October 23, 2004 at 3:45 pm
:confused: Can anyone identify this aircraft?
The story is self explanitory.
As a former member of the 5th Rushden Air Scouts in the 40’s (I am on the picture!!!) 😀
We were told that this aircraft was a Spartan Arrow? but now after some 60 years I begin to doubt it. I think it is one of the DH Moth’s.
This aircraft was presented to our troop by a gentleman! from the Northampton Aero Club whose name I think was a Mr. Linnell.
The Scouts Association have no records at all of the aircraft or even our Troop and the Northampton Aero Club cannot help either.
It seems such a shame to let this all ride into history as unknown and I would ask anyone out there if they can help.
Thank you Chaps.
dakota2 The attchment is from a ’40’s local newspaper and is showing its age.
By: Pencilpilot - 20th May 2008 at 13:07
That’s brilliant, many thanks for your help.:):) 🙂
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th May 2008 at 01:36
I can confirm that. It is a Caudron G111; a lot were used by the RFC and RNAS for training.
By: Ant.H - 20th May 2008 at 00:36
It looks like a Caudron G.III to me.
By: adrian_gray - 24th November 2006 at 12:06
How much did the Vimy Commercial have in common with the later Victoria and Valentia, I wonder? It is an alarming thought to consider that the RAF had the latter on strength as late as 1944, even if well away fron frontline roles.
Adrian
By: PaulR - 24th November 2006 at 11:46
Fair play to Chris, he did an outstanding job, lovely photo.
By: David Layne - 24th November 2006 at 08:24
Chris Sheppard (http://www.printroom.com/pro/ShepArtStudio) cleaned the image up for me. Thanks Chris.
By: pogno - 24th November 2006 at 08:21
K107 was the prototype Vickers Vimy Commercial, first flight 13 April 1919, then became G-EAAV.
This aircraft was used on an attempt on the Cairo to Cape Town record with a prize of £10,000 from the Daily Mail. Flown by Vickers pilots S,Cockerell and F.C.G Broome it crashed at Tabora, Tanganyika on 27 Feb 1920.
By: CSheppardholedi - 23rd November 2006 at 15:37
David
Here is a tweak of it, played with levels, curves and contrast. Would help if working from a larger scan. If you would like me to try another whack at it, email me a larger file and I will see what I can do.
I know size restrictions of the forum dictate use of smaller-compressed images.
In tweaked form, I think it is a twin engine, but like I said, a few more pixels to work from would be nice.
By: David Layne - 23rd November 2006 at 15:25
David,
It looks like you’ve got an ID, but this might be worth a try to make the picture a bit clearer.
It looks to me like a sepia print that you’ve scanned in colour. If that is so, and if your picture software will let you, try converting the colour scan to greyscale, and fiddling with the brightness and contrast. I’ll make no promises as to whether the detail will become any clearer, but it works very well on pictures that have yellowed. It is important in my experience to scan in colour first, rather than scan in greyscale.
Hope that helps!
Adrian
Thanks for the tips. It’s an old black and white picture that has faded with age. Will get the Mrs. to try and juggle with it.
By: adrian_gray - 23rd November 2006 at 15:19
David,
It looks like you’ve got an ID, but this might be worth a try to make the picture a bit clearer.
It looks to me like a sepia print that you’ve scanned in colour. If that is so, and if your picture software will let you, try converting the colour scan to greyscale, and fiddling with the brightness and contrast. I’ll make no promises as to whether the detail will become any clearer, but it works very well on pictures that have yellowed. It is important in my experience to scan in colour first, rather than scan in greyscale.
Hope that helps!
Adrian
By: Arm Waver - 23rd November 2006 at 14:27
I’d say Vimy Commercial too. The angle gives the impression of single engine but it is twin. It is hard to see it clearly but a piece of history none the less… thanks for sharing.
Oh the K-xxx series weren’t military they were the first civil registrations in the UK up until 1923 IIRC
By: David Layne - 23rd November 2006 at 14:19
Have found this…………..
“The Vimy-Commercial first flew from Joyce Green airfield in Kent on 13 April 1919 with the military serial K107. It became G-EAAV on the civil register. ”
at http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Vickers:Vimy.htm
so well done XN 923 right first time.
By: David Layne - 23rd November 2006 at 13:59
Vickers Vernon or Vimy Commercial?
Perhaps someone knows had to track it down from the K 107 on the side.
By: XN923 - 23rd November 2006 at 13:54
This picture came to me in some old family pictures. Can anyone educate me on it more?
Vickers Vernon or Vimy Commercial?
By: Papa Lima - 23rd October 2004 at 16:34
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/iowweb/sim.html
Here’s a link to a picture of the Spartan Arrow – the only one left flying.
By: skypilot62 - 23rd October 2004 at 16:11
Hmmm….!
My guess it’s a very early stealth prototype – very successful but too ahead of it’s time so it was cancelled.
(If the picture has now been added then my reply will make even less sense than usual!)
Dean
By: RadarArchive - 23rd October 2004 at 15:48
The attchment is from a ’40’s local newspaper and is showing its age.
Not quite showing it enough. :rolleyes: