Proctor “News Flash”

Tango Charlie

You may find this tidbit about G-ANPP of interest…

“This one is for Harry Fanshawe who owned this splendid Proctor 3 G-ANPP and flew it from Baginton in the sixties. Harry made an extraordinary flight to South Africa in her and we often talked about this aeroplane which he took me for flights on occasions.

This picture was taken in its later days at Baginton, with one of Ace Freighters L749 Constellations in the background (25.4.68 to be exact).

The aircraft was badly damaged when the it caught fire whilst being started up following some maintenance work (probably due to overprime) and the centre section was damaged in the fire.

Shortly after this it was sold to Charles Boddington, who was killed flying a replica world war one aeroplane in Ireland whilst making ‘Darling Lille’, a box office flop.

Then the aircraft went to Duxford but has not been seen since? if anyone knows its present whereabouts then we would love to be re-acquainted as she was a very special aeroplane to Harry and myself.

Source “Wings Over Warwickshire” at http://cloudancer1.tripod.com/ which, as stated, also includes a pic of G-ANPP at Baginton on 25 April 1968 in a red/white colour scheme

One puzzle: The Aviation Safety Network website has a (somewhat vague) report of G-ANPP being written off/damaged beyond repair on 24 April 1969; presumably connected to the above incident. Yet you state it was FLOWN into Duxford in 1977!

Also, closely related, is this: http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1002361/ which is of G-ANPP at Baginton on 6 Feb 1967. The pic is captioned: “Last noted leaving Stansted airport on a lorry,not seen or reported since ?”

In short, there are conflicting – and contradictory – accounts of G-ANPP’s history, especially since 1968-69. So what is the truth?

Boot Sale Photos

Blenheim K7091 crashed near Standingholme Farm, Hempholme, Catfoss, Yorks., on 6 May 1942, when with 2 OTU, killing the pilot (only person on board).

Further info at http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york42/k7091.html qoute:

“On the 6th May 1942 the pilot of this aircraft was undertaking a basic night flying circuits and landings practice, common training flights when pilots were new to flying the aircraft type. The pilot was thought to have lost sight of the airfield’s drem lighting and the aircraft struck the ground near Standingholme Farm near Hempholme at 01.15hrs. The pilot was sadly killed and the aircraft written off. “Watton Farm” is a location given in “Aeromilitaria” but I cannot find this farm on a modern map but the crash location was almost certainly in the Watton Carrs region.

Pilot – Sgt Angus McBean RAFVR (1014015), aged 25, of Durham. Buried Durham Churchyard, Co.Durham.”

Fournier RF4D G-BIIIf

You may have already done this, but did a quick search, finished up on You Tube, quite a few film clips of displays, one a formation of eight aircraft.

Too many clips to post links to, but might be of interest.

Well, here are a few to get you started:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnixjAKF1VA : 3 x Fournier RF4Ds doing formation aerobatics to the tune of Pink Floyds Shine on You Crazy Diamond

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJngdbHAXyg&feature=related : A day in the “office” for a Fournier pilot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVKZg842hZo&feature=related : Fournier G-AWGN displaying at Shuttleworth

Plus a large still picture of G-BIIF at Ferte Alais (LLFQ) on 10 June 1990 at http://tagazous.free.fr/affichage2.php?img=14934

I/Ds of 4 Skeeters at IHM

Does this help? I’ve found a Saunders-Roe production list at http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/iowweb/sar.html

…and this is what it lists for Skeeter production:

