In the film “Highland Doctor” Scottish Airways Rapide G-AFRK has screened-over windows. I assume they were blackout screens? Were these fitted as standard in wartime or were they because of its use as an air ambulance? I assume there would also be an inner screen between the cockpit and cabin in a Rapide?
The Rapide appears from 18 mins onwards –
By: Mothminor - 1st February 2016 at 20:38
Just foamboard, pushed into position. It was only meant to be temporary.
Nice touch though and good to see ‘GJG wears the same scheme as the aircraft in the video. I take it from the remark about the Inverness – Orkney route she did actually serve with Scottish Airways?
By: Old Stager - 1st February 2016 at 14:42
Just foamboard, pushed into position. It was only meant to be temporary.
By: Consul - 1st February 2016 at 11:03
Old Stager,
I was gong to email Mark for some details about this, but as you flew in it when the view from its windows were temporarily blanked, how did they achieve this on ‘GJG? In WWII some were whitewashed over, but I can’t imagine the immaculate interior of ‘JG was so jeopardised! Did Mark & David apply some type of translucent film to the glazing?
Tim
By: Old Stager - 1st February 2016 at 10:45
John Dibbs had an air to air photo session of GJG with the windows blanked out. One of the photos was used in the Legends calendar for the year before last.
As probably the only person who has flown in the cabin of a Rapide with the windows blanked out since the end of WW II, I can confirm that you cannot see out, except for a very limited view forward. Many Rapides had a door between the cabin and the cockpit, so the security would have been complete. It makes for a very gloomy cabin though!
GJG’s regular route was from Inverness to the Orkney Islands, and this took it over the main naval base at Scapa Flow. Security needed to be tight!
By: Moggy C - 1st February 2016 at 09:30
Any pictures of that Tim?
Moggy
By: Consul - 1st February 2016 at 01:07
The Millers displayed their Duxford based Rapide for a while with the cabin windows treated to replicate this wartime security feature.
Tim
By: Mothminor - 31st January 2016 at 21:33
Thanks for the replies – I hadn’t even considered the possibility of it being a security measure! It makes a lot of sense 🙂
By: Lazy8 - 31st January 2016 at 20:03
Various means were used to screen off the windows on the wartime civil fleet. Some were painted, some simply used curtains, some had wood or metal plates screwed on outside. It probably varied from aircraft to aircraft and from time to time. And of course, on some aircraft they just didn’t bother. Unlikely there was any sort of screen between the cockpit and the cabin.
By: Derbyhaven - 31st January 2016 at 17:03
It was indeed a security measure although not exactly infallible because I’ve been told by a lady who was a regular user of DH89 G-AFEP, which was the mainstay of the IOM-England route in WW2, that the windows were painted over and that she used to scrape off a bit of paint so she could peep out.
By: Atcham Tower - 31st January 2016 at 16:30
Railway Air Services also had them. It was to prevent passengers seeing airfields and installations that they shouldn’t!
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January 31, 2016 at 4:25 pm