I may be able to check this for you, Give me a couple of weeks
Cheers
Matt
Thanks Matt that would be great.
Right here’s a time-line:
July 1966 Hamish Mahaddie buys 28 Buchons from the Spanish Air Force at the Sabasta/Auction at Tablada.
Sat 20th january 1968 Spanish Air Force pilot Don Federico Lanzos is killed when the film company Buchon he is flying crashes whilst he is carrying out aerobatics whilst operating from Tablada Air Force Base. His widow is paid 3000,000 pesetas (£18,000 in 1968 money) by the film’s insurance company.
14th May 1968 the Buchons arrive at Duxford via the White Cliffs of Dover. On the same day they are registered in the UK.
So just how were the aircraft operating whilst in Spain? They were no longer Spanish Air Force property having been sold in 1966, yet didn’t appear with the then “Air Registration Board” until May 14th 1968. We all know thet they were flying in Spain before coming to the UK and clearly they were operating as early as January 1968, if only for test purposes. Filming actually commenced in Spain on 13th March. Any ideas?
The aircraft that was damaged (by having its tailplane chewed by another Buchon) during the ferry flight and whilst at Jersey is believed to have been C.4K-144/G-AWHP. It was said to have been repaired using parts from one of the Henlow spares ships. Prior to this it had been reported as being a rogue aircraft and unpleasant to fly. When it was damaged the film pilots were quite pleased as they were not going to be flying it again. According to Connie Edwards they were less than impressed when it was repaired and turned up again at Duxford! Sadly it was later fatally destroyed on 19/12/87 whilst operating with the Confederate Air Force out of Harlingen. C.4K-61/G-AWHF was the aircraft that ground-looped at DX on 21st May 1968and did not fly again.
Finally, anyone passing Big Spring Ranch could you just stick your head into one of the Buchon wheelwells so that we get a firm answer! 🙂
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