Shorts Mayo Composite

G-AEDL was wfu at Heston in 1939, so it is a cadidate. No trace of the colour scheme.

Not a problem, I have been meaning to do it for some time. The loading certainly looks like a tricky operation. Looking at the image, there is in fact two chaps sat on the starboard float. Could they be counter-balancing against wind? The surface of the water on the left hand of the image shows the sort of ripples created by a mild wind (mild of course until you are trying to carry out a precise operation such as this).

Thanks for posting the pics.

I am intrigued at the angle “Mercury” is hanging at – the chap on the starboard float may be acting as ballast to reduce what was an even worse angle?. I believe some single-engined seaplanes such as the Schneider Trophy racers could transfer fuel to one float as ballast to counteract torque when taxying/taking off but “Mercury” wouldn’t have had that problem.

Anyone any ideas??

Roger Smith.

Certainly the most likely, if it was painted black (or a very dark colour) it could be the aircraft in question.

A long shot

There was a Falcon Six G-AEDL

Here’s that clock from one of the aircraft (Mayo I think) that I mentioned. It still keeps good time.

If anyone is into clocks I’d welcome more about it.

Cheers,

SFF

Evening chaps, just dug out the ‘looking glass’…the aircraft on the right handside is a Miles Falcon Six, registration G-AFAY. The aircraft on the left handside is also a Falcon six, howeve I am really struggling with the registration. The first two letters are G-A, the third looks like F and the fourth L but it doesnt bring any results that match. Any further guesses?

Im off to the library tomorrow so I will try and get a scan done and post it when I can.

Glad the pictures were of interest…The annotation certainly says trial flight too…

Galdri.

A quick look at a magnification leads me to think that the rearmost miles is G-AFBV which was a Miles M11A Whitney Straight. Does it look anything like one? I thought they looked like Falcons.

As for the Composite I know and can add precisely nothing, other than to say isn’t it fascinating what you can glean from a place like this?

Regards,

kev35

Flight archive

I would recommend running a search of the ‘Flight’ archive here…

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/index.html

I had a quick look and could find no reference to either Maia or Mercury in Khartoum but its probably worth checking. Some really good articles on the composite.

Cheers

SM

Chase aircraft to record the first separation? Unlikely to be Short Bros aircraft – I would have expected them to use their Scion. Possibly press?

The weather on 5th Feb 38 was too rough for the planned separation to take place and it took place the next day as a spur of the moment thing because conditions were ideal, all apparently unobserved. Remarkable really considering the number of aircraft following the day before.

The well known sequence of photos and film is of the second separation on 23rd February.

Shows how much can be gleaned from sharing a couple of pics.

Allan

Mmmmmmiles:D The composit is escorted by what looks like two Miles M3 Falcons, and the wingtip visible in the picture looks very “Miles”. I seriously doubt this is a trial flight. Two (maybe three) aircraft from a different manufacturer would not be so close on a trial flight, IMHO. Would be great to know the reggies of the two Miles aircraft. Can anything be made out on the original?

Very nice photos -thanks for sharing them 😎

Allan

, for some reason the edit button won’t work on my p.c

I was given these two photographs a while ago, i’ve quickly searched google to ensure i’m not wasting anyones time with repeats…

They are copies, both have labels glued to the back. I’m afraid I don’t have a scanner, so photographs will have to do.

The below image is dated 5.2.38 and is noted as being a trial flight.

This image is dated January 26th, and as being at Rochester. “Further Trials”.

Hope they are of interest,

Dean

Many thanks for all the additional info – especially the videos!
If the o/hd Dundee to Orange River flight (sea-plane distance record) took place on 6 Oct 38 then Mercury cannot have been at Khartoum at that time. We are assured (from the witness account) that both a/c were at Khartoum so that it looks most likely that Maia was pre-positioned at Khartoum for the S Africa>UK return leg. The distance Orange River > Khartoum is about 2700 n miles. Would this have been within the capabilities of Mercury (assuming all other things equal)? Or did she ‘lob in’ elsewhere on the way to Khartoum?
Whilst all of this is only of minor interest in the big scheme of things, I did note that that man Bennett was involved! Was there an aviation pie he did not have his finger in? (quite apart from PFF!!!!).
Tks to All
Resmoroh

How’s about a vid;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYtazEBQ1K8

Garry

Did the ‘combination’ visit Felixstowe?

Yep. The two aircraft arrived on 17th March, 1938 for full load separation trials. The first full load separation took place on 9th May 1938.

Best wishes
Steve P

Did the ‘combination’ visit Felixstowe?

I had a photograph of it, probably taken at Felixstowe. Unfortunately the photo was destroyed in an accident 😡

Could the sightings been of a Scion Senior, a similar aeroplane?

The Senior looks a bit lower on the floats in this photo!

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/cw1/s22.html

Edit.Would add that picture six seems to portray a different float gear assembly.

http://www.icarusbooks.com/images/Ardath-2.jpg

Could the sightings been of a Scion Senior, a similar aeroplane?