The 'Other' DH88

The CAA are satisfied that there is enough of the original Black Magic to retain the original registration!!! G-ASCP is Amy’s plane….

So that makes it a replica, yeah? 🙂

Black Magic…

I am part of the group responsible for getting Black Magic back into the air. Is she original? Well as with all flying aircraft then the major parts have to be new….I certainly wouldn’t fly in a 70 year old plane made of wood that had spent almost 40 years languishing outside in Portugal!!!

Unfortunately Ken doesn’t have an interest in the Comet anymore (last I spoke to him he had moved off P-47 to Harvards) so Martin Jones is currently the sole owner (which may well change as the project moves on somewhat). I haven’t had the chance to update the website recently but the vertical fin has now been fitted to the fuselage and the workshop has been completed. Work continues on the aerodynamic tests to try and remove the problems that Grosvenor House has/had. The tail plane main spar is currently being cut and the main wing spars are due to be selected and inspected in the very near future. All the wing ribs have been completed and are waiting for the main spar. We have the engines ready to be worked on.

Our aim is for the first flight in 2006 (Commonwealth Games in Melbourne)…although time is marching on and I am not sure this will be the case!! We all have to have a date to work to otherwise it carries on forever!!!

Hope this helps….

Dave Robinson

I dont really know the answer to that.

The history of the aircraft is a little murky – it was recovered from ?Portugal in the eighties, and was part restored by Bill Hosie. The shed it was in caught fire, and much of the original structure was lost. So it was started again, using some original fittings, and that was the point it got to when acquired by the Derby group.

When it was first recovered, it was registered G-ACSP, on the basis that a reasonable amount of the original remained. Over the years, the original has been rather diluted until the latest attempt began. Nevertheless, I wish them luck! The ‘real’ G-ACSS was subjected to a thorough overhaul as well, which left it too, somewhat shorter of original components!

I think that if you have a sympathetic surveyor, who is prepared to look at the aircraft on its merits, then you can keep the original reg.

Cheers

Bruce

Originally posted by Bruce
Original – Virtually nothing

New build – nearly everything!

Replica – Oh yes…..!

Bruce

So how much of it has to be replaced before the CAA will class it as a replica and require it to have a different registration? If it got dug up in 500 years time would they be able to carbon date any of it to the 1930s or just to the turn of this century?

Flood.

I noticed on Ken Fern’s website that he is asking for “anything related to P47 Thunderbolts”.

Does anyone have any idea what that is about?

Original – Virtually nothing

New build – nearly everything!

Replica – Oh yes…..!

Bruce

So… Again with the “how much will be original and how much will be… unoriginal” question. When will these sort of restorations start to count as replicas? – Nermal.

There is an official website, which contains photos of the restored fuselage. I was under the impression that Ken was still involved, and was going to move his restoration business to Derby, but I don’t know if this is still the case.

www.blackmagic.abelgratis.com

Robert M.

It’s under rebuild near Derby – Ken Fern used to own her but she now belongs to a group who are carrying out the rebuild.
I shouldn’t be impatient ! Think years rather than next year!

It was called Black Magic and i think the reg is G-ACSP. It was under rebuild to fly by Ken ? but i haven’t heard anything for ages.