The Sectionised ADC Cirrus I is missing its makers plate but using the advice of Oracal it is confirmed to be c/n 47.
c/n 47 is not identified in the Air Britain DH60 Productiion list (many entries don’t list the engine s/n) but interestingly that does identify the existence of c/n 108 so we at least confirm the production run ran to at least 108 examples?, before DH60X Moth production moved over to using the Cirrus II.
367 (Cirrus I #105) DH.60 to Commonwealth of Australia without CofA. Regd G-AUAS (CofR 176) 27.8.27 to Dept of Defence, Civil Aviation
Branch and operated by Australian Aero Club (Victorian Section), Essendon. Fitted with Cirrus II. Reregd VH-UAS .29. Fitted 9.32 with
Gipsy I. Struck by DH.60G VH-UHP (c/n 877) and crashed nr Essendon 20.7.35 during air race; killing pilot WH Zacher. Regn cld 26.8.35.368 (Cirrus I #108) DH.60 to Commonwealth of Australia without CofA. Regd G-AUAT (CofR 218) 28.8.28 to Dept of Defence, Civil Aviation
Branch and operated by Australian Aero Club (Victorian Section), Essendon. Fitted with Cirrus II. Reregd VH-UAT .29. Fitted 10.32 with
Gipsy I. Regd 16.8.37 to Royal Victorian Aero Club, Essendon. Regd 20.11.37 to De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Mascot (in part exchange for
DH.82). CofA lapsed 7.10.38. Regd 16.5.39 to Macquarie Grove Flying & Glider School Pty Ltd, Camden. Regd 28.6.40 to RH Hamblin &
KF Kelly, Sydney. Regd 16.10.40 to WM Brown & HW Crowe, t/a Pioneer Flying School, Mascot. Regd 20.2.42 to HW Crowe (only).
Destroyed in hangar fire 2.46. Regn cld 4.6.46.
So I checked out the Oracals advice, and certainly found the engine serial number stamped on at least two examples of the ADC built Cirrus engines, its possible the American ACE built and later Cirrus / Blackburn built versions maintained the stamping in the same location?
By: Oracal – 30th October 2023 at 17:41
No ID plate, no problem.
There was a standing AID instruction that required the engine ID to be stamped on the crankcase. This should be found port side, aft of prop, on crankcase side. A coat of paint will obscure it, so a close inspection required.
A very simple “number only” stamping, on the top of the crankcase engine mounting block position on the port side of the engine. – thanks for that tip Oracal.
Thanks for the clarification Terry, so the one in G-EBZM may be an ADC/ACE Cirrus III.
The identity of the engine in The Aeroplane Collection’s Avro Avian G-EBZM at Hooton Park is still seemingly uncertain?
I currently have it listed as:
ADC Cirrus II
– c/n 276c – (ie ‘C’ Canadian built) – in Avro Avian G-EBZM (Static) -The Aeroplane Collection – Hooton Park, Cheshire
Amended on Terry’s advice that it is a Canadian built example?
But I am not aware of the ADC Cirrus II being built by anyone or anywhere else but ADC in the UK.
There was a licence built Cirrus III, built in the USA by the American Cirrus Engine Company – ACE
The Aeroplane Collection website for G-EBZM lists the engine as an “ADC Cirrus III” (not an ADC Cirrus II)
With the reference to it being Canadian built, I wonder if it might instead be an ACE Cirrus III?
The ACE makers plate is different to the ADC plate, and instead there is an ACE-CIRRUS ebossed logo on the crankcase and on the sump, so it should be readily identifiable?
Revision 4 thanks Terry Parker (& Stuart McKay off site )
Part 1 – It seems that the following ADC Cirrus Engines survive in the UK.
