The Express & Star reports on Keltruck’s most unusual part exchange in almost 25 years of trading – a Royal Navy Sea Harrier!
Part-exchange deal airplane will be auctioned off on ebay
By Business Editor Jim Walsh
A truck dealer in the Black Country has given itself a new challenge – to sell a Harrier Jump Jet. The Royal Navy warplane, which saw active service in the Falklands in 1982, is currently sitting in the yard at Keltruck in West Bromwich.
The company normally deals with Scania lorries, but was offered the Sea Harrier in part exchange for a truck and couldn’t resist the challenge. The jet, which would have cost £12 million when new, has become something of a novelty for visitors to Keltruck’s headquarters in Kenrick Way.
But it is not just there for show – the company is looking to auction it off for a profit on the internet site ebay.
Chris Kelly, Keltruck chairman, said he had taken the jet in part exchange for a second-hand Scania truck from Lincolnshire-based Witham Specialist Vehicles, which sells and markets ex-Ministry of Defence vehicles and plant equipment.
He said: “We have taken some unusual things in part exchange over the past 25 years, including pallets of bricks, but this is certainly the most unusual.
Flown
“The Harrier has caused quite a stir locally, with people having assumed it was flown in. But it doesn’t actually have an engine – it has been decommissioned and arrived on the back of a lorry.
“It arrived here about a month ago, and people just couldn’t believe it. It was one of the last Sea Harriers to come out of service, with the remaining ones that could still fly being sold off to the Indian Air force.
“Now we are looking to advertise it on ebay, but will obviously be looking for thousands rather than millions of pounds. It will go to a collector of things military or someone like that.”
The BAE Sea Harrier was renowned for its vertical take-off and landing ability – hence the nickname jump jet.
It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980, and was withdrawn from service in March this year.
Visit keltruck.com/harrier for more.
