V-Bomber cockpits for sale

[Nick]

The Cockpit Collection is home to the front ends of a Vulcan, 2 Victors and a Valiant. These are near complete with the original fittings. The owner is now 65 and wants to sell them on, presumably to fund his retirement.

Check down the back of your sofas, they estimate at least £250k for the lot.

https://hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/blog/2021/01/battle-to-save-british-raf-history-as-rare-v-bomber-cockpits-go-up-for-auction
https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/m/view-auctions/catalog/id/132

[Rick Lowe]

Wish the various museums etc could club together and keep them in the UK.
But they'll probably go offshore to someone with deeper pockets.

OTOH, you can't blame the guy for wanting to get the best price for them. He's got to think of his future, too.

Maybe the RAF could spare a few quid? Or they could go on the Cultural Heritage list of banned exports? 

[McColm]

The Imperial War Museum could buy them,  I know that RAF Hendon has the cockpit from a Victor and runs evenings where you can sit in various cockpits including a Spitfire or the mighty Vulcan.

[PR19_Kit]

But does the IWM have the funding?

They're always bleating about how much the Duxford site costs to run, and are open to commercial organisations working from there.

[Nick]

It would be a good choice for a small museum that is looking to expand their range of aircraft without the need for massive hangar space. You could line up 3 of them side by side along a wall with separate displays between each telling the types history.
They could charge a small fee for entry into each one to subsidise the purchase costs.

Personally I'd love to get inside the Valiant 

[McColm]

Tangmere has something very similar.

[Rick Lowe]

Maybe Crowdfunding is a thought?

If we can do it with a Beach...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36759321