ADC Cirrus (I)
– none
ADC Cirrus II
– c/n 276c – (ie ‘C’ Canadian built) – in Avro Avian G-EBZM (Static) -The Aeroplane Collection – Hooton Park, Cheshire
– c/n D1-2 – Science Museum London
– c/n? Vintage Racing Special #44 (car built on a Buick chassis by Frank Cuttell from Mittagong NSW – exported to UK)
– c/n 408? – 1928 G-Type Amilcar (car built by Ian Bingham in UK, ADC Cirrus based on Crankcase/Crankshaft from Hughes Trading Victoria – swapped for sectionised ADC Cirrus I)
– c/n 892 – missing name plate (with ADC Cirrus III Heads “mod 3?”- is it a Cirrus III?) – The Aeroplane Collection – Hooton Park (It is recorded apparently as a Cirrus 2, C/N 892, donated via the Shuttleworth Collection in April 1965)
c/n? Cirrus II for Westland Widgeon restoration – Aero Antiques / MK Aviation
ADC Cirrus III
– c/n 80 DH60 Moth G-EBLV (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n ? Static restoration- private owner “CirrusADC/Ralph” KP Forum 2017
-c/n ? Aero antiques / MK Aviation
Cirrus Hermes (I)
– none
Cirrus Hermes II
– c/n F86 – Aeroventure (ex BA Swallow)
– c/n ? – Avro Triplane replica (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n ? – DH60X Cirrus Moth G-EBWD (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n 241 – Parnell Elf G-AIIN (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n? – Desoutter I G-AENP (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n? – Spartan Arrow G-ABWP (flying)- Redhill
– c/n? for Avro Avian restoration – Aero Antiques / MK Aviation
– c/n? Spare for Avian – Aero Antiques / MK Aviation
Cirrus Hermes IIB (Inverted)
– none
Cirrus Hermes IVa (Inverted)
– none
UNK Marks
Part 2 – It seems that the following ADC Cirrus Engines survive outside of the UK.
ADC Cirrus (I)
– c/n 10 (oldest surviving Cirrus Engine) running – private owner – CANADA
– c/n 21 DH 60 Moth G-AUAE Static – private owner – AUST
– c/n ?? – Sectionised Static (swapped from UK for Cirrus II) – private owner – AUST
ADC Cirrus II
– c/n ? Cirrus II Avro Avian 581E G-EBOV – Queensland Museum – AUST
– c/n ? Cirrus II – Camden Museum of Aviation – AUST
– c/n mk II 273 – Cirrus II – Moorabbin Air Museum – Victoria – AUST
– c/n mk II 283 – Cirrus II – Powerhouse Museum – AUST
– c/n mk II 390 – Cirrus II Formerly New England Air Museum – private owner -AUST
– c/n mk II 577 mod 3 – Cirrus II with Cirrus III heads – Formerly Hunter Relics Antiques – private owner – AUST
– c/n mk II 593 – Cirrus II – DH60X Cirrus Moth VH-UAU – Powerhouse Museum – AUST
– c/n ? Westland Widgeon III – VH-UGI (flying) – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Westland Widgeon III VH-UHU (airworthy restoration) – private owner AUST
– c/n? Westland Widgeon III G-AUKA (wreck) – Central Australia Aviation Museum AUST
– c/n? Cirrus II – for Avro Avian restoration – private owner AUST
– c/n? Cirrus II DH60X Cirrus Moth G-CAUA – Canada Aviation Museum – CANADA
– c/n? Cirrus II DH60X Seaplane OH-EJA Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
– c/n mk II 448 – Cirrus II – MOTAT – Auckland – NEW ZEALAND
ADC Cirrus III
– c/n? Cirrus III – for Avian restoration – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus III DH60X Cirrus Moth C-CYYG (airworthy) Alberta Av Museum – CANADA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
– c/n? Cirrus III – Dornier Do12 Libelle VQ-FAB at the Deutsches Museum, Munich – GERMANY
– c/n? Cirrus III – Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum – Kalamazoo – USA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Power of the Past Museum – Georgia – USA
ACE Cirrus III (American Cirrus Engine)
– c/n 23 ACE Cirrus III – Wings of History Museum – California – USA
– c/n? – ACE Cirrus III – Air Venture Museum – Oshkosh – USA
– c/n? – ACE Cirrus III (Sectionised) – Antique Assn / Airpower Museum – Iowa – USA
– c/n? – ACE Cirrus III – Eagle’s Mere Air Museum – PA – USA
Cirrus Hermes (I)
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – DH60X Hermes Moth VH-SSC private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – Formerly Walter Kurl Collection – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
Cirrus Hermes II
– none
Cirrus Hermes IVa (Inverted)
– c/n? location unknown – Hermes IV from Blackburn B2 G-ADFV (The Aeroplane Collection)
“was sold to a collector around 15 years ago. He sold it on to a collector in Spain”
UNK Marks
– none
Any more?
