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Comper Swift PK-SAQ

In 1932 received Miss. Fidelia Crossley het Swift, G-ABUA, delivered in March. She was injured in het Swidt in July that year and th aircraft was offered for sale in the columns of Flight a few months later.
It so happened that J.C. Meeuwenoord, one of the first private pilots in the Dutch East Indies, was looking for an aerobatic aircraft with a bit more zip than his D.H.60G III, PA-SAO. He purchased ÚA and had it shippedto Java. When re-erected by the Army Air Service at Andi, near Bandung, the Commander of the Luchtvaartafdeling refused to riks any of his pilots to air-test what was to them a very hot little aeroplane, and twh owner had to fly it himself. He found the Swidt difficult to handle because it persisted in climbing.
The head of the Air Service darwing office felt thatb c.g. was too far aft, and suggested that all would be resolved if the the Pobjoy engine was moved forward 20 cm. Correspondence with Hooton produced noises of disapproval from Comper, who intimated that if any such modification was made the British Certificate of Airworthiness would become invalid. However, the Dutch authorities gave the go-ahead and the engine was moved forward. This apparently improved the handling qualities and moved the owner to remark that the Swift “flew like a razor”. When the Dutch East Indies was invaded by the Japanese, Meeuwenoord fled, leaving PK-SAQ behind. The Swift was either destroyed on order of the Dutch authorities or taken by the Japanese, for when the owner returned in 1945 there was no trace of the aircraft.
Is there anybody who can help me with the following information: how and in which colors was this aeroplane painted?
Thank
Jan

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By: aerovet - 5th May 2014 at 21:53

This is how it must have looked like

[ATTACH=CONFIG]227977[/ATTACH]

the illustration comes from the 1935 book ‘Wat vliegt daar?’ by E. Smits

Hope it helps (a tiny bit)

Aerovet

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By: RPSmith - 5th May 2014 at 17:03

Jan, a little thread creep maybe but perhaps a bit of ‘sideways thinking’ might be of some help.

I saw the surname of Crossley and immediately thought of Michael Crossley – Battle of Britain pilot and builder of the Crossley Tom Thumb (c.1937) and wondered if he and Fedelia might be related. As they were both connected to the Crossley Motor Company I’m guessing they probably were (cousins, maybe?). Anyway on the ‘Fleeting Peace’ site http://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/aviators/c (scroll down to “Crossley”) there are quite a few details about Miss F C (although, sadly, no picture of the Comper Swift).

Roger Smith.

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By: wieesso - 5th May 2014 at 14:29

Hi Jan, wish you this time success with your question – last time there was no single reply! http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?115993-Comper-Swift-G-ABUA

Martin

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By: Jan den Das - 5th May 2014 at 10:55

Thanks but that is a welknown picture and that gives no answer about the colors.
I think there are two possibilities, it was red but I think that there is a greater change that is was blue.
Jan

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By: David Burke - 26th April 2014 at 20:06

Jan – try here :http://www.ajjcollection.co.uk/C9.HTM

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