Focke Achgelis FA330

Thank you very much. I’ll try and go further to find more information

There are more photographs of Beaulieu trials to be seen at http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=12168.0 but you’ll need to register as a member of that forum to view them.

The Fa 330 was tested by the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment at RAF Beaulieu between January 1948 and July 1949 and was reported on by H I Birds and Sqn Ldr HF (Jeep) Cable in AFEE ROTA 7.
The initial trials were conducted at Beaulieu with the kite sitting on a trailer (an airfield control caravan with the van removed) with the tow cable attached to an electric winch (same type as fitted in Dakotas for glider snatch launching). Flights at Beaulieu were only short, both in distance run and cable payed out. It was then that the seaplane tender at RAF Calshot was considered for the longer runs. An elevated platform was built over the stern and other structures mounted the winch for the two line and a smaller hand winch for the rotor starter cable.
Although not reported the trials on the tender resulted in the rotor blades destroying themselves due to blade sailing at low rpm.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]259255[/ATTACH]
Fa 330 on seaplane tender – The world’s smallest aircraft carrier?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]259257[/ATTACH]
Trials set up at Beaulieu. Note the Jeep, the windscreen shows that this vehicle was the one that flew as the Hafner Rotabuggy

Just for information and interest, I have a copy of a photograph – which I cannot, for some reason, upload to the site – showing a Fa330 in RAF markings being used for trials and lifting from a structure built onto the stern of an RAF Seaplane Tender post-war. The boat is numbered 1506 but no other information has ever come to light.

the current Wrecks and Relics quotes the Lashendon example as being Wk Nr 100549 ex Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool, Lavenham, Hullavington, Biggin Hill, Farnborough

I believe 100032 is in Denmark and 100503 is at RAFM Cosford with 100502 these aircraft where handled by John Bagley in the late 1960’s. The Aeroplane Collection acquired theres is 1969 through same route.

100502 is with The Aeroplane Collection and is displayed at the RAF Millom Aviation & Military Museum.

And the Nissen Hut the famous “Bagley’s Barn”

Roger Smith.

That’s the name Roger! I wonder now if it really was a Nissen hut, or whether it was one of the typical small RAE brick buildings?

Quote from The Art of the Engineer: ‘advice on aeronautical matters came primarily from John Bagley of the Science Museum whose unpublished notes on the early years of the Royal Aircraft Factory were extremely useful…’

Did they remain unpublished I wonder?

brgds
Alan

And the Nissen Hut the famous “Bagley’s Barn”

Roger Smith.

Very many thanks everyone, super stuff.
Fancy clarifying serial numbers after 50 years!

Much obliged
Alan

It won’t help you in your quest, but I noted 3 Fa-330s in a Nissen hut on Farnborough airfield on 13 Sept 1959. They were accompanied by Aeronca G-ADYS, Eon Primary G-ALMN (BGA589), Slingsby Cadet VM691, the Broburn Wanderlust, and T5595, T5635, LZ558 and BGA589.

I’d be happy for a hint as to where any of these ended up, and what they all were!

brgds
Alan

The Broburn Wanderlust is at the museum of Berkshire Aviation ,Woodley,Reading.

http://www.museumofberkshireaviation.co.uk/

If you follow the link,you can see a pic of the fuselage,a single seat glider.

cheers baz

And one at the NMUSAF in Dayton…

What an interesting piece of gear. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Mondariz, there’s one in Denmark as well, should be in the museum at Egeskov Castle (or possibly in Helsingör)….

The British Museum aircraft books shows that it is not one of the Duxford,Cosford, Torbay ones. I can recall an example that used to be displayed as a mobile display item by HAPS. My logbooks are in storage so I cant quote the serial.

Try this useful site:

www.preservedaxisaircraft.com

It won’t help you in your quest, but I noted 3 Fa-330s in a Nissen hut on Farnborough airfield on 13 Sept 1959. They were accompanied by Aeronca G-ADYS, Eon Primary G-ALMN (BGA589), Slingsby Cadet VM691, the Broburn Wanderlust, and T5595, T5635, LZ558 and BGA589.

I’d be happy for a hint as to where any of these ended up, and what they all were!

brgds
Alan

They were almost certainly 100032,100502 and 100503 which I logged the previous year,
Jim

It won’t help you in your quest, but I noted 3 Fa-330s in a Nissen hut on Farnborough airfield on 13 Sept 1959. They were accompanied by Aeronca G-ADYS, Eon Primary G-ALMN (BGA589), Slingsby Cadet VM691, the Broburn Wanderlust, and T5595, T5635, LZ558 and BGA589.

I’d be happy for a hint as to where any of these ended up, and what they all were!

brgds
Alan

I’d love to know what became of this one and the other ‘aircraft’ in the picture.[ATTACH]167422[/ATTACH]

What an interesting piece of gear.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

IWM Lambeth c1958.

Mark