EI-OZA Airbus A300F ex DHL at Kemble
At the moment the airfield has more than a dozen old airliners stored or being scrapped - among them is EI-OZA. This Airbus A300F is still painted in the distinctive colour scheme of its former operator DHL.
EI-OZA is c/n 148 and was originally built in 1981 and delivered to Olympic Airways of Greece as SX-BEG. It was a regular sight at London Heathrow during the 1980s/90s.
In 1998 the aircraft was converted from a passenger airliner to a cargo aircraft - it entered freight service as F-GOZA in 1999 and became EI-OZA in 2002. In 2007 it joined the DHL fleet as OO-TIF. Finally after 28 years of service this aircraft arrived at Kemble in August 2009 for storage.
In Febuary 2010 the aircraft was re-registered again as EI-OZA ( although it still has "IF" on the nose wheel door from OO-TIF ) so maybe it will escape the scrapman - however it is currently parked right next to the scrap area at Kemble.
In the photo above behind EI-OZA is Boeing 737-600 SU-MWC previously operated by Midwest.
Parked close to the Control Tower at Kemble ( near the AV8 cafe ) is former RAF Buccaneer S2B XX889. This aircraft is painted in the desert pink colour scheme ( ARTF ) it wore during the first Gulf War in 1991 and is coded "T".
XX889 was built in 1974 and originally served with RAF Germany at Laarbruch airbase before being re-allocated up to RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.
During the Gulf War it operated from Bahrain coded "T" - the aircraft has 14 bombing mission marks on the starboard side of the cockpit.
The Buccaneer was retired from RAF service in 1994 and XX889 was flown to RAF St Athan in Wales for a period of storage. Since then it has spent time at Staverton before moving on to Kemble in 2007.
For more information about the service life of this Gulf War veteran see the excellent link below
http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/S2B_XX889_files/0_S2B_XX889.html
For more info on the preservation of this Buccaneer XX889 see link below
http://buccsociety.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=restorations&action=display&num=1166289875
Kemble is also home to a pair of ex RAF Canberra PR9 reconnaissance aircraft. This photo shows XH134 which is currently registered as G-OMHD. This particular Canberra was built in 1959 by Short Brothers at Belfast NI, a total 23 PR9s were built. The PR9 version was operated by 39 sqd and 1 PRU was finally retired by the RAF in 2006.
The PR9 had operated in the sensitive reconnaissance role for many years, flying far and high looking over areas of interest. These aircraft were home based at RAF Wyton ( 39 sqd then 1 PRU ) and latter RAF Marham ( 39 sqd ) but would often deploy overseas - for many years they flew out of Hong Kong before it was returned to China, in more recent times they operated over the Gulf and Afghanistan.
G-OMDH is currently owned by Midair SA but hasn't flown since arriving at Kemble in 2006. A second PR9 XH135 is adjacent to XH134.
Steve
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