Capt. Ogilvie is noted as having been “a well known collector of veteran aircraft”. But he was engaging in this activity at a time when those in the UK doing likewise could, probably, be counted on the digits of one hand without exhausting the supply of said digits. He appears to have been acquiring old aeroplanes before the last war and continued the habit thereafter. However references to this habit, on the web, are tantalisingly succinct. One of the aeroplanes in his collection was the Bristol Fighter, G-AEPH, that has been a long time member of the Shuttleworth Collection but was acquired by Capt. Ogilvie (along with its sister, G-ADJR) in 1936. Many mentions of its history refer to it having been stored by Capt. Ogilvie “…..along with many other veteran aircraft”. I don’t know where these were before and during the last war, but it appears that they were stored at Primrose Garages, Watford, after the war and G-AEPH eventually found its way to a shed at Elstree Aerodrome before being acquired by the Shuttleworth Trust. But I am allowing myself to be side tracked. What is of interest to me is the identities of the other aeroplanes acquired and collected by Capt. Ogilvie and where were they kept prior to 1945. Can someone enlighten me or direct me to a source, not yet discovered by me, where I might enlighten myself?
By: Amsterdam - 14th December 2016 at 19:43
At which thread can I read about the apparent well known fact of “FK.26 was dumped in the polder”? and any related threads (at search button no news)
(I would appreciate it very much to get in contact with everyone who knows about B.A.T. and F.K.26 as I am planning to publish a book about them later on.)
Thanks!
Hans
[email]hansmooren@ziggo.nl[/email]
By: Groovychick - 28th October 2015 at 13:11
Big Thanks to everyone in this thread for all the research and information given. It’s been great reading and learning about my Grandfather’s history. :eagerness:
By: mutley72 - 27th October 2015 at 20:25
Thanks Adrian, I hadn’t noticed that B.A.T. were based in Willesden. The Motorsport article is very illuminating. I’m also amazed all those Flight magazines are so accessible.
Archer’s link to the picture of the Bantam shows it is well looked after now. Pity the FK.26 was dumped in the polder.
By: Lazy8 - 27th October 2015 at 19:27
Captain Olgilvie bought the remains of the BAT company after it was wound up – with few orders, it’s principal backer, Lord Waring (of Waring and Gillow) decided to reduce his exposure to aviation. This gave him the Willesden address, and a large factory in which to conduct his aircraft parts business, which apparently digressed into sales of whole aircraft at every available opportunity. I also found an article in Motorsport, here:
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-1981/36/air-some-random-reflections-1920s
which encapsulates most of what I already know about him. Such knowledge as I do have was acquired while researching the Briitish airline use of the FK.26, so I haven’t dug around the other aircraft much. There is, however, an interesting letter in Flight in 1953 which fills in some more detail:
https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1953/1953%20-%200078.html
(continues, with most of the interesting stuff, on the following page).
By: avion ancien - 27th October 2015 at 18:06
I have web links if anyone wants them
Yes please. I’ll send you a PM.
By: Archer - 27th October 2015 at 16:44
G-EACN BAT FK23 Bantam which was donated to Shuttleworth Collection after Ogilvie’s death, then sold to Koolhoven Aeroplanes Foundation who restored in it Holland. It should still be there. (P)
It is, but it moved from the Aviodrome museum to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam a few years back (2011?). It is on permanent display there. See here: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/NG-2011-1
By: mutley72 - 27th October 2015 at 16:32
I’ve been trawling the internet for information on C.P.B. Ogilvie and found he was associated with the following aircraft (P) denotes I found a photo on the web.
G-EACN BAT FK23 Bantam which was donated to Shuttleworth Collection after Ogilvie’s death, then sold to Koolhoven Aeroplanes Foundation who restored in it Holland. It should still be there. (P)
G-EACZ Sopwith Scooter which was flown by his friend JPC Philips before ending up with Dan Watt. I found a nice photo of it outside what I think are the hangars at Hendon , one of which has ‘Ogilvies Flying Service’ written on it. (P)
G-EAJY Nieuport Nieuhawk. I’ve no idea what happened to this, but a nice photo exists. (P)
G-EAAI BAT FK26 , Koolhoven had this one shipped to Holland , but it was pushed overboard during an RAF raid. There was a photo of it being loaded on a ship in the Watford Observer with Ogilvie Aircraft painted on the fuselage. (P)
G-EANI BAT FK26 – fate unknown.
G-EAPF Austin Whippet. One of a couple of aircraft built by the car manufacturer. Fate unknown
G-EASB Avro 504K. Probably used by Ogilvie and Phillips to tour the country promoting Tellus Super Vacuum cleaners. They later crashed in it at Ripley in Yorkshire.
G-EATR Austin Kestrel – fate unknown. (P)
G-EBKY Sopwith Dove. Now converted to a Pup and part of the Shuttleworth collection.
G-AEPH Bristol F.2B Fighter. Ogilvie converted this to dual control and hung on to it a long time. Eventually restored by Bristols themselves and flies at Shuttleworth. (P)
G-ADJR Bristol F.2B Fighter. This one went off to London Film productions and was used as a camera ship.( Picture in Aeroplane Monthly Sep 83 ).
G-EBKM Parnall Pixie. Ogilvie took this as part exchange for his Dove.
I found lots of adverts in Flight magazines. It looks like he acquired a Bellanca J-300, probably NR1317 that had flown from New York to Ireland. Also one of the Airspeed Ferrys , I’d like to know which one. Another ad refers to ‘ NEW machine specially built to fly the Atlantic, fitted with three Wright Whirlwind engines ‘ ; what could that be I wonder ?
I’m also puzzled by ‘LIGHT Plane. 2-seater, side by side, dual control, fitted Genet engine, folding wings’ , I’m guessing it was a Blackburn Bluebird ?
Another mystery ‘£100 Two-cabin commercial machines, six seaters. Fitted Rolls engine’ .
Better yet I found he had a Pteradactyl, with a Gipsy 3 engine advertised for sale at Primrose Garage, this time the company name was Healy aircraft.
Ogilvie adverts include lots of engines such as : Jupiter, Lynx, Gipsy, Cirrus, Mongoose and all manner spares.
He stored aircraft initially in the Graham White hangars at Hendon , then in a canvas hangar at De Havilland’s airfield at Stag Lane , then at the former Airco works at the Hyde, Edgeware Road, London , then possibly back to Hendon again. His business address was 437 and 437a, High Rd.’, Willesden, London, N.W.10 from at least Jan 1935 before moving to Primrose Garage , Radlett Road , Watford from at least Sept 1938.
I got much of the above information from PT Capons article in Motorsport Magazine March 1981. I have web links if anyone wants them.
I’d be really interested to learn more about the man and his machines.
By: avion ancien - 6th July 2010 at 20:26
God bless ye, Mister Chumpy, you’re a gentleman. You’ve got the correct e-mail address and I’ve now got the Master’s words on the subject. I will read, inwardly digest and post a précis.
By: chumpy - 6th July 2010 at 20:10
tis on it’s way..just so long as I got your email address correct!
By: avion ancien - 6th July 2010 at 19:45
Oh Chumpy, you’re my hero! The answer is – yes please. But on the basis that ‘On home made wings’ is, presumably, a slimmer tome than the A O-H magnum opus, hopefully you won’t have to search the garage for the pit props before utilising the scanner!
By: chumpy - 6th July 2010 at 19:30
A.O-H wrote a bit of a biog on the man in his ‘On Home Made Wings’ volume. A full A4 page of tiny print, way too much too post here.
Do I need to reach for my scanner?!!
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July 6, 2010 at 6:01 pm