did the space shuttle land at heathrow?

Question

In the 80's I remember pulling over into the hard shoulder near Staines London on the Heathrow flight path to watch a plane land, I think it was the space shuttle obiter on its 747 transporter but I was only about 8yrs old and cant really remember. Was it the shuttle if not what important or historical planes landed at Heathrow in the mid 80's? any help or ideas, only serious answers.

Answer 1

The flight test shuttle, Enterprise, was put on display, along with its 747 carrier at the Paris air show in the 1980's. Quite possible the carrier aircraft made a stop at Heathrow. It was there in 1983.

"In 1983, it appeared in the Paris Air Show and other sites in Europe, and was a featured attraction at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans."

Answer 2

When the Space Shuttle fleet was in service, they would land there. There is only one time they landed somewhere else during their service and that was New Mexico because Kennedy and Edwards had bad weather. The Space Shuttle would land at Edwards when weather at Kennedy was bad. Now that the shuttle has retired, Space Shuttle Discovery landed at Dulles and Space Shuttle Enterprise landed at JFK.

Answer 3

The Space Shuttle "Enterprise" - on NASAs B747 transporter - did a low pass along Heathrow Runway 10L (as it was then) on 5th June 1983 prior to landing at London Stansted. It then flew on to land at the Paris Air Show. Search "Space Shuttle Heathrow" to see my pictures of the low pasd.

Answer 4

That could be very possible. I remember in the early 80's seeing it on the back of the 747 in St. Louis. So it is likely that it might have stopped there sometime also.

Answer 5

To the best of my memory, the space shuttle has never landed in any country other than the U.S.

We used to live on our boat in the St. Pete Yacht Club and we would see the shuttle coming in over Clearwater. When it had to be returned on the 747 that whole unit would take off from MacDill AFB and come directly over the Marina in a long sweeping turn towards the Cape.

Answer 6

Yes it is best possible, because they made several trips to
different countries in the early 80´s

Answer 7

I think you might have seen Concorde.