Any info to fill in the blanks on those listed above?
For comparison, here is what the (Inverted) Cirrus Herme IVa from the missing Blackburn B2 G-ADFV Remains, should look like
Here is the photo of an ADC Cirrus III from the ADC Cirrus III Manual
The engine at Hooton Park has ADC Cirrus III heads fitted.
It may be a modified ADC Cirrus II or a Cirrus III
It is most likely “C/N 892 Donated by Shuttleworth in 1965″ which would suggest it is an ADC Cirrus II with Cirrus III heads – ie Mod 3?
Thanks Terry Parker
Its certainly NOT a Cirrus Hermes of any variety, it is definitely an ADC Cirrus.
Its definitely NOT an ADC Cirrus I given the design of the heads, but its also not a standard ADC Cirrus II for the same reasons.
I think its either an ADC Cirrus II with the “Mod 3” heads (there is one example of that here in Australia), or an ADC Cirrus III – the heads in both cases are as per this Hooton Park example.
Here is the Science Museum’s ADC Cirrus II, and a photo from the ADC Cirrus II Manual for comparison
The Aeroplane Collection seems to confirm it is the Cirrus Hermes IV (inverted engine) that is on display in building 27 at Hooton Park?
As an aside, in trying to discover the fate of the B2 G-ADFV and its engine I found this excellent link to a history of the then surviving B2’s, and an excellent description of how G-ADFV disappeared in installments.
The Blackburn B2 has a place in my heart as the first vintage aircraft on which Jim and I had any hands-on working experience. The Blackburn B2 was a side-by-side all metal training biplane with fabric-covered steel wings developed from the Blackburn Bluebird. It was powered by a Cirrus Hermes !VA engine and competed with the Tiger Moth for the contract for an RAF basic trainer. Although losing that contract, some 42 were built mainly for the civil market, of which three were, to some extent, still extant after the War.
We were at school at the time and members of 574 Sqn ATC at Caterham School.
In mid-1942, the RAF had donated a Blackburn B2 G-ADFV to the squadron. This aircraft arrived by road and was then ‘rigged’. After engine runs, it was taxied round the school playing fields before being left in the open on a hillside behind the school assembly hall.
In the late 1950s, a new ATC hut was built and with renewed interest, the aircraft fuselage and engine were moved alongside. The wings were left on the hillside.
The rear fuselage was removed as it made the aircraft too long to fit in the hut. The centre section tank and struts were also removed.
With our good friend Bob Head (about whom I shall pen another article in due course), we determined to see what could be done to resurrect the machine.
At the time, the forward fuselage was in the hut, with the engine on the floor and the propeller mounted on the wall.
The wings, rear fuselage section and centre section were missing, their location having been long-forgotten. We managed to reinstall the engine, its cowlings and the propeller and found evidence that the rear fuselage had been destroyed.
After quizzing the Physics master, who had been in charge of the ATC when the aircraft arrived, we eventually managed to locate the corroding wing structure, with its aluminium slats and embrittled fabric. The fabric was still painted with camouflaged upper surfaces and yellow undersides.
The wing parts were moved to the vicinity of the ATC hut, but were subsequently trashed by the school groundsmen who unceremoniously dumped what, to them, was rubbish when they wanted to cut the grass outside the hut.