Skeeter 6 G-ANMH SR/905 to XJ355
Skeeter 6 G-AMDC SR/907 to G-AMTZ
Skeeter 6 G-ANMI SR/906 to XK964
Skeeter 6 G-ANMG SR/904 to XK773
Skeeter 6 G-AMTZ SR/907 G-AMDC reregistered
Skeeter 8 G-APOI S2/5081
Skeeter 8 G-APOJ S2/5091 N.t.u
Skeeter 8 G-APOK S2/5111 N.t.u
Skeeter AOP.10 XK480 to XK482 S2/3036,3051,3070
Skeeter AOP.12 XL734 -740,XL762 -772,XL806-814
S2/5064,66-69,71-72,74-76,78-80,84-90,93-99
Skeeter AOP.12 XN339 to XN355 S2/7145 to S2/7161
Skeeter AOP.12 XM524 to XM530,XM553 to XM565
S2/5100-5110,5112-5120
Skeeter T.11 XK479 s2/3012
Skeeter 50 G-12-2 S2/5061 to Fed German Army as PC+117
Skeeter 50 PC+118 to PC+122 S2/5062/63/73/77/82 . Fed German Army
Skeeter 51 SC+501 S2/5065
Skeeter 51 SC+502 S2/5070
Skeeter 51 SC+503 S2/5083 W.G.Navy
Skeeter 51 SC+504 S2/5092 W.G.Navy

PA-32 Crash at Booker

There’s quite a lengthy (and somewhat heated!) discussion on this incident at http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/453478-wycombe-air-park-accident-2.html

Which also identifies the aircraft in question as G-RHHT, with five aboard on their way to the Isle of Man for the TT Races

G-INFO data about this aircraft here: http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=RHHT

and a pic of it here:http://www.caa.co.uk/applicationmodules/ginfo/ginfo_photo.aspx?regmark=G-RHHT&imgname=G-RHHT001&imgtype=jpg

Scrapyard Photos

Certainly is a Scimitar in Pic 7, the position of the little air intakes and the perforated airbrakes are a giveaway! I guess it’s just a combination of very faded EDSG and direct sunlight that make it look so pale…

Presuming that the pictures under discussion were undertaken in the early 1990s, then the Scimitar could be either one of two: XD241 or XD243

Both arrived at Pendine in July 1983, and this seems to be the first evidence that one of them (at least) survived until c.1991

I note both Scimitars as “scrapped at Pendine” – but this seems to suggest that they were scrapped at lot later than previously believed!

Hello Captain!

As for the history of your Provost T.1, here’s a few tidbits to get you started

– Built by Percival Aircraft at Luton, constructors number PAC/56/226
– Delivered to the RAF/taken on charge 17 September 1954
– Struck off charge as Cat. 5(gi) 7 November 1969
– Transferred to No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton as an instructional airframe reg: 8060M. This link http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK—Air/Percival-P-56-Provost/0403938/M/ was taken of WW397 at Halton on June 29 1974
– Transferred to RAF Lyneham 1978/9? for rebuild to flying condition.
– Civil registered G-BKHP 26 August 1982 to a Mr. M.J. Crymble of Swindon, Wiltshire
– Owners address amended to Ruislip, Middlesex from 1st December 1983
– This link http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6885515&nseq=16 links to a picture of your Provost T.1, taken at Finningley in 1990. Note the RAF markings and code “N-E”. The legend “Flt Lt. Mike Crymble” by the cockpit refers to the owner at the time
– Civil registration G-BKHP cancelled 12 November 1993 as “sold to Australia”
– Reregistered in Australia as VH-OIL in 1993
– Then to Omakau New Zealand as ZK-SGN in November 2001. This link http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=WW397&u=code_number is a picture of your Provost at Masterton in March 2006 in SOAF markings

Whilst Provost T.1s did serve in the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force (SOAF) your Provost wasn’t one of them (as far as I know…)

ETA: This link on this very forum http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=95557&page=13 shows an earlier photo of your Provost T1, taken at Halfpennny Green in 1983. (Post #361, fifth photo down).

ETA – 2: Another photo of your Provost T1 from a different (rear three-quarters) angle can be found at http://www.rob.clubkawasaki.com/jas2220.jpg. This picture was taken at Cranfield on 6 July 1985

ETA -3: This link http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=G-BKHP&u=reg shows five different pics of WW397, taken at various times and places, in the air and on the ground, between 1984 and 1990

I think you are getting the basics of her RAF markings: silver overall, yellow “T” bands on wings and fuselage, code letters “NE” on nose and either side of roundel, blue spinner and ring around cowling, and black anti-dazzle panel from cockpit to nose.