Hello
I’m still here and still trying to ID a british homebuilt aerodrome. For more infor chick here: http://www.driffieldaerodrome.co.uk/driffield-flyer.htm to see a picture of the aeroplane, also read below…
Said to have been built in Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the 1930s, this aircraft and its owners are a mystery. No one knows who these men are or what type of aeroplane they are standing next to.
The aeroplane is said to be a homebuild – possibly built by those featured in the photograph – which featured in an article published by the Hull Daily Mail.
But when?
The problem is that when the Hull Daily Mail moved into new offices in the 1990s they threw away millions of photographs and press cuttings – considered out-dated.
Although back issues are available through the local library, there are tens of thousands of pages to scan through – something that is taking months.
Possibly the only copy of the photograph turned up last year when someone visiting Yorkshire showed it to an aviation enthusiast from Scarborough.
The photograph was copied but not the article. The unknown owner returned from his holiday – taking with him both the article and original photograph.
The Royal Air Force Museum, Yorkshire Air Museum, Shuttleworth Collection, Popular Flying Association and a myriad of other organisations and individuals have failed to identify this aeroplane.
So what is it? Did it ever fly? When was it built?
Answers on a postcard…
…if you can help please contact me
Phillip Rhodes
By: gbwez1 - 26th August 2004 at 20:25
Rudder doesn’t look like a Piet, could be a Heath Parasol, of which there were quite a few around in the 30s, but the strut design is odd.
By: robbelc - 26th August 2004 at 19:32
It does look like a Aircamper but I don’t think any were built prior to the 80’s in the UK despite it being 30’s design. Have come up with nothing in the ever relilable ‘British Civil aircraft since 1919’ so I guess it was never registered which makes things very difficult.
By: John Boyle - 26th August 2004 at 19:15
It looks like a Pietenpol Air Camper…an American homebuilt design from the early 1930s. It was designed to be poweder by a modified Ford auto engine and I believe plans were available at the time. Whether any were built in the U.K. I don’t know, but it’s a possibility.
Take a look at the plane on the EAA website..
http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Pietenpol%20Aircamper.asp
Hope this helps
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August 26, 2004 at 6:34 pm