Moth identity

I didn’t know the folk of Darlington had such taste. Yummy. 

I have to say that I was a fan of Northern Sole Véronique when we visited friends in Darlington!

Now, now, AA. I’m told that Oxford bags made a revival during the 1970s by fans of Northern soul. 

I doubt not many on here would be familiar with that time period. Vulcans were everywhere back then, even the occasional Hastings too!

I’d also discounted France, having been through Pascal Brugier’s ‘Registre France’ and found no Moths with pre-war registration marks ending either KD or KO.

I think that one can safely say that the photograph is pre-war. No-one wore Oxford Bags like that in the post-war years!

In regards to possible “foreign registered aircraft” I can confirm:

its NOT G-AUKD as that registration was allocated and flown on Avro Avian IV c/n 201

its NOT G-AUKO as that registration was not issued prior to the introduction of the VH- allocations and hence the DH60G c/n 1069 that might have otherwise been G-AUKO was instead delivered and flown as VH-UKO, so unless it was tested in the UK with that G-A markings, the registration itself was not formally issued.

Happy to help, AA. It really is a cracking photo!

Thank you, Mothminor. That just shows the benefit of having an extra pair of eyes on the job! Revisiting the photograph, I’m now sure that you are right. The final letter has four rounded corners, rather than two angular and two rounded corners. And as you say, G-AAKO has a Bekesbourne connection, being based there from 1931 to 1933.

Hi AA,

I think that last letter may be an O rather than a D and G-AAKO did have links to Bekesbourne –

From Ab-ix.co.uk –

AA, perhaps the a/c was flown to Bekesbourne for the new owner to pick it up and exchange docs and dosh?

I guess there a slight possibility of the KD being the last two letters of a foreign registration.

I thought along similar lines. However taking KD as the last two letters of any near European country’s registration mark offers no solution to this problem.

Whilst it is suggested that this photograph was taken at Bekesbourne, G-AAKD has no obvious Kentish connections. G-AAKD was first registered in the UK on 30 July 1929. Its registration was cancelled when it was sold abroad in August 1934. After being sold through Malcolm Campbell’s company, it seems to have spent most of its life in the midlands. Its first owner was Arnold Methley of Sutton Coldfield (based at Castle Bromwich Aerodrome). The next owner was Cyril William Robert Gleeson of Killaloe (County Clare) (based Castle Bromwich and Killaloe Aerodromes). During his ownership it was damaged when making a forced landing in Lough Derg (County Clare) and it was returned to De Havilland to be rebuilt. Then it was sold to John Brookes Hall and Herbert Hodson Mould of Wolverhampton (still being based at Castle Bromwich), subsequently being bought outright by Mould. Finally it was owned by Edwin Garry of Birmingham and was based at Castle Bromwich and Bishops Tachbrook Aerodrome (near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire).

OOPS, sorry I obviously had a bit of finger trouble typing into G-INFO.

I guess there a slight possibility of the KD being the last two letters of a foreign registration.  

Re above post. G-ABKD was a DH80A Puss Moth.

The last two letters of the under wing registration are obviously KD. G-ABKD was a DH60T Moth Trainer which would have had a forward facing exhaust system. The aircraft in the picture clearly has a long exhaust pipe exiting behind the cockpit which makes it a DH60G Gipsy Moth and therefore I think that it is safe to assume that it is indeed G-AAKD. 

Sorry I can’t help but what a great photograph. Thanks for posting it.