TV series "A plane is born"

A friend of mine was building a Europa as well at the time the series was first aired on television. He was quite critical of the programme and was adament that the aircraft was not built by mr. Evans but was effectivively built by either the manufacturer or other professionals.

Sounds similar to the story in the wonderful series “The History of the Popular Flying Association” by Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume currently running in the PFA’s ‘Poular Flying’ magazine.

The (then) young organisation agreed with the (then) new Associated Rediffusion (that was one of the first UK commercial TV companies) to make a programme about building your own aeroplane. O-H was on the PFA committe that agreed to this – or rather nearly bit off ARs arm at this wonderful opportunity to promote light aviation.

The PFA engaged Messrs John Britten and Desmond Norman to build a Druine Turbi two-seater and be filmed doing it. Months went by with no start being made as B & N were too busy coping with crop-spraying demands.

O-H was invited to Bembridge and taken on as a Design Engineer but was quickly put to work on building the Turbi at Ryde. This was done and the Turbi G-APFA is still around, I wonder if tapes of the TV programmes (called ‘This Week’ broadcast in 1957) still are?

I hope the story O-H has, so far, told in his often amusing manner will come out as a book – it deserves a wider audience.

Roger Smith.

A friend of mine was building a Europa as well at the time the series was first aired on television. He was quite critical of the programme and was adament that the aircraft was not built by mr. Evans but was effectivively built by either the manufacturer or other professionals.

Those series have recently been shown on Swedish TV – I always wondered where he found the time to repair animals, any one of those “xxx is born” would have taken me years to do as a full-time job! Presumably he had quite a lot of assistance from unseen helpers.

Not bad, considering he’s a vet… 😮

Nige

Europa Tri-Gear and the helicopter was a Rotorway Exec IIRC.

Anorak warning:
Actually, it was the current “production” model, a Rotorway 162F (for FADEC). Looks the same as an Exec, but improved engine with FADEC controls.

He’s also done a 4×4 is born!!

A225HVY

Didn’t he do a helicopter (R-22?) and car (AC Cobra replica) “…is born” series as well at some point in the distant past?

I think hes done an E-type ,a harley, a triumph and a trike also , very interesting viewing 🙂

Auster Fan – I did say distant past!

Thanks for clarification.

Chris

Didn’t he do a helicopter (R-22?) and car (AC Cobra replica) “…is born” series as well at some point in the distant past?

I do remember this from ages ago – what was the aircraft?

Chris

Europa Tri-Gear and the helicopter was a Rotorway Exec IIRC.

Didn’t he do a helicopter (R-22?) and car (AC Cobra replica) “…is born” series as well at some point in the distant past?

I do remember this from ages ago – what was the aircraft?

Chris