Isn’t there a bit of an issue whereby the Army/Navy, want to reclaim planes that have been recovered from the everglades?

Hallard Howcroft, was a wheelright, and carriage builder, at that time, (1908) their premises were at Oxford road and Stockton road (west Hartlepool?) the business was known as Howcroft carriage & engineering co; they were noted as supplying small steam engine boilers to the trade, is it possible that the engine is of their own manufacture?

Don’t suppose this was the source of your research, Mark?

I don’t believe that the wing would be strong enough to mount a pintle type of U/C fixing, further out than it is; where it is located, the spars are virtually solid, whereas, about 3ft outboard the spars are down to 3 tubes, obviously that could be altered, but then the rest of the wing in that general area would also have to be modified, so you might as well go with the Spitedul/ Seafang wing and be done with it.

So what happened to the seat then?

This A/C has been built over a ten year period, and is essentially a replica, albeit one that incorporates about 1/3 original components, it is due to be painted in the next few weeks.

An interesting account on your website Nick, I’m amazed that the pilot was able to not just fly again, but be involved in combat; I don’t suppose anything is know of the fate of the two survivors?

Yes it is if ebay was around at the time of the accident I would have put the whole aircraft on.

And I’d have probably bought it !