Avro Avian Rebuild

Hi Zac, I’m afraid I have to report little or no progress in recent years, due mainly to an almost total lack of a work/life balance, to the extent it is having a negative impact on my health and well-being. The fact it has taken a week for me to reply to your question is a case in point. Unfortunately, I’m stuck in a position where alternative employment opportunities are few and far between for the qualifications I have, to the point where I would have to move either interstate or overseas, at a considerable financial cost to myself. :apologetic:
Having said that, I am still collecting bits and pieces, mainly engine parts for the ADC Cirrus, AS Genet Major and DH Gipsy engines. Any leads on any of the afore mentioned engines, especially the upright Gipsy engines, would be most appreciated.
In regards to ZK-ACM, the former owner, Keith Trillo, very kindly sent me a box full of surviving Avro Avian factory drawings some years back. 🙂

Paul, I was Googling for Avian pictures and plans for a future model build and rediscovered the thread. After reading from the start I’d love to know: How’s it all going?

BTW my link to Avians, beyond falling for VH-UFZ thanks to a spread in Classic Wings Downunder way back when, is that my home- and current town is Whanganui, where NZ’s last Avian ZK-ACM met her untimely demise in 1974.

Fantastic AEROFOIL! I love the comment about “twenty year old vintage biplane”; that would be barely ‘run in’ these days. 🙂

Avro Avian Rebuild

Air Ministry is still a forum member and posts quite regularly, but I sold all my Avro turnbuckle pieces on a while ago so cannot help you on this occasion.

This video shows the time when G-ABEE was based at Denham Airfield in the early 1950’s.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/vintage-pilot/query/LONDON+AS+AERODROME

It’s good to see you here Air Ministry! 🙂

Air Ministry is still a forum member and posts quite regularly, but I sold all my Avro turnbuckle pieces on a while ago so cannot help you on this occasion.

G’Day Steve,

“Air Ministry” used to be a forum member. He hasn’t posted for a while and I haven’t been able to find his contact details.
You may be better off looking for the complete assemblies. John Gaertner at Blue Swallow Aircraft http://www.blueswallowaircraft.com/ and Neil Davidson at Davidson Aeroworks make them.

Best regards,

Paul

G’Day All,

Last week I received a package of Avro Turnbuckle parts from Air Ministry…

There are enough bits to produce 51 turnbuckles that should look like this (though not as rusty! :)).

Around 34 of these are required to brace the rear fuselage structure on the steel framed Avian alone.
Thanks for your help Air Ministry! 🙂

Best regards,

Paul

Hi Paul,

I’m involved with the restoration of a DH-60, and we need a quantity of these Avro turnbuckles. I’m pleased to see that you managed to find some. I’ve hunted the net, and I can’t find Air Ministry as a parts supplier. Can you please provide contact details?

Cheers,
Steve

Thanks for that Propstrike! It’s interesting the business still exists.

Interesting to see the Red Rose on the Avian.

I often go past Lancaster’s garage in Wendover, still called Red Rose Garage.

See here for summary of William Lancaster’s exploits.

http://www.wendovernews.co.uk/news/william-lancaster-red-rose-garage

Thanks for posting the link Brian (viscount). There are a couple of interesting photos I have not seen before.
As an educated guess, it looks like the wings that are now on G-EBZM came from G-ABEE, along with the main landing gear, which in turn appears to have come from G-ACKE.
I would dearly like to contact the other fellow mentioned, to see if he has any other photos of G-ABEE. I have sent you a PM in this regard.

Best regards,

Paul

Hi,

For another British aviation forum, I compiled a story of the initial rescue of Avian G-EBZM, before and indeed leading to the formation of NAPS, now TAC. Although this story is largely irrelevant to this thread http://derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/14435/avro-avian-ebzm-mgae-little the subsequent reply on the thread with a direct personal link to a former owner of G-ABEE may well of interest. Although the postee has not logged into the nwan site since posting, as a moderator I have access to an e-mail address, so am willing to pass on a message if this is of interest in the search for G-ABEE’s past – of course you may already be in contact. Do PM me to discuss any next move.

Brian Jones, Liverpool UK.

Not really worth a new post, but I am delighted that within a week David Edwards, son of a previous owner, and Paul ‘Avian’ the restorer are now in direct e-mail contact with each other. A small success story.

G’Day Brian,

I have some of the Avro Patent turnbuckles and a quite a few of the threaded pieces. However, it looks like I will have to make the sheet metal pieces.
Here is the drawing for the 4mm type:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]233119[/ATTACH]

I have the drawings for the 5mm as well.

As you can see in this photo, there are quite a few of them required…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]233122[/ATTACH]

Best regards,

Paul

“Avro Type Turnbuckles” wanted. Are you sorted on 4/5mm turnbuckles ? If not , can you supply details/drawing /
I have a bag of small-thread turnbuckle parts which might help.
Cheers
Brian

In the 30’s Gabee was Black and Silver. I’d be interested if anyone can confirm the later 1950’s colours.

John

Good news and bad news today…

The good news:
A set of very nice Tiger Moth wheels turned up. Also good for Avians…. 🙂

The bad news:
I learned that Ron Rooke, the former owner of Avian VH-UVR passed away on 19th May 2014.
Here he is greasing the undercarriage of his beloved Avian in the main street of Camooweal…
[ATTACH=CONFIG]228788[/ATTACH]
and more than 50 years later with what remains of VH-UVR…
[ATTACH=CONFIG]228789[/ATTACH]
Blue skies Ron! RIP.

Thanks dh83.
Does anyone know what colours G-ABEE wore?
I also have an earlier photo I have pinched from eBay of G-ABEE, with a different configuration for the windscreens and the main undercarriage. I am not sure if I will rebuild G-ABEE to this, or the later configuration and colour scheme.

yes taken in 1955

dh.83

An interesting photo dh83! Is it the same Bessoneau hangar at White Waltham?
I have a very similar photo here, presumably at the same location.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]228733[/ATTACH]

hope this works reason for not flying