Mayflower Air Services

Ref DGH post 16,
The Miles Gemini M65 1A, constructors No 6524, G-AKHW is now in my care and is being restored to fly. The registration ZK-KHW has been reserved.
The forward fuselage has been rebuilt and I am currently fitting it out. Both undercarriage assemblies and retract actuators are also done as is the tailwheel assy. Tailplane, rudders and ailerons done and covered. Next main job is finishing a “rotator” stand and getting on to the rear fuselage.
We are also well on the way to getting Messenger (ex G-AKEZ) back into the air

Stan, great to hear that the Gemini restoration is coming along, be great when she is once more gracing the skies. 😎

My grandfather said he received something, maybe just a mention. It’s something I wish I asked him more about (as always!) before he passed away recently. There is a good picture of the Rapide post accident with the chaps involved in one of the ‘Scillies in Camera’ books.

St Marys was a very sloped or ‘dished’ airfield, and I’ve been told that in some conditions it could be the hardest airfield in the UK to land on, the helicopter service was seen as a major step forwrad to a reliable most weathers service.
Besides my grandfather, who later became a dedicated airport and island fireman, we also had family conections with early Brymon Airways, and had good work connections with the Isles of Scilly Skybus operations from Newquay – had some lovely flights, from very early on in Viv Bellamys’ Scenic Flights Rapide as a baby, to S-61Ns, Islanders, and Twin Otters.

Both Section Leader Daly and Handler/Fireman Trezise were awarded the British Empire Medal by Sir John Cary Pole, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall on the 6th February ,1964.

Rapide resce

Pagen;am i correct in thinking one of the baggage loaders/firemen got a medal for the rescue.
Some remains of the machine were still evident in the 80’s,as was the remains of a ‘AW Tiger’ engine (another incident) down on the beach/dump !! I remember PC in a TV show (won i think by the Flatley Drier) he wore what looked like a tropical RAF uniform and got to the finals. Its a long time ago but i seem to think the program was call ‘Get Ahead’.
Called in at the now defunct Plymouth Airport a couple of weeks ago;chopped in half now and looking very forlorn,with development encroaching along the old second runway.
The Scillies Airfield is very unforgiving for a ‘run off’ incident and has ‘slopes’ in both directions that are quite steep.

Ref DGH post 16,
The Miles Gemini M65 1A, constructors No 6524, G-AKHW is now in my care and is being restored to fly. The registration ZK-KHW has been reserved.
The forward fuselage has been rebuilt and I am currently fitting it out. Both undercarriage assemblies and retract actuators are also done as is the tailwheel assy. Tailplane, rudders and ailerons done and covered. Next main job is finishing a “rotator” stand and getting on to the rear fuselage.
We are also well on the way to getting Messenger (ex G-AKEZ) back into the air

Two chaps , one a loader for BEA I think , got him out and he survived his severe burns .

Obviously the crash had to be at least a year or more prior to August 1964

My grandad, Jim Pearce, and Charlie Trezise rescued Captain Philip Cleife, they were fireman come ground/baggage handlers, Paddy Daly was the Chief Airport Fireman who put the fire out.
My Grandad marvelled at how easily the seven passengers escaped through all the gaps in the tubular framework as the fabric flash burned away, but the extrication of Cleife was very difficult as the control column had gone through his leg and he was severely burnt. His life was saved as a BEA WS-55 Whirlwind, G-AOCF, happened to be at Lands End on trials, the weather being too poor for fixed wing flights into St Marys – the ironic thing is that Cleife was a bit anti BEAs helicopter plans.

The accident occured to Rapide G-AHLM on the 20th July 1963, by December that year Mayflower was taken over by Scillionian Air Services.

Soggy, I can’t find evidence of Mayflower operating Proctors, there was a smaller outfit using them on a Perranporth to Scillies route in the early 1950s.

Did Mayflower start the Scilly service with a Proctor, in which case perhaps George Garland (ex-ATA) was the pilot or one of them?

My mum has recently been talking to me about a great book she borrowed from the library many years ago by a bloke I called I think Phillip Clife. He used to operate Dragon Rapides out to the Scilliy Isle’s under the name of Mayflower Air Services. This has got my curiosity going. I know he had two Rapides and flew from 61 to I think ’67 when he was hurt in a crash.

My questions are : anybody know the name of the book and anyone got anymore info? I would love to hear it.

THe author was Captain Phillip Cleife , the title “Airway to the Isles” , and his airline was Mayflower Air Services . I read it , then my girl friend, now wife, and I visited the Scillies for a holiday . Flew over in a BEA Rapide, Nobby West was the pilot , sadly died two years ago. Walking round the grass airfield (1964 August) the wreckage, which had burned , was still in the corner near the beach. Two chaps , one a loader for BEA I think , got him out and he survived his severe burns . We now live in New Zealand. Hope this helps. I came upon your note while trying to look up that book which I once possessed. A vicar (and New Zealands foremost aviation historian) asked me to tea yesterday. He is a Rapide resercher as his father flew them in NZ in the 30`s , landing on beaches in Fjiordland . We talked about this incident , I am now seeking my lost book again.
Obviously the crash had to be at least a year or more prior to August 1964 !