The whole story was written up in more detail by Jim and myself in the Autumn 1970 edition of the VAC magazine Vintage News.
Despite this failure, we had learned a lot about aircraft and engines and the B2, in particular. All three of us went on to Southampton University to study aeronautical engineering, gaining postgraduate degrees and becoming private pilots. Bob Head was a great enthusiast, who is no longer with us and is sadly missed. BAE Systems continue to own G-AEBJ, under the auspices of their Heritage Team, the aircraft being based at Old Warden and maintained in immaculate condition. It is fully aerobatic and is often displayed quite vigorously to the delight of all that see it.
Having left the school in 1969, I have no direct knowledge of the present state of G-ADFV.
The where-abouts of the remains of Blackburn B2 G-ADFV seems un-certain and it may be possibly now lost, based on a KP thread back in 2015?
It seems it had the “remains of its Cirrus engine” when it was recovered, but the cockpit / forward fuselage transferred to others (without mention of the engine) and it has since disappeared although its undercarriage is apparently with the Shuttleworth collection.- The engine is assumed to be an inverted Cirrus Hermes IVa which was still mounted on the front of the partial fuselage when it was recovered?
So its still not clear what became of that engine and where it is today, and if it is the “Cirrus” display engine at Hooton Park?
I was one of the Aeroplane Collection team that collected DFV from the ATC unit at Caterham. At the time of collection it had the remains of its Cirrus engine on the front but we removed it so that we could get it in the van along with the Rover W2B engine that was restored and went to RAFM Cosford. As far as I recall the B2 only went to one airshow at Sleap (where I think that first photo was taken) before going into the Aeroplane Collections deep store at Wigan. I moved away from Manchester shortly after so can add nothing more to the story of DFV, but I would like to see her again.
G-ADFV was acquired by The Aeroplane Collection from Caterham ATC in the mid/late 70’s. It stayed with the collection for a number of years before it was sold to be rebuilt to fly. Sadly one of the leading lights in that project passed away before things got going and so it was placed into store.
Lets see if the forum can solve this little mystery!
Having spoken recently to the owner of the front fuselage section of G-ADFV, tentative plans were made to go and inspect it together having been in deep store for a number of years with one of the owners friends. Several phone calls later and the feedback was where it had been stored was cleared out a few years back and it was no longer there. Not a good start…….
Further investigations have yielded some success with parts of the undercarriage located with Shuttleworth, but the question still remains where has the rest of it gone? To give people some idea of what it consists of –
When further enquiries were made the Shuttleworth “lead” turned out to be only partially true as that is where some parts of the U/C ended up (having done so in good faith and certainly no impropriety on their part), but the whereabouts of everything else is still to be resolved.
Blackburn B.2 G-ADFV – anyone know where it is now? | Key Aero
Revision 3 (thanks again Mothminor & Terry Parker)
Part 1 – It seems that the following ADC Cirrus Engines survive in the UK.
ADC Cirrus I
– none
ADC Cirrus II
– c/n 276 in Avro Avian G-EBZM (Static) -The Aeroplane Collection – Hooton Park, Cheshire
– c/n D1-2 – Science Museum London
– c/n? Vintage Racing Special #44 (built on a Buick chassis by Frank Cuttell from Mittagong NSW – exported to UK)
– c/n 408? – 1928 G-Type Amilcar (car built by Ian Bingham in UK, ADC Cirrus based on Crankcase/Crankshaft from Hughes Trading Victoria – swapped for sectionised ADC Cirrus I)
– c/n 892 – Hooton Park (donated by Shuttleworth? TBC is this the Aeroplane Collection Hermes?)
