I remeber Keele University taking on great quantity of aerial intelligence phot material some years ago – does that include any stereoscopic images?

Might be worth an e-mail to them.

Roger Smith.

Always thought that was a nice looking machine. Vaguely rememnber seeing one at Kidlington in the 50’s. Would love to see one flying again but I doubt there’s much hope of that.

Mike, Q.6 G-AFFD is undergoing very lengthy restoration to fly in the Isle of Man. Got to be patient and we will see it back in the air eventually.

Roger Smith.

WV797 had also been fairly well looked-after and always kept under cover by Air Service Training at Perth and, after negotiating with them for almost two years, the aircraft left for Coventry on February 6th 1986.John

The bonus with the acquisition of WV797 was it’s “hidden” link with AST.

All but the 3 prototypes and first 38 production Seahawks were built by Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Ltd. at Baginton and, indeed, (like the NF Meteors) the type was marketed by Hawker Siddeley as the A.W. Seahawk.

Air Service Training was originally formed at Whitley in 1920 as the Flying School of Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft and was renamed Air Service Training Ltd early in 1931 shortly before moving to Hamble. AST built the giant A.W. ‘Ensign’ class of airliners allowing the Whitley and Baginton factories to concentrate on the A.W. Whitley.

Roger Smith.

G-AARO – Arrow Sport A2-60

Was that really a British registered biplane in the background of the Ju 52? G-AARO what is it?

bit of Googling and found the answer – go to this in case anyone interested
http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/arrowsport.htm

It is an Arrow Sport A2-60 built in 1926. In 1979 Philip Mann imported it into the UK and registered it G-AARO. This was originally intended for a Klemm but not taken up. It was sold at Christies on 14th May 1983 and returned to the USA.

Anyone got any photos of it whilst in the uK?

Roger Smith.

The following is a bit of the history of this machine ‘lifted’ off Barry Clay’s Wings Over Warwickshire site

This Eon Olympia 2B which was the subject of mandatory ‘Withdrawn from use’ due to the type of construction and adhesives used. This particular sailplane is no stranger to Baginton having been owned by Doctor Gregg one of the well known founders of the Coventry Gliding Club who operated from Baginton for many years before establishing their own site at Husbands Bosworth. It’s identity is BGA538 and was also registerted G-ALNE for a period before the British Gliding Association took over the overseeing of British gliders and sailplanes. It is thought to have participated in some Coventry Air Pageants and during it’s time with Doctor Gregg was painted pea-green.
The sailplane was later owned by Mr J.Mead at Aston Down.

Great to hear one of Coventry G.C.s Tiger Moth (G-AOYU) tugs is still flying in Canada. One of the others is also active but a lot closer to home – G-ALWW (known affectionally as “weary willie”) is based at Bickmarsh.

Roger Smith.

Consul,

Do you know if acquisition is a loan, donation or purchase?

Roger Smith.

Tezz,
The programme I have for 29th May, 1972 (price 20p) has a photo on the front cover of the four Rothmans Stampes trailing smoke (appropriately). No sign of a pic of a Sunderland I am afraid but it does have on page 8 an illustrated article “Whatever happens to old aeroplanes” by one R.P.Smith, Secretary of the Midland Aircraft Preservation Society – which probably explains why I still have this programme.

Roger Smith.

Sorry, only found programme from 1972 don’t know if I was there in ’73. In 1972 it was held on 29th May which sounds like the Bank Holiday weekend so the date for 1973 almost certainly is the same BH day if you look up old calendars on Google.

In 1972 Ray Hanna doing Spitfire aerobatics was item 3 and there was a second Spitfire from Coltishall towards the end of the programme – as was “Bob Mitchell and the Kramme Zeuthen 8”

Roger Smith.