Luton Minor Piccies

errr…Steve actually. But have been known to change my name if free food or beer is offered!

Sorry Steve but, thanks to all contributors to this thread for a lot of information I’ve never had access to.
I have not seen a Luton Minor or Major since I was a lad (was it really that long ago? 😀 )

Thanks Albert, that clears up a few of my queries

errr…Steve actually. But have been known to change my name if free food or beer is offered!

Thanks Albert, that clears up a few of my queries

Exactly the question I was about to ask. Are you sure the Bev was about to pile in? They were quite capable of turns like that but their roll rate meant that it took about 3 days to achieve that angle of bank 🙂
This thread has prompted me to ask a few questions
1) How many were built worldwide approx?
2) How many are still flying?
3) Are plans still available?
4) haas anyone thought about trying more modern engines, Rotax, Jabiru etc.?
5) What happened to its big brother the Luton Major?

Hi Mike, back again – well, its Friday afternoon and too windy to fly!

In answer to your questions:

As far as I know there are around 60-70 ‘projects’ world-wide. 46 were registered in the UK of which 30 remain current, although some are clrearly not currently airworthy (like G-AFIR below, sorry Arthur!). There are two registered in the US although one of those is hanging above the security check are in Miami International Airport, there are also flying examples in Australia and New Zealand.

Yes, the plans are still available £70 from the Popular Flying Association. www.pfa.org.uk

From memory, these plans are still for the VW-engined LA4A model, but no doubt Mr Donaldson and the team would approve a suitable design mod for a Rotax or Jabiru. I seem to recollect that Arthur Ord-Hume has already sketched out a design for an update!

Sadly there aren’t any two-seat Luton LA-5 Majors airworthy in the UK. Its a pity because they are very pretty aeroplanes, but someone once told me there was an issue over the stressing of wing mountings. It seems there are still flying examples in Switzerland and Australia, which still seem to have a full complement of feathers. Anyone else have any more info?

Presume you have seen this, which may answer lots of questions:

http://www.lutonminor.co.uk/

Exactly the question I was about to ask. Are you sure the Bev was about to pile in? They were quite capable of turns like that but their roll rate meant that it took about 3 days to achieve that angle of bank 🙂

The roll rate sounds a bit like the Luton, although I guess the control forces are a little higher in the Beverley!

I think the picture was a Benson ‘At Home’, although I’ll bow to local knowledge of the treeline if anyone knows better?

Haven’t got any more pictures with the Beverley in the background, but here a few more of Lutons cluttering the foreground in front of more interesting/intriguing types!

Like the one of G-AMAW with the Beverley in the background about to pile in! Any idea when and where?

Exactly the question I was about to ask. Are you sure the Bev was about to pile in? They were quite capable of turns like that but their roll rate meant that it took about 3 days to achieve that angle of bank 🙂
This thread has prompted me to ask a few questions
1) How many were built worldwide approx?
2) How many are still flying?
3) Are plans still available?
4) haas anyone thought about trying more modern engines, Rotax, Jabiru etc.?
5) What happened to its big brother the Luton Major?

Another four from me:

G-ASAA at Sywell July 1976
G-AXGR at Badminton 24 April 1988
G-BCFY at Popham 9 Sept 1979 (I watched this being built at RAF Lyneham!)
G-AXKH at Old Warden 22 May 1977

There, I’ll bet you didn’t expect to see such a response on this thread!
You probably thought it would be a minor posting :p

You’re right, I’m amazed. Thanks everybody for the postings. It’s only a little aeroplane, but its got its place in history – and its just as much fun as the big noisy ones!!

Love the Luton Meinherr too. But no amount of persuading will get me to repaint ‘ML like that!

Another four from me:

G-ASAA at Sywell July 1976
G-AXGR at Badminton 24 April 1988
G-BCFY at Popham 9 Sept 1979 (I watched this being built at RAF Lyneham!)
G-AXKH at Old Warden 22 May 1977

There, I’ll bet you didn’t expect to see such a response on this thread!
You probably thought it would be a minor posting :p

Check out the WW1 Luton Meinherr, a perfect display companion for your BE2C.This was a Booker in 1982, but which one it was, or where it went, I cannot say.

