Forgive me. I’ve been digging deep in the photo collection and come across those whose provenance I can’t recollect. This one is of Hillson Praga G-AEUT. I know the photo quality leaves much to be desired but, to me, the background doesn’t suggest Lancashire. Nor does it suggest its later homes – Portsmouth, Abingdon & Croydon. It suggests warmer climes. G-AEUT survived the war. In 1957 its then owners, Mr & Mrs C.M.Roberts, took it on a tour of Italy. Sadly it was forced down between Peretola and Naples, in the course of which it collided with trees and was destroyed. So was the attached photo taken in Italy? If anyone can shed light on the location, I shall be most grateful.
By: battle_damaged - 11th December 2008 at 23:59
You might be interested in a rather poor photo of the Praga which I have had for around 50 years, taken at Croydon in possibly the mid-fifties.
brgds
Alan
By: JDK - 11th December 2008 at 00:12
No problem. It’s easy to miss the social lubricants on the web. 😉
I used to have a set of drawings of the buildings, but they were left with a friend who never returned them. With John’s comment about the window, and the way the lower, windows, porches and hangar doors like up across the two pics, I’m comfortable it’s a good fit.
A closer photo would be nice, of course.
By: avion ancien - 10th December 2008 at 17:48
James, you and all other contributors to this thread have my unreserved apologies for my thoughtlessness and lack of manners. Please forgive me. I am as grateful on this occasion as I am on each occasion when those more knowledgeable than me, or with access to resources that I do not have, assist in advancing my knowledge.
By: JDK - 9th December 2008 at 22:46
Does anyone have a closer image of the left (south?) side of the main building at Croydon to which I might compare the background to the photo of the Praga?
A ‘thank you’ wouldn’t go amiss either. 😡
By: old eagle - 9th December 2008 at 18:23
Cars behind look like a Ford on the left and an Austin to the right ???
By: John Aeroclub - 9th December 2008 at 18:19
Does anyone have a closer image of the left (south?) side of the main building at Croydon to which I might compare the background to the photo of the Praga?
I can’t think of one to hand, but note each second “window” is probably a doorway with a canopy and these are visible in your photo.
John
By: avion ancien - 9th December 2008 at 18:08
Does anyone have a closer image of the left (south?) side of the main building at Croydon to which I might compare the background to the photo of the Praga?
By: JDK - 9th December 2008 at 01:27
Certainly can’t see anything that says it’s not Croydon, and several pointers to it being Croydon.
http://www.aviation-news.co.uk/postcardFromCannes.html
Looks like avion ancien’s pic was taken in the corner near the hangar seen here to the right, with the tower just visible in the background to the left.
By: John Aeroclub - 8th December 2008 at 22:44
I think it might be Croydon ,to the left of the central complex and as the window frames are light coloured it is probably post war as the frames were dark, pre-war. Perhaps when they cleared customs outbound.
John
By: avion ancien - 8th December 2008 at 21:30
I can’t believe that someone on the forum doesn’t have the knowledge of the layout at Croydon to offer an opinion on this topic!
By: avion ancien - 6th December 2008 at 11:17
Having taken a closer look at the photo, I wonder whether it might have been taken at Croydon rather than in Italy. Perhaps someone who knew the buildings and their layout there might offer an opinion. Alternatively, someone more knowledgeable about old cars might find a clue in those behind the Praga.
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December 5, 2008 at 8:41 pm