Bees Flight, Sandown,Isle of Wight

That figure of +/- 200 for the Spitfire alone makes one realise just how many aircraft they did deliver.

A paragraph from an old Air Britain mag on the history of Sandown, Bees Flight the local operator of joy-rides etc. Not sure who actualy ‘owned’ the outfit. The author of the article Henry Nobbs (font of all knowledge re Sandown airport), is still around can be found in the tower some weekends.

Also still living close by is Mary Ellis (nee Wilkins), commandant of the airfield in the late 1960s. An amazing lady delivered many a plane during her ATA career. Somewhere I have her ‘Spitfire’ list, this alone runs to around 200. Amazingly also includes a couple of today’s surviours MT928 and RM927, the latter to be found with a certain aircraft restoration outfit close by!

Also attached a scan of an old airport postcard showing the Gemini fleet.

Chumpy.

…..and at least one Dragon Rapide (G-AKMH, c/n 6704) from early 1953 – flew punters at the RNAS Lee-on-Solent Coronation Review Air Day that year. Sold on in 1955.

Thanks for replying NewForest. As far as I know Bees Flight was formed in 1951 with 3 Miles Gemini’s with Miss Vera Strodl as CFI ex ATA along with Miss Mary Wilkins ( shades of Pauline Gower/Dorothy Spicer ). The 2 Auster Alpha’s G-AJAJ & G-APJZ were for sale in “Flight” in May 1972. seem’s to have been a long and busy company. I will make enquiries at Sandown this next week as I am on holiday there .

Didn’t Bees own Sandown at this time? Was there a connection with Nat Somers? I had a prospectus for the sale of the airport at that time and this is my recollection.