Plane lifted into garden
A former Bmibaby Boeing 737 fuselage was lowered into a large hole in a back garden in Hilton, Derbyshire, after being bought online for £4,000, bcc.com reported.
Buying the fuselage
Dave Billings purchased the redundant aircraft section after spotting the listing on Facebook Marketplace. He recalled thinking he could buy it, but wondering what he was going to do with it. When he first discussed the idea with a friend, he was told it was silly. He then asked his seven-year-old son for guidance.
He says, ‘dad, you’ve got to buy that’. I’m like ‘OK’,
Dave said. His wife Beth questioned why he would buy a pile of junk,
but he persisted. When asked about his first impressions of the plane when he first saw it, he noted that the scale on the picture was completely different to actually when you get there, adding that it was massive.
Moving the aircraft section with a crane
Moving the aircraft section presented an immediate logistical hurdle. Dave said, The worst thing if you’re buying a Boeing 737 is how do you go and get it?
Another friend subsequently offered to load it, with Dave adding that it went from there really. On October 20, a huge crane lifted the fuselage into place with the help of five volunteers and crane operators, bcc.com reported.
History of Pudsey Baby
The aircraft was a Bmibaby Boeing 737-500 built in 1993 and retired in 2013 after carrying holidaymakers from East Midlands Airport to Alicante, Malaga, and Faro, making its last flight in 2013. In 2009, the plane was named Pudsey Baby for the BBC Children in Need appeal.
Underground man cave
Dave has adapted the space to serve as an underground man cave that will eventually connect to an existing underground room beneath his garden. He used a 3D printer to create a scale model of the connection and aims to apply for retrospective planning permission, hoping to finish the project by February.
How big is the aircraft cabin
How big is the aircraft cabin inside?
Dave noted that the plane width is absolutely perfect for a room size, though he mentioned it would not be wide enough to fit a pool table. He had also considered adding games machines to the bunker when finished.
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