The Pixie III did actually fly very well once the engine was replaced with the much more reliable Bristol Cherub. As I mentioned in an earlier post I have a photocopy of the logbook – which includes all of the flights in both the 1924 and 1926 Lympne Trials. It also details all of the work done on the aircraft, down to the component numbers of the individual parts. It was this discovery which led to the realisation that “No 14” in the 1926 trials was actually G-EBJG and not G-EBKK as had been published in the first edition of AJJ’s “British Civil Aircraft”.
After the trials it had a 10 year career with the Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club, amongst other owners, and put in plenty of cross-country flights without mishap.
Out of all the Lympe Trials aircraft the Pixie III was the most successful – in terms of being flown as a practical two-seater. Remarkable considering the Cherub only puts out a nominal 32hp.
I researched the history and structure of this aircraft, and the three single seaters – finding photographic proof that there were indeed three single-seaters, one of which later became G-EBKM. It too survived well into the 1930s – based for a time at Old Warden when owned by Geoff Chamberlain & Sid Miles.
The only drawings are ones published in the aeronautical press at the time – I posted a sample earlier.
If somebody were interested I still feel that a modern reproduction could be built quite easily and powered by a VW conversion or something similar it would make a very pretty “retro-style” homebuilt.
If anyone is interested I have many more photos of all of the Pixies (one is even in RAF markings!)
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