As many of you will be aware, the closure of DFTDC Manston has been ongoing for some time. However, the Covid pandemic has thrown everyone’s planned schedules out of the window, including the date for moving ZE360. We have been fortunate in that the MOD have been very understanding and accommodating to the many changes in the situation and we are indebted to the officers and staff at Manston for their continual support for the work we have been doing (especially when you consider that the original target for the move was 31/12/19).
However, there is still a hard deadline to meet, which is the handover of the base to the Army later in 2021. The halt in activities due to both the lockdowns and winter weather has meant that we will not be ready for this deadline but an alternative solution has presented itself, in the form of space at the nearby Manston Airport.
Therefore, Saturday 24th April saw the aircraft start its journey by being pre-positioned by the exit, then, on the morning of 25th April, just over 30 years after it arrived and following months of careful planning, ZE360 finally left DFTDC Manston. This meant retracing the road journey it made after its final flight- through the fire school gates, along Manston Road, onto the old taxiway and across the B2050 and back on to airport premises itself.
Things have changed somewhat since 1991 (not the least of which being the presence of the DFT facility at the airport) which meant obtaining permission from local Police and Kent County Council to close the roads and from the Department of Transport, HMRC and Customs and Excise to pass through a secure area to reach the hangar in question.
Despite pinch points and tight clearance along public roads and a somewhat circuitous route around the airport taxiway and runway, the aircraft arrived safely at the apron, having coped with the stresses of the day admirably.
We are very grateful to Manston Airport for their generous and timely offer and would like to extend our thanks to our crew of volunteers, who all arrived at the crack of dawn and carried out their duties with the utmost care and professionalism. We could not have done this without you. Special mentions go to Wing Commander Callender, Commandant of DFDTC and his staff, particularly Sgt Thackery, without whom the past couple of years would all have been a lot more difficult. We must also thank Tony Freudmann, CEO of RiverOak Strategic Partners Ltd (the airport owners) and to Gary Blake, the airport manager.
Appreciation also goes out to Skeltons, TBF Traffic, Reclamet, Hewbourn Ltd and Spey Bay Salvage for their invaluable help.
More updates to come very soon. Watch this space.
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