Thanks dh83.
Does anyone know what colours G-ABEE wore?
I also have an earlier photo I have pinched from eBay of G-ABEE, with a different configuration for the windscreens and the main undercarriage. I am not sure if I will rebuild G-ABEE to this, or the later configuration and colour scheme.
An interesting photo dh83! Is it the same Bessoneau hangar at White Waltham?
I have a very similar photo here, presumably at the same location.
Hi All,
It’s about time I updated this thread.
October last year I was fortunate to be able to purchase and bring home Avro Avian Mk 4M G-ABEE, from Naracoorte, South Australia.
G-ABEE had been imported into Australia, IIRC, in the early 1980s by Albert Murrell of Mt Gambier, owner at that time of two other Avian Mk IV Ms and was “restored” and used as a prop for the telemovie “The Lancaster Miller Affair” (I think it was released as “Victims of Passion” in the UK). It has remained in the guise of “G-EBTU” from the movie ever since.
I believe G-ABEE was the last British registered Avian to fly, before it was withdrawn from use in the mid 1950s. It was recovered by members of The Aeroplane Collection and parts from it were used in the restoration of G-EBZM, a wooden fuselage Mk IV, which is now on display at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.
G-ABEE was assembled briefly before I came to pick it up…
Here it is being loaded onto the trailer for the trip home. I was very fortunate to be able to loan this trailer from Gary Chadwick of Kingaroy, which is about a 300km drive north west of Brisbane. Without Gary’s kind support, this recovery would’ve been immeasurably harder and more expensive.
The fellow on the left is the owner of the hangar where G-ABEE had been stored, Dave Schneider. On the right is the former owner, Michael Gruetzner.
These two fellows were a tremendous help with loading the aircraft onto the trailer. 🙂
Finally, all loaded and ready to go for a 2200km trip home…
Now, while the aircraft looks complete, only the steel fuselage frame, the tailplane and fin are original Avian. The rest, including the wooden engine, were mocked up for the movie. The cockpits are bare and there a a lot of the internal fittings missing. However, it is a good starting point and will provide a lot of information for the other Mk IV M in my possession, VH-UVR.
Things I am looking for:
An upright Gipsy, preferably a Mk II, but a Mk I will also do. A Mk III, although it was inverted, would be good for spares.
Mk IV Altimeters
Mk V Air Speed Indicators
A Mk V Tachometer
I would also like to see any photos of G-ABEE during its time with The Aeroplane Collection. 🙂
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