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The engines, outer wings and tail were removed for transport by the Beverley's previous owner. [Screenshot from Bearded Bodger on YouTube]
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By Zac Yates
The sole surviving example of the Cold War-era Blackburn Beverley transport aircraft has been saved after an ambitious crowdfunding target was reached in just seven weeks. As reported by Vintage Aviation News, the Solway Aviation Museum (SAM) launched the campaign to raise £60,000 in February after Beverley XB259’s previous owner offered the unique aircraft for free to anyone who could remove the aircraft from its home of several decades at Fort Paull, near Hull.
A member of the SAM team shows his awe at the sheer size of the Beverley. [Screenshot from Bearded Bodger on YouTube]SAM chairman Dougie Kerr said the team was amazed at the public’s response to the project.”Fundraising for the Blackburn Beverley XB259 has gone extremely well, I didn’t think that we would make £60k so quickly and the donation are still coming in,” Kerr said. “Thank you all that have donated to the project.”
A view from the rear of the crew compartment showing the navigator’s station and, through the bulkhead, the cockpit. [Screenshot from Bearded Bodger on YouTube]Unfortunately birds have had free access to the very complete cockpit. [Screenshot from Bearded Bodger on YouTube]A team from the SAM visited the Beverley on April 20th to examine the aircraft and plan its disassembly as shown in the video below. The first volunteer working party meeting was held at the museum on April 25th with 19 volunteers turning up to see how they can help.Members of the team lend some scale to the rear fuselage of the Beverley. [Screenshot from Bearded Bodger on YouTube]“Most of the volunteers are retired and cannot wait to get started,” Kerr said. “It will be like a holiday on the east coast and you get to play with an airplane.”
Zac, born and raised in New Zealand, grew up immersed in aviation, with his father working as a helicopter crewman and living at Wanganui Airport. His passion for aviation started in childhood, building scale model kits and following the global warbird scene and later trained as a journalist.
Now residing in Blenheim, near the historic Omaka Aerodrome, Zac studies history. Known as "Handbag" in aviation circles, he shares his love for aviation through photography and writing, connecting with enthusiasts worldwide.
![XB259, the last surviving example of the Blackburn Beverley, has been at Fort Paull near Hull since 1974. [Photo via Solway Aviation Museum]](https://vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/XB259-via-Solway-Aviation-Museum-01-150x150.jpg "Fundraiser Closing in on Target to Save the Last Beverley 10")