The books arrived and I’m about half way through, it’s a good read. It appears the first Rapide he brought G-AHLM was purchased from Marshalls of Cambridge just down the road from me and one of my former employers!

It also appears that the idea for the company came about while the author was working for the Plymouth Aero Club flying there Miles Gemini G-AKHW around. The author almost met his maker in this aircraft after a brake and switch failure at St Marys resulted in the aircraft going over the cliffs at the end of the runway, but not before the aircraft had run over it’s departing pilot! How many pilots have been runover but there own aircraft?

Having ended up upside down on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff I was surprised to find that the aircraft was returned to flight and is now in New Zealand with Aerotech for restoration. Does anybody now the current status of this aircraft or have any piccies of her during her life they might want to share with us / me?

Thanks for that Tony. 🙂

I have know placed an order for one of the copies on abebooks, as you say overpriced but when I sat and thought about it I probably spend more than that in the pub on a Saturday night and I think this will probably bring me more long term entertainment! Hopefully it will also give me some inspiration as I start my coach company – might even be able to put it down as a business expense. 😉

I see 2 copies on Abebooks for £28 each and one on Amazon for £50. They are overpriced to my mind. I will keep on looking for you.

Ok, who was it? Which one of you brought it 😡 😡 😡 😡

No honestly I show you no malice ( goes out back looking for gun… 😀 ). Once you’ve found something it takes away all the fun of looking for it!

Cheers for that Mal, I am still looking and have sent an e-mail. Hope no ones brought it while I’ve been on holiday ( and passing through Devon! ).

DGH – If you are still looking for Airway to the Isles, try Milestone books at www.quaysidebookshop.co.uk. They have a copy at £18 – Look under civil aviation, ref A3712.

Tony – As for G-AIYR, I flew on her when she was operating for Classic Wings back in 1994 – I was sorry to see she had a fire earlier this month. Hopefully she will fly again.

This thread has reminded me of a flight in the Rapide G-AIYR from St. Just in the summer of 1975. This aircraft was operated by Westward Airways / The Lands End Aero Club. The pilot / owner, the late Vivian Bellamy aws evidently convinced by my knowledge of his role in the “Battle of Britain” film and produced a range of photos whilst we waited for more customers. These included his Avro 504K, Spitfire T.8 and many other film aircraft I recall. What a gentleman he was and so keen to share his interest and enthusiasm for flying. I recall the Rapide was painted in the same red & cream colours worn by his DH 86 G-ACZP, many years before. Happy days

Thanks again Tony, you’ve come up trumps. 😀

That is exactly what I was looking for. Know I have the pleasure of hunting the book down through old book shops until – ‘eureka’ I’ve got it!

It’s great going through old stuff you’ve packed away and finding little gems you forgot you had – know if I start at the first box in my cupboard!

After some enjoyable time searching for “Airway to the Isles” (and finding other books I never knew I had) – it has been found lurking on a shelf near to some Jane’s and other treasures. The Rapide operated by Philip Cleife was initially G-AHLM. He also acquired a second example – G-AIUL. After operating from Roborough to St Mary’s from June 1961, he sadly crashed on take off at St. Mary’s on July 20th 1963 in G-AHLM after a tyre punctured. He was nearly fatally injured, but the passengers escaped without serious injury. Mayflower were bought out by Scillonian Air Services in in December 1963 and later by British Westpoint Airlines in May 1964.
Another useful volume on Mayflower is “British Independent Airlines since 1946 – Vol. 3 “- I have the original 1976 edition by LAAS & MAS but it has been reprinted recently. Worth a look.

Excellent, thanks Tony. Know I have a title to start searching for, plus the correct spelling of Cleife. 😮

I guess if I can obtain a copy of the book then all the info I need will be in it.

Thanks Janie, Mark12, lauriebe and Tony for your input. Is there no question this forum can’t answer. 🙂

Actually I remember a question about Janie and a disappearing act that was never answered 😉

The book is “Airway to the Isles” (1966) by Philip Cleife. ( Hodder & Stoughton) My copy is currently hiding – oh for that space for a library. It is an excellent book. I cannot see it on Amazon or Abebooks at present, but it worth looking for.

Thanks for that guys. I think the pictures in the earlier thread are a little early for this particular company as I think he flew 61-67, but this is all new to me.

DGH,

Can’t help with the title of the book unfortunately but your time period for Mayflower Air Services is pretty much accurate. I lived in Plymouth and as a young lad in the early 60’s, spent quite a bit of time at Roborough Airport.

I remember seeing these aircraft on a number of occasions. Thought that I had some photos from that time but, as yet, haven’t located them.

However, check out the link. There is a photo of 2 Rapides on this which seems to about the right period. Although I think other operators also used this type from Roborough.

http://www.eghd.com/ndat.htm

Sorry I can’t be more helpful at the moment.

BR

Laurie.