ADC Cirrus III
– c/n 80 DH60 Moth G-EBLV (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n ? Static restoration- private owner “CirrusADC/Ralph” KP Forum 2017
Cirrus Hermes II
– c/n F86 – Aeroventure (ex BA Swallow)
– c/n ? – Avro Triplane replica (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n ? – DH60X Cirrus Moth G-EBWD (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n 241 – Parnell Elf G-AIIN (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n? – Desoutter I G-AENP (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n? – Spartan Arrow G-ABWP (flying)- Redhill
Cirrus Hermes IVa
– c/n? – part of Blackburn B2 G-ADFV Remains? – The Aeroplane Collection? – Hooton Park Cheshire (TBC – is this at Hooton Park?)
UNK Marks
c/n? – (Model?) Solway Aviation Museum – The Aeroplane Collection (c/n? / condition? / photos? / location ?) – is this the Cirrus Hermes now at Hooton Park?
c/n? Cirrus powered Avro Avian restoration imported from Australia/NZ by Ron Souch?
c/n? Cirrus? powered Westland Widgeon imported from Australia by Ron Souch?
Part 2 – It seems that the following ADC Cirrus Engines survive outside of the UK.
ADC Cirrus I
– c/n 10 (oldest surviving Cirrus Engine) running – private owner – CANADA
– c/n 21 DH 60 Moth G-AUAE Static – private owner – AUST
– c/n ?? – Sectionised Static (swapped from UK for Cirrus II) – private owner – AUST
ADC Cirrus II
– c/n ? Cirrus II Avro Avian 581E G-EBOV – Queensland Museum – AUST
– c/n ? Cirrus II – Camden Museum of Aviation – AUST
– c/n mk II 273 – Cirrus II – Moorabbin Air Museum – Victoria – AUST
– c/n mk II 283 – Cirrus II – Powerhouse Museum – AUST
– c/n mk II 390 – Cirrus II Formerly New England Air Museum – private owner -AUST
– c/n mk II 577 – Cirrus II Formerly Hunter Relics Antiques – private owner – AUST
– c/n mk II 593 – Cirrus II – DH60X Cirrus Moth VH-UAU – Powerhouse Museum – AUST
– c/n ? Westland Widgeon III – VH-UGI (flying) – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Westland Widgeon III VH-UHU (airworthy restoration) – private owner AUST
– c/n? Westland Widgeon III G-AUKA (wreck) – Central Australia Aviation Museum AUST
– c/n? Cirrus II – for Avro Avian restoration – private owner AUST
– c/n? Cirrus II DH60X Cirrus Moth G-CAUA – Canada Aviation Museum – CANADA
– c/n? Cirrus II DH60X Seaplane OH-EJA Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
– c/n mk II 448 – Cirrus II – MOTAT – Auckland – NEW ZEALAND
ADC Cirrus III
– c/n? Cirrus III – for Avian restoration – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus III DH60X Cirrus Moth C-CYYG (airworthy) Alberta Av Museum – CANADA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
– c/n? Cirrus III – Dornier Do12 Libelle VQ-FAB at the Deutsches Museum, Munich – GERMANY
– c/n? ACE Cirrus III – Air Venture Museum – Oshkosh – USA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum – Kalamazoo – USA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Power of the Past Museum – Georgia – USA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Wings of History Museum – California – USA
Cirrus Hermes I
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – DH60X Hermes Moth VH-SSC private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – Formerly Walter Kurl Collection – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
Cirrus Hermes II
– none
Cirrus Hermes IVa
– none
UNK Marks
– ACE Cirrus (Sectionised) – Antique Assn / Airpower Museum – Iowa – USA
Any more?
Any info to fill in the blanks on those listed above?
Thanks Terry and Mothminor – it would be great to get photos of the static display engine and the engine in the Avian, and ldeally photos of each of their data plates too
It does seem a case of making a molehill out of a Red Hill? lol
Revision 2 (thanks Mothminor)
Part 1 – It seems that the following ADC Cirrus Engines survive in the UK.
