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Southend: Homecoming flight for last Carvair cockpit

Marc Wilmott Marc WilmottMarc Wilmott
Marc Wilmott, pictured with the cockpit, grew up watching planes take off at Southend airport

An aviation enthusiast said he would return a decaying plane cockpit back to "where it belongs" this month following a successful fundraising campaign.

The cockpit is on an industrial estate in Suffolk and was believed to be the last remaining from a fleet of 21 car ferry planes built in the 1960s.

Marc Wilmott raised the £3,000 he said was needed to transport it to Southend, where it was once based.

The 62-year-old, from Hadleigh, Essex, hoped to preserve it for the public.

"This has all been rather hasty and if we hadn't done it, it probably would have ended up with the scrap man," said Mr Wilmott, speaking to BBC Essex.

He said the cockpit would be transported to storage in Southend in the next two weeks.

He jokingly suggested rehoming it in his garden, but said: "I did try, but I don't think my wife is too keen on that unfortunately."

Marc Wilmott The chair in a Carvair cockpitMarc Wilmott
Mr Wilmott said the cockpit would be transported to Southend in the next fortnight
Marc Wilmott A Carvair cockpitMarc Wilmott
The Carvair cockpit, believed to be the last remaining, is on an industrial estate in Beccles, Suffolk

The Carvair planes date back to the Bristol Freighter, which started life at Southend airport and could carry up to three cars across the channel.

Airline entrepreneur Sir Freddie Laker wanted to build larger vehicle ferries and his company developed the Carvair fleet by converting the Douglas DC-4 military planes.

Sean Connery's James Bond could been seen driving an Aston Martin DB5 on to a Carvair in pursuit of Goldfinger in the eponymous 1964 film.

Getty Images Sean Connery and the James Bond Aston MartinGetty Images
James Bond's Aston Martin can be seen boarding a Carvair in 1964's Goldfinger
Terry Dann An Aer Lingus Carvair plane being modifiedTerry Dann
The Aer Lingus Carvair planes, one of which is pictured undergoing cold weather modification, could take multiple cars abroad
Terry Dann Carvair planes at Southend airportTerry Dann
The Carvair planes, two pictured at Southend in 1968, were converted from Douglas DC-4s

Mr Wilmott remembered cycling from school in Thundersley to Southend airport, where he would tackle his homework from the "waving off" terrace while watching planes take off.

He now works as a print finisher in Leyton, east London.

The prized cockpit is believed to have been fitted to EL-AMR flown by Aer Lingus - the eighth Carvair to be built.

It has been sat on an industrial estate in Beccles.

"We're now just in the process of finalising the date with the transport company, but in two weeks' time it should be back where it belongs," said Mr Wilmott, whose successful online fundraising was first reported in the Southend Echo.

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