTruth]

Will this still fly from brroklands. Even though its going there it would be nice to be able to see it fly on days selected as open days or special events

[andysvideo]

Sadly no not for the moment. The many reasons it was grounded are listed on the Brooklands website and are worth reading.

However, at least it can now be seen by the public, unlike when it was locked away in the Top Gear and other hangers.

[andysvideo]

As to the future in the short term there are plans to get it out the hanger and have engine runs (not as easy as it sounds, see the getting it into the hanger video).

In the long term who can say? Given the right sponsors and a UK registration it could one day fly again. I know myself (and the rest of team) are always ready to be asked to transport it to a runway.

[johno1066]

Excellent video, shame that Mercedes world was allowed to be built on the runway or indeed at all. It would be nice to see more flying at Brooklands.

[andysvideo]

I agree and it would have been nice if it had not happened, However it was always going to and Mercedes use of the land does mean that we can still hold small air displays (could not have done that if the area had been filled up with buildings) and as the Vimy has shown a small grass strip is a possibility if we can get the support and sponsorship.

So it may be that you will get to see some form of flying again on this historic airfield.

[SpencerJones01]

i agree iy is a great video, but not your best, that is still your calendars :-)

[MrDanielTynan]

must be incredibly loud sitting between two engines with nothing in between!

[VIR092]

@applesweeter The Vimy? It was one of the first to cross the Atlantic for one, it held a few other records setting flights. It could get very tiring flying the Vimy, the control forces the pilots had to deal with were very heavy.

[applesweeter]

What was the history of this flying mechine?

[grcawsey]

Great video, I was at Brooklands when it landed.