ADC Cirrus I
– none
ADC Cirrus II
– c/n 276 in Avro Avian G-EBZM (Static) -The Aeroplane Collection – Hooton Park, Cheshire
– c/n D1-2 – Science Museum London
– c/n? Vintage Racing Special #44 (built on a Buick chassis by Frank Cuttell from Mittagong NSW – exported to UK)
– c/n 408? – 1928 G-Type Amilcar (car built by Ian Bingham in UK, ADC Cirrus based on Crankcase/Crankshaft from Hughes Trading Victoria – swapped for sectionised ADC Cirrus I)
ADC Cirrus III
– c/n 80 DH60 Moth G-EBLV (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n ? Static restoration- private owner “CirrusADC/Ralph” KP Forum 2017
Cirrus Hermes II
– c/n F86 – Aeroventure (ex BA Swallow)
– c/n ? – Avro Triplane replica (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n ? – DH60X Cirrus Moth G-EBWD (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n 241 – Parnell Elf G-AIIN (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n? – Desoutter I G-AENP (flying) – Shuttleworth
– c/n? – Spartan Arrow G-ABWP (flying)- Redhill
Cirrus Hermes IVa
– c/n? – part of Blackburn B2 G-ADFV Remains? – The Aeroplane Collection? – Hooton Park Cheshire
UNK Marks
c/n? – (Model?) Solway Aviation Museum – The Aeroplane Collection (c/n? / condition? / photos? / location ?) – is this the Cirrus Hermes now at Hooton Park?
c/n? Cirrus powered Avro Avian restoration imported from Australia/NZ by Ron Souch?
c/n? Cirrus? powered Westland Widgeon imported from Australia by Ron Souch?
Part 2 – It seems that the following ADC Cirrus Engines survive outside of the UK.
ADC Cirrus I
– c/n 10 (oldest surviving Cirrus Engine) running – private owner – CANADA
– c/n 21 DH 60 Moth G-AUAE Static – private owner – AUST
– c/n ?? – Sectionised Static (swapped from UK for Cirrus II) – private owner – AUST
ADC Cirrus II
– c/n ? Cirrus II Avro Avian 581E G-EBOV – Queensland Museum – AUST
– c/n mk II 273 – Cirrus II – Moorabbin Air Museum – Victoria – AUST
– c/n mk II 283 – Cirrus II – Powerhouse Museum – AUST
– c/n mk II 390 – Cirrus II Formerly New England Air Museum – private owner -AUST
– c/n mk II 577 – Cirrus II Formerly Hunter Relics Antiques – private owner – AUST
– c/n mk II 593 – Cirrus II – DH60X Cirrus Moth VH-UAU – Powerhouse Museum – AUST
– c/n ? Westland Widgeon III – VH-UGI (flying) – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Westland Widgeon III VH-UHU (airworthy restoration) – private owner AUST
– c/n? Westland Widgeon III G-AUKA (wreck) – Central Australia Aviation Museum AUST
– c/n? Cirrus II – for Avro Avian restoration – private owner AUST
– c/n? Cirrus II DH60X Cirrus Moth G-CAUA – Canada Aviation Museum – CANADA
– c/n? Cirrus II DH60X Seaplane OH-EJA Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
– c/n mk II 448 – Cirrus II – MOTAT – Auckland – NEW ZEALAND
ADC Cirrus III
– c/n? Cirrus III – for Avian restoration – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus III DH60X Cirrus Moth C-CYYG (airworthy) Alberta Av Museum – CANADA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
– c/n? ACE Cirrus III – Air Venture Museum – Oshkosh – USA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum – Kalamazoo – USA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Power of the Past Museum – Georgia – USA
– c/n? Cirrus III – Wings of History Museum – California – USA
Cirrus Hermes I
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – DH60X Hermes Moth VH-SSC private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – Formerly Walter Kurl Collection – private owner – AUST
– c/n? Cirrus Hermes I – Aviation Museum of Central Finland – FINLAND
Cirrus Hermes II
– none
Cirrus Hermes IVa
– none
UNK Marks
– ACE Cirrus (Sectionised) – Antique Assn / Airpower Museum – Iowa – USA
Any more?
Any info to fill in the blanks on those listed above?