British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven Series 510ED G-AVMU

G-AVMU was one of 18 BAC 1-11 type 510EDs ordered by BEA, the launch customer for the stretched Series 500 version of the very successful 1-11 twin jet.airliner

It made its first flight on 19th January 1969, and was delivered to BEA on 19th March of that year. BEA based its 1-11 500s at Birmingham Airport, from where they operated services throughout Europe, including internal German Services to Berlin. During a landing there its undercarriage was damaged, but repairs were carried out, and ‘MU continued to operate on BEA services until the airline became part of the newly-formed British Airways in April 1972. When BA gave most of its aircraft fleets names, ‘MU was named “County of Dorset”.

‘MU was eventually withdrawn when BA retired its 1-11 510s and they were all flown to Hurn airport, and stored awaiting disposal, with their BA titles painted over. It was eventually selected for preservation and donated to the DAS, and made its final flight to Duxford on 4th March 1993. It had then flown a total of 40,279 hours and made 45,540 landings.