Cold War planes kept in cow shed

By Carl Yapp
BBC Wales News website

In Pictures: The cockpit collector

Ask most people what they would expect to find on a farm and even those with vivid imaginations are unlikely to say "military aircraft cockpits".

But these relics of the Cold War have taken over part of Roy Jarman's farmyard in Welshpool, Powys.

Instead of cows and machinery, there is a cockpit from a huge Vulcan bomber and another from a Harrier jump jet.

There are other planes too, and his obsession extends further to vehicles, with a troop carrier and a jeep.

His collection of eight cockpits, flying suits, military vehicles and other paraphernalia from the Cold War represents half a century of military build-up between the US and the Soviet Union and its allies.

It was a time of military coalitions, ideology, psychology, and espionage, and this is partly what fascinates Mr Jarman, 51.

Most collectors have one cockpit or at most two. They'd like more, but they don't have the room Roy Jarman

But as hobbies go, it's a bit unusual, to say the least.

Arriving at his farm there was nothing to suggest it is a retirement home for old aircraft.

There were sheep in a nearby field, barking dogs, the obligatory mud, tractors and wellies, so it was an eye-opener when Mr Jarman unveiled an array of RAF jets.

One shed was completely full of cockpits, while two others also housed parts of fast jets.

But probably the most impressive part of the collection, which dates from the 1950s to the 1980s, is a cockpit from a Vulcan B2 bomber - it's certainly the most imposing and quite breathtaking, purely because it looks so out of place in a farmyard.

I was given permission to clamber up inside and it was dark, cramped and a sea of dials, switches and levers.

The smaller jets in his collection such as the Harrier GR3 and Phantom F-4J are a snug fit too.

But why does Mr Jarman collect them?

"I've always been interested in military aircraft and started collecting the cockpits in the 1990s," he said.

"I didn't even know you could buy cockpits until I saw one advertised.

An English Electric Lightning F6 forms part of the collection

"The aim of my hobby is to restore the cockpits to how they looked when the planes flew.

"I used to buy the cockpits from special sales, but now most of the trading is done over the internet."

He admitted he was fortunate to have space to indulge his hobby.

"Most collectors have one cockpit or at most two. They'd like more, but they don't have the room - I suppose I'm lucky," he added

Collectors can pick up a cockpit for about £2,000 each on average.

"All the jets are fascinating pieces of engineering and what Britain was famous for at one time," he explained.

"We produced the first jump jet, the first jet-powered bomber and the English Electric Lightning was the fastest jet interceptor at one point."

But what does Mr Jarman's wife think of his collection?

"Sue is very supportive and enjoys it," he said. "As for the children, they have grown up with it so are used to dad's aircraft cockpits".