Can anybody tell me why Vic Norman sold this Jenny back to the USA after only about 6 years over here.
Of course he’s entitled to sell it on whenever he choses and to whoever.Was it possibly a pre agreement that it should be sold back to the USA, or was it on the open market and that was where the best offer came from. It just seems a shame that it didn’t stop over here, lovely aircraft.
It was very rarely seen even when it was over here. Outside of Rencomb was it ever seen anywhere else other than at IAT Fairford.
At least I was lucky enough to see it at Rencomb.
I know its in a museum now in I believe Texas, but does still fly.
By: avion ancien - 24th November 2018 at 10:45
Who picks up the bill in circumstances such as that?
By: The Blue Max - 24th November 2018 at 09:54
A big bit missing in that story, while in the UK and while trying to get UK certification the Jenny was crashed by CAA test pilot Bob Cole while on an Airtest out of Rendcomb. The Jenny was rebuilt by Skysport engineering and that was the point it was repainted into the McWorter Bros colour scheme. The authorities were less than helpful at the time with getting the Jenny UK certified, they would not let Vic carry out the Airtest and having already had it crashed once He was reluctant to allow anyone else to do it. It was not offered for sale, Vic was approached by someone in the USA and with all the hassle with the UK authorities it sadly returned to the US.
By: Consul - 23rd November 2018 at 22:59
The article linked below describes the background to the ex Rendcomb Jenny and what has happened to it since returning to the USA.
By: Consul - 22nd November 2018 at 16:16
Elements of a Curtiss JN-4D, stored in a crate, have been held by the RAF Museum in their store at Stafford for some years.
By: Sabrejet - 22nd November 2018 at 11:54
JN-3s and -4s were used by UK-based Reserve Squadrons/Training Squadrons during WW1, so there is a UK link (not that there needs to be one!).
By: J Boyle - 22nd November 2018 at 03:43
A friend sold his Jenny (actually a Canuck) rather easily, there seems to be a market for them at the current time.
I have a hunch they’re being collected, and flown more frequently, by a new generation of antiquers. I suspect, but don’t know for sure, there is more engine (OX-5, Hisso) support than in the past.
As far as selling in the U.S., the type means far more to Americans than the English…it played a huge part in American aviation history due to its use in WWI and perhaps even more famously as its role as a barnstormer and North America’s first widespread civil type. It trained many Commonwealth pilots in Canada and the U.S. during the war but I don’t believe it played a major role in post-war U.K. civil aviaton…after all they had the AVRO 504.
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November 21, 2018 at 11:02 pm