Thanks for all the replies chaps, it’s just the kind of stuff I was looking for. If you could pursue your ex-CFI Thunderbird, I’d be most grateful and it might bring some more stuff to light. With regard to a couple of the criticisms on the type there are a few comments I’d like to make. With regard to the fuel tank, Alan Wood is the guru on all things Airtourer, as he was chief engineer for Victa in their heyday, and has been the “man” since the Airtourer Co-op took over design authority for the type. Anyway he has engineered an approved long range tank which sits behind the seats and gives another 90 minutes range. The 115 has about 3.5 hours safe endurance without it, which is as much as my bladder will stand.
The Airtourer over Scarborough would probably have been G-AZOE, which is based up near Newcastle.
As for looking weird, well beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I concede that it is a bit dumpy. However that may be due to not having an unecessary swept fin along with all the Pipers and Cessnas that just aped the airliners of the day. The early Cessna 150s have the straight fin and that causes the same effect.
The South African one is interesting and must be a rebuild of one of the two originally registered there. Do you know the former reg?
Keep it coming chaps, there’s always room for more
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