By: Propstrike - 27th March 2006 at 21:19
Barbel was (and no doubt still is) very generous with her aeroplanes, and would often offer trips to friends and acquaintances. Her fleet numbered seven at one stage, and in fact her first was the Cub G-BTUM which is still based at W.Waltham. Len Perry used to turn off the mags in the overhead, and make her practice real glide approaches- there is no starter in a J-3!
Her business interests in hotels and catering took her away from flying for long intervals, but she is a very experienced and capable pilot, even soloing an L-39 jet in Russia. She still turns up to fly the Decathalon from time to time, friendly and approachable as always.
By: The Blue Max - 27th March 2006 at 20:10
I remember seeing the lady flying the Cub, Maule and Harvard at North Weald. Believe things went quiet after the death of Mr Perry and the problems with the wing spar of the Invader. Believe she is now living in Florida and owns a pink Stearman!
Martin
Indeed she does own a pink Stearman, it was done for her ar Rendcomb. She also owns a Super Decathalon based at White Waltham.
By: T J Johansen - 27th March 2006 at 17:43
Scroll halfway down the page, and you will find a short interview!
T J
By: T6flyer - 27th March 2006 at 13:57
Thanks for all the replies – very interesting.
For a while they appeared in almost every issue if Aeroplane at the time and seem to recall that she did very little flying herself.
Anyway thanks again.
I remember seeing the lady flying the Cub, Maule and Harvard at North Weald. Believe things went quiet after the death of Mr Perry and the problems with the wing spar of the Invader. Believe she is now living in Florida and owns a pink Stearman!
Martin
By: Ian Quinn - 27th March 2006 at 11:19
Thanks for all the replies – very interesting.
For a while they appeared in almost every issue if Aeroplane at the time and seem to recall that she did very little flying herself.
Anyway thanks again.
By: T6flyer - 26th March 2006 at 15:46
She had/has a single seat ‘Yak something’ on which I did a little work on in the late 1990’s . It has the underwing blades and is pink and yellow from memory ! Another creation from the paintgun’s of Mick and Shea Allen.
Umm I remember this….it was a Yak-55.
Martin
By: David Burke - 26th March 2006 at 15:31
She had/has a single seat ‘Yak something’ on which I did a little work on in the late 1990’s . It has the underwing blades and is pink and yellow from memory ! Another creation from the paintgun’s of Mick and Shea Allen.
By: T6flyer - 26th March 2006 at 12:32
Reading about Gary N I recall there was a lady called Barbette [spl?]who was on the scene in the 80’s with a Beech 18 and pilot.
The lady in question was Barbel Abela who had a number of aeroplanes based at The Squadron, North Weald in the early 1990s, including Harvard Mk.4 G-BRLV, a Lunar Rocket and the aforementioned Beech 18. The chief pilot for her collection was Len Perry who was killed in a flying accident in Russia. The British Aerobatic Association hold an annual competition in his honour.
She and Len were also owners of the Douglas A-26 Invader 44-33562 N7079G.
Martin
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March 26, 2006 at 12:27 pm