I agree it is a benign machine, but also quite alarming at times. I recall the rather blusterous evening I set off for a flying equivalent of a stroll round the parish, and ventured over the Chiltern ridge towards Thame. As I turned for home, the full force of the increasing wind became evident, and the large (looking) hills sat squarely in front.
Even with max climb power, progress was glacial, and the Luton would go either forward or up but not both! We had to creep back in the lee of tall trees.

A couple more photos of Luton Minors

1 G-AVDY Tollerton 1970
2 G-AYSK Crossland Moor 2000
3 G-ASML North Coates 1998
4 G-AXGR Sywell 1971

Thanks Maarvin. Looks like ‘CY gets about a bit!

This is all I have I’m afraid – Chailey 2004 (Sun)

Maarvin

It’s a very benign aeroplane, but like them all, it’ll still try and make a fool of you once in a while.

It’s naturally stable, but you need your feet on the rudder pedals all the time and being so light at 750lbs, it bobbles around in thermals and any wind gusts. Although it’s got a short wingspan the aileron’s are a little errr, slow, so you need to take that into account. (Ideal training for the BE-2 Matt?)

As a low-hours pilot, I’m very chary of flying it in any wind of more than 12kts. I tend to fly in the early morning or evening – they’re ideal Luton flying conditions.

Sadly I work a lot of weekends, so haven’t been able to get to many fly-ins or shows yet. Hope to fly in to Old Warden sometime this summer though.

John Allison’s immaculate Luton was G-ASXJ (see attached picture). He now owns a gorgeous Miles Gemini a little further down the hangar from me at Bicester.

Have also attached a pic (thanks to Barbara Schlussler) of our furthest flung Minor yet. VH-HEP airborne over Australia!

With that and the tiger you should be as prepared for the BE2 as you can be!!
Matt

Thanks Propstrike, but yes I’ve got “Fright on Flailing Wings” thankyou -also “On Hume-Made Wings” too, if you want to borrow it.

Sadly work commitments prevent me from getting over to G-VFWE with the Luton, I’ve given my ‘slot’ back as I gather they’re over-subscribed.

Thanks too, Albert. I think that’s one of the earliest pictures I’ve seen of ‘ML. It an interesting contrast to John DM’s picture from Sywell last year!

Thanks to everyone for the piccies so far. Look forward to seeing any others you might dig out!

G-ASML

Okay, here is my oldest shot of G-ASML taken nearly 30 years ago at Sywell PFA Rally in July 1976 just to show it was once black and white! 🙂

SS. Have you got Flight on Frail Wings ? Essential reading for Lutonites, I’ll lend you mine if not.
You wafting over to Hullavington this weekend?

Hmmm. I guess we’ve discounted all the obvious ones like a Heath or Pietenpol and its not Latimer Needham’s ‘Halton Minus’ design which predated the Luton.

It does have the look of Pietenpol struts and Bernie Pietenpol did build an earlier, smaller design before the Aircamper.

Could it be two enterprising chaps blowing their post-RFC demob money on a design inspired by either Pietenpol or Latimer Needham?

Maybe I should stop being so tight and spend £70 on Arthur Ord-Hume’s book British Light Aircraft – but I can fly the Luton for a month for the same amount!

Still trying to ID this aeroplane – can anyone help, please?

For more info check out http://www.driffieldaerodrome.co.uk/driffield-flyer.htm

Cheers

It’s a very benign aeroplane, but like them all, it’ll still try and make a fool of you once in a while.

It’s naturally stable, but you need your feet on the rudder pedals all the time and being so light at 750lbs, it bobbles around in thermals and any wind gusts. Although it’s got a short wingspan the aileron’s are a little errr, slow, so you need to take that into account. (Ideal training for the BE-2 Matt?)

As a low-hours pilot, I’m very chary of flying it in any wind of more than 12kts. I tend to fly in the early morning or evening – they’re ideal Luton flying conditions.

Sadly I work a lot of weekends, so haven’t been able to get to many fly-ins or shows yet. Hope to fly in to Old Warden sometime this summer though.

John Allison’s immaculate Luton was G-ASXJ (see attached picture). He now owns a gorgeous Miles Gemini a little further down the hangar from me at Bicester.

Have also attached a pic (thanks to Barbara Schlussler) of our furthest flung Minor yet. VH-HEP airborne over Australia!