Business, Feature, Freight News, Logistics, Sea

Davies Turner ships real-life plane kit

[ January 29, 2013   //   Chris ]

Freight forwarder, Davies Turner has delivered a full-sized ‘Airfix kit’ from Britain to South Africa.

Parts from a de Havilland DH 100 Vampire discovered in a domestic garage in Dorset were moved to South Africa as part of a project to rebuild two classic post-War British fighters – one of the largest international movements of ex-military aircraft spares for a foreign private buyer, requiring seven ocean containers.

Philip Stephenson, group chairman at Davies Turner, said: “Our Rotherham office was contacted nearly a year ago by our South African partner, WorldNet on behalf of a shipper that was searching for a means of delivering a collection of vintage aircraft parts to South Africa where two examples of the Vampire will be rebuilt.

“Another of these aircraft flew for the South African Air Force and has just been repatriated intact back to South Africa. There is enormous historical Interest in these aircraft which were found in pieces in someone’s garage in the UK.”

While the paperwork associated with the shipment was straightforward, a problem developed following the kitting-out of the containers with wooden shelving and drawers or compartments that were not heat-treated, as required by South African regulations – resolved by sourcing a fumigation expert that could meet the South African requirements.

Davies Turner secured space on MACS containership, Atacama that could accommodate the six 40ft containers and one 20ft open top out-of-gauge container that included the wings.

Tags: Davies Turner, de Havilland DH 100 Vampire, South Africa