A rather grainy photo of TT35 TA703 “F”. I think the stripes were yellow, not dayglo.

Taken at the Battle of Britain display at Upwood 14/9/57 (I think).

Laurence

Hello VX.
What a great picture. Can I fly her one day? If only…… I can still feel that twitchy sensation on finals hoping the landing would be a walk-away again. Austers were more difficult to land than Tiger Moths.
No I stupidly did not take any photos that day. The only photo I have is one that someone sent me, but of the camouflaged TWs in the hangar.
Looking at my original log, I made no comment on 927 being cam or silver: I assume it was silver. I thought the T7s were always just silver with yellow bands. Maybe I am wrong. Can I see your picture of her in cam? (in the thread or PM).

Laurence

Kidlington Austers 12961

If anyone wants my list of the 23 Austers at Kidlington in 1961, let me know.
Laurence

Martin Slater from Coventry was the source of many of the bits at Sharjah (Twin Pioneer fin etc) I am told.
Laurence

Sentosa C47

Thanks Ron. That is just the photo I have been looking for, and that I should have taken myself, but didn’t!

When I saw it in May 1987 it was in pretty good shape, although the camouflage just about covered everything. Just visible were “886” and “WB”. It is said to have been serialled “707”, but no sign of that when I saw it. Then I read in the local paper that they had broken it up.

I was told it had defected from Vietnam. However, Tom MacFadyen gave me some more ideas. There are only 11 C47s with the last 3 “886”, and all are accounted for except for 43-48886. It was built as a C47B, converted to C47D, and later to EC47P. c/n 26147. It operated with the USAF in SE Asia, then went to the S Vietnam Air Force, coded WB, until 1975, when it was apparently returned to the USAF. No trace since then, so it presumably went to Singapore at that stage. Can anyone confirm that?
Tom agrees this identity is “99%” sure.

Laurence

WR552

Re my photos of the crash of WR552 (post #79 above), does anyone have pictures of it during its service with 8 Sqd?
Laurence

Not what it seems to be

In the Al Mahatta Museum in Sharjah are 4 aircraft purporting to be originals of Gulf Aviation. I illustrate DC3 “G-AMZZ”. However, there is a tiny label on the roof between the pilots “C-GCXE”. In the undercarriage bays there are “RCAF” labels. The aircraft is actually c/n12254, a C47A 42-92452 almost immediately passed to the RAF at Montreal as FZ669. It served with the RAF in Canada until 1946 when it was officially passed to the RCAF. Pensioned off 1976, it became C-GCXE with Aero Trades Western. Cancelled from the Canadian register in 1977, it next appeared on the Dominican register as HI-502. Re-registered as N688EA in 1993.
My photo missed the fin in view of the tightness of the space in the hangar (note the Dove, Heron and Anson just visible). But I add another of the registration.

Laurence

bazv

Hi Baz. Yes been to P’boro a couple of times already. Will be back again soon. Send me a PM if you want
Laurence