Final resting place for Concorde

The last decommissioned Concorde was expected to complete its final journey today.

The 110-tonne plane is expected to peep its famous nose cone over the horizon as it reaches its final resting place, the National Museum of Flight in Scotland.

But the supersonic aircraft will not be flying in – it will be transported by a gang of soldiers for the last leg of a complex journey by land and sea.

A welcome party will kick off at the National Museum of Scotland including a fly past, parachute drop, music and family entertainment.

Minister for tourism and culture Frank McAveety is expected to welcome the aircraft, as well as the curator of the National Museum of Scotland Alastair Dodds.

The Concorde trundled onto Scottish soil a day early on Saturday after being transported up the coast by barge and rolled on to the ground at the British Energy jetty at Torness, East Lothian with a huge remote-controlled trolley.

Then last night it was taken by road along the new A1 towards the museum just outside Edinburgh.

Today the 39 Engineer Regiment’s 53 Field Squadron (Air Support) are expected to transport the aircraft over 1,700 metres of private agricultural land in the last leg of her epic journey.

Once in place the G-BOAA will undergo a four-month restoration before going on display because its wings and tail were removed for the sea voyage, although it retained its distinctive nose cone.

NMS, which runs the attraction, beat 60 bidders from around the world to secure one of the seven supersonic aircraft.

The aircraft is still owned by British Airways but the museum will be responsible for its care and maintenance.

NMS Director Dr Gordon Rintoul described the Concorde as the museum’s “most exciting new exhibit”.

He said: “The arrival of Concorde at the National Museum of Flight will be the climax to a complex logistical exercise which has allowed a huge number of people to share in the last journey of G-BOAA.”