I just spoke to my father who saw a Arado jet flying high over south London. He said it was a strange screeming noise that he had never heard the like of before. From memory he said it was around the time of the Doodle Bugs
(V1’s). Which i think was just after D Day.

Dragon Rapide,Trust me not to put the Rapide on the list.Thats right i remember now Chipmunk G-BCIW was written off at Hulctoe farm strip. Just to the south of Cranfield. I saw the fuselage being taken away on a lorry after accident.

Dave 🙂

I must apologize for my son getting Mike’s surname wrong at the time of Mike’s funeral my son PU-597 was in the United States looking at old aeroplanes. Some of you may remeber a small boy in or around the Rapide and other Russavia plane’s. At the time of the Rapide crash he was 5 and has a love of aircraft still now, Thanks to Mike and his grandad.

What happend to the Russavia Collection?

EoN Eaton BGA2493 unkown to me
Hawkridge Nacelled Dagling BGA493 at Eaton Bray, my fathers workshop
Slingsby T7 Cadet BGA731 unkown to me
Slingsby T6 kite 1 BGA400 Upward bound trust, Haddenhan Bucks
Grunau Baby 11b BGA 2362 Believed to be in Denmark
Grunau Baby 11b BGA2400 unkown to me
Slingsby T13 Petrel BGA651 Booker
EoN Olympia BGA618 unkown to me
Moswey 111 BGA2474 unkown to me
Fauvel Av36 BGA2500 unkown to me
DFS Weihe BGA 1093 unkown to me
Torva Sprite BGA1701 unkown to me
DFS Kranich 11 BGA1147 Achmer Germany
AB Kranich 1 BGA907 Germany
Short Nimbus BGA470 Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Spalinger S.21h HB-357 near Hitchin
BAC Drone 2 G-AEDB Hucknall
DH53 Hummingbird G-EBQP DH Aircraft Heritage Centre, London Colney
Martin Monoplane G-AEYY near Hitchin
DH 82a Tiger Moth G-APMM unkown to me
DH 82 Tiger Moth G-Moth Audley End
DH83 Fox Moth G-BFOX Not Built project only
Auster J/1 Autocrat G-AGTT unkown to me
Miles Gemini G-AKKH Bicester
DH2 replica G-BFVH Gainsborough
DH 84 Dragon project Aero Antiques Southampton
Grunau Baby 111 BGA1754 this was my glider listed under Russavia. Achmer Germany.
Some of the above aircraft where privately owned.
I never saw all of the above, some where just a collecton of parts. Also a large collection of BAC Drone parts where stored at Henham for somebody.

Dave Underwood

The Martin monoplane fuselage was painted red the last time i saw it a few years ago. It still had a few bits with DH 53 marking’s on, which surprised me. I thought they would have been used on the G-EBQP rebuild.

Dave

Many thanks for posting the photo. We Russavia team had a great time with Mike. It made me look out a few old photo’s to. But with out my son, i dont know how to post them. (this PC is like magic machine to me, some time it works some time it dos’nt). I still live in the straw age, so thatching is easy! Thanks again Graham, long time no see. Happy Christmas to all. Nice to hear Dragon Rapide is still watching the forum.

Dave 🙂

Just been checking my book on Dunstable at war. The gentleman who lives up the road said in it, Grice and Young had a factory on the corner of Matthew st and Albion st. Which i thought it was. A workshop in Nicholas lane, which it think is between what is now Nationwide and the quadrant? They also had a workshop built towards the end of the war, near Garden rd. Plus a factory at Christchurch, near Bournemouth. Is this the same factory Scott aircraft had with slazenger, if my memory is correct. Grice and Young eventually had a work force of about 200 people in Dunstable making parts for Mosquitoes, Horsa and undercarriages for Proctors and other aircraft.

Dave

I have sent Jenna, Nigel Pondsfords details, I also rememeber Nigel telling me that he had the rudder? of the Dart Kitten 111 G-AMJP.

Dave

Scott light Aircraft had factory (workshop) at 27 Albion street Dunstable. It may be the same as the Grice and Young factory. My father was taken on a school trip ther pre war. I took some photo’s from outside, if i can find them i will post them. Also i believe there’s a gentleman who lives just up the road from me, who i have been told worked there during the war. I haven’t spoken to him yet, but have wanted to for a long time.

Dave