Imperial Airways AW 27s

Am I the only one who thinks the Bloch 220 looks vaguely like an overgrown Airspeed Consul/Oxford/Envoy?

Roger…Looks to be a Bloch 220,… large F visible of fin had I not seen this would have said a DC2 also.

…sounds good!
http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac5/ROW%20Europe/F-AOHB.html

Don’t know Chumpy – wonder what the aircraft is landing in the background of the first shot. It’s low-wing (so not another Ensign) but I can’t make out whether it has two or four engines – DC2??

Roger Smith.

Roger…Looks to be a Bloch 220,… large F visible of fin had I not seen this would have said a DC2 also.

Wonderfully interesting thread !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would rather see (& hear) those exotic inter-war beasts than a Spitfire ANY day of the week 😀 (sticks neck-out on known ‘Spitfire-heavy’ forum, lol:diablo:)

Looks like Croydon to me as well.

Reminds me of that series of pictures showing a D.H. 91 climbing-out over London, the Thames & Battersea Power-Station, circa 1938.

Love these old-pix – keep ’em coming……

Any offers as to whats going on???
Chumpy.

Don’t know Chumpy – wonder what the aircraft is landing in the background of the first shot. It’s low-wing (so not another Ensign) but I can’t make out whether it has two or four engines – DC2??

Roger Smith.

My word, chaps! Thank you, all, very kindly for the superb images! Now I must have a look at these and see wat we have in view.

“One additional point – IAL didn’t use the speedbird except for the couple months that elapsed between when BOAC was formed and when it took over all operations so the shots with the Speedbird are more likely to be post – IAL.”

Ah, thanks for that bit of significant information. Cheers, all, and thanks again.

Chumpy, another great shot – got any more? I have been trying to study the two pics to see if they are of the same grouping taken from different positions but probably not. I wonder if the second pic was at Whitchurch rather than Croydon?

Roger Smith

Hi Roger,
I reckon it is Croydon in both shots, again did some close squinting and can sort of make sense of it all. The second shot taken from the left of the ‘group photo’.

I have a couple more that look to be taken the same day, maybe some sort of event / open day. Even in those far off care-free days unusual to have all those bods ‘air-side’.
Maybe sheltering from a drop of rain under the Ensign wing, certainly something a bit wet dripping on the tyre!

Any offers as to whats going on???

Chumpy.

That is quite a large project you are planning on. I have been working on a project to do all the Short Empire flying boats and that is large enough.

I have attached a profile of the Short S.23 Cambria, which visited the city where I live in Canada. This is one of 18 I have done so far, several of which will appear on the box art for Czech Master Resin’s new kit of the Empire, which is to start shipping very soon. There will be 4 versions of the kit and my profile will appear on three of those.

A number of years ago a gentleman contacted me who had been involved in re-engining the Ensigns with American engines and had some questions regarding them. Unfortunately I no longer have the email (the result of a computer virus) so I can’t be sure of many of the details. The AW.27 isn’t an aircraft that gets a lot of attention.

I have a number of photos I have saved from the web, including one of DSV you might find useful, and which I have attached. Unfortunately the other two you mentioned seem to have been somewhat camera shy and I don’t have any shots of them.

One additional point – IAL didn’t use the speedbird except for the couple months that elapsed between when BOAC was formed and when it took over all operations so the shots with the Speedbird are more likely to be post – IAL.

Cheers,

Mike Fletcher
ps Excellent work BTW.
pps You might want to check out the Yahoo discussion group Wings of Peace which is devoted to the study of between the wars airliners.

Great Shot’s I must agree!!

Sorry about double, fffed if know why it did!!:o

If I HAD a scanner I would be VERY naughty and put some up……….

Yes yes More more more Yeeeeees ………..please!:dev2:

Chumpy, another great shot – got any more? I have been trying to study the two pics to see if they are of the same grouping taken from different positions but probably not. I wonder if the second pic was at Whitchurch rather than Croydon?

Stinky Pete that’s a nice shot as well – I should think that’s just the kind of thing NII_VVS wanted. Can you by any chance read any of the registration of the second one behind – or the name on the nose?

Roger Smith

Is this pic any use? Taken in Cairo.

That’s a great picture chumpy.

It (or one from the same position) has appeared in print several times. I think there are four AW.27s in shot (along with all the other pre-war airliners).

Roger Smith.

Had a close squint at the snap, five AW27s visible DST, W, Y, Z plus one other DS?

Here is another from the same set, with what looks to be DSR undergoing a bit of prop / engine work.
…Anyone hazard a guess as to what year it might be?

Chumpy.

G’ day all

Nice!:D

Magic Work Guy’s 😉

Did they work out the underpowed problem’s with the fleet :confused:

Cause I remember engine change’s here and there, Pratt’s perhap’s or Cyc’s and the Kraut’s put engine’s in too I think 😉 .

Really she was a nice looking flying slug :p and like pommie car’s alway’s breaking down:D

Three tried to make it downunder, but all broke down and none made it past India. :rolleyes:

I have various book’s here with different shot’s.

Anyway Oooooo Roooo for now

Yup an amazing sight, wonder what it was like when the place got busy!

Chumpy.

That’s a great picture chumpy.

It (or one from the same position) has appeared in print several times. I think there are four AW.27s in shot (along with all the other pre-war airliners).

Roger Smith.

How about this…would’nt you just love to be there that day, camera in hand!!..(scan of a small snap-shot from my collection).

Cheers, chumpy.

Sorry for the delay but have now managed to complete a list of published photos that I know of of AW.27s

G-ADSV “Explorer” Putnam AWA p.250
AM 3/79 p.121 (behind G-ADSX)
AM 7/88 p.437, p.437 (behind G-ADSX)
IA BOAC/IA

G-ADSY “Empyrean” Putnam AWA p.245
AM 3/79 p.120
AM 4/79 p.182
AM 10/89 p.605 (behind G-ADSZ)
FL 15/2/57 p.??

G-ADTB “Echo” AM 4/79 p.181
AM 7/88 p.436
Photo in my collection (minus propellers)
Archive AWA p.72

AM = Aeroplane Monthly
FL = Flight (not absolutely sure of the 15/2/57 date but part two of the article was on 22/2/57
Archive AWA = the Ray Williams “Archive Series” book

Some of the above references may be the same picture and I haven’t noted which are in what scheme.

Hope this helps, Roger Smith.

NII_VVS
The book PICTORIAL HISTORY OF BOAC AND IMPERIAL AIRWAYS By Kenneth Munson, SBN 7110 0136 7 has a picture of G-ADSV wearing a camouflage paint scheme at Takoradi, West Africa. Picture credited to BOAC.

Richard