BEAGLE HUSKY - XW635 - Ex-5 AEF -Where is she now [Archive]

airborne_artist

29th Oct 2011, 10:17

G-Info on G-AWSW/XW635 shows she's not flown for a couple of years, and is probably at Spanhoe.

Link (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=AWSW)

For those who are not aware she was given to ATC/AEF by Hughie Green.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4468490878_2c37aea9e3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/11146052@N06/4468490878/)
Beagle D.5 /180 Husky XW635 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/11146052@N06/4468490878/) by ray_hilluk (http://www.flickr.com/people/11146052@N06/), on Flickr

More pictures here (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=G-AWSW)

CoffmanStarter

29th Oct 2011, 11:23

Lovely ... XW635 !

Had a check ride with S/L John Shelton 29 September 1978 up at Cambridge. Seem to remember her brakes we "cannibalised" from Chipmunk stores !

Best regards ...

Coff.

Wander00

29th Oct 2011, 11:43

Is that the aeroplane Hughie Green gave to the ATC? If so I flew in it a few times when I had a short spell as a VR(T) officer with 1095 (City of Ely) Sqn

thunderbird7

29th Oct 2011, 11:47

I made my first ever flight in that plane! Happy days :)

DeepestSouth

29th Oct 2011, 11:48

'Demobbed' site says it's at Spanhoe, now G-AWSW and G-INFO shows it as still registered although PTF may have expired.

BEagle

29th Oct 2011, 13:24

G-AWSW is actually a 'non-EASA' aircraft. So it could prove a valuable asset to anyone wishing to buy it. You wouldn't need any EASA pilot licence and could quite happily fly it on a UK PPL for the foreseeable future whilst the rest of the UK struggles with the nonsense of pointless €urocracy.

It is also something of an historical aircraft, so deserves to be well looked after.

A2QFI

29th Oct 2011, 14:19

If anyone is interested I could pas by Spanhoe, check and report back. I live nearby. Pse send PM

Hueymeister

29th Oct 2011, 17:11

Yes please. I flew a great deal in her, great ac for first timers. Flew most oft with Jonny Blackmore and John Shelton..sadly both ex-of this world..went to both of their funerals :(. She was sold on after I'd left 5 AEF as a staff pilot...

airborne_artist

29th Oct 2011, 17:26

You could just ring up? 01780 450205 ;)

ShyTorque

29th Oct 2011, 17:35

The Beagle Husky (sounds like one of our regular contributors with a sore throat). First tail dragger I ever got to land (but not this particular example) . Nice machine, useful but slow as it had a banner towing prop on it.

First time I mentioned here on PPRuNe I'd flown the type and in passing that it was a side by side two seater, I got berated by SNS3Guppy; and Nutloose! Even after showing a photo of the aircraft, they were convinced it had tandem seating.

Anyway, it would be nice to see XW635 fly again, especially as the name of "Hughie Green" always makes me think "how appropriate", bearing in mind the aftermath of some AEF flights by nervous Air Cadets.

i.e. :yuk:

BEagle

29th Oct 2011, 18:57

Many people probably don't realise that Hughie Green had served as a pilot with the RCAF in WW2, principally ferrying aircraft across the Atlantic. Not as simple as people might imagine, in those days.

In 1970, he set up 'Opportunity Flights' to maximise Air Cadet air experience flight opportunities, by persuading sponsors to offer cadets free trips in corporate business aircraft and with major airlines. He also presented G-AWSW to 5 AEF.

After being hounded by the red top media for his somewhat colourful lifestyle, the poor old sod lived out his twilight years in relative obscurity before finally succumbing to lung cancer in 1997.

G-AWSW deserves to be well looked after, having given so much pleasure to so many future RAF members, thanks to the generosity of Hughie Green.

"And I mean that most sincerely!"

thunderbird7

29th Oct 2011, 19:42

I also benefited from one of those flights on a BA - oops! BEA Trident to Glasgow and back. Damn. I said the 'T' word.

A2QFI

29th Oct 2011, 19:53

Thanks for that, if the number was for me. I was planning to get a photo as well, plus I want to check on an eccentric gentleman who is doing things to an ex-Luftwaffe F 104, plus there is a Valiant crash site to visit plus the Harringworth pub does a great lunch. One has find things to do to fill one's life!

Dan Winterland

30th Oct 2011, 08:49

"First time I mentioned here on PPRuNe I'd flown the type and in passing that it was a side by side two seater, I got berated by SNS3Guppy; and Nutloose! Even after showing a photo of the aircraft, they were convinced it had tandem seating."

Er....it's a three seater. Two up front, one behind. I used to fly G-AWSW at Cranwell when it was loaned to the flying club there and I definately remember getting both my father and brother in law in it. They were probably thinking of the American Aviat A-1 Husky which looks very similar and is a tandem two seater.

http://www.dove-aviation.org/images/aviathusky.jpg

The Beagle Husky is quite a good aeroplane - it's a effectively a Lycoming powered Auster. The 180HP gives it a good take off performance, but then it was power against drag and not worth thinking about cruising above 90knts. And the split flaps make it a real dragmaster and good for short strip landings.

I've also flown the Aviat Husky (which is a bit like a Cub on steroids) and the two are very similar. The yank machine has a 180hp Lycoming as well, but with a CS prop. It's got truly enormous flaps and even better short field performance than the Beagle Husky. But the British aircraft is nicer to handle.

Both would make an excellent glider tugs!

airborne_artist

30th Oct 2011, 10:18

Some fairly recent pictures of Spanhoe's other residents here (http://stickandrudder.ning.com/profiles/blogs/spanhoe-fencecheck-132011)

NutLoose

30th Oct 2011, 14:23

Thanks Dan, that's were i got the tandem seating from.

NutLoose

30th Oct 2011, 14:28

Airborne the F104 has been "restored" and is for sale, later pics here

Jet Art Aviation (http://www.jetartdesigns.co.uk/jetartholding/)

barnstormer1968

30th Oct 2011, 16:45

Lovely to see it. I flew in that as a young space cadet from Duxford, and had not seen it since.
On a recent trip to Duxford I asked if anyone had any memories of the aircraft, and no one I spoke to had even heard of it.

Mandator

31st Oct 2011, 01:45

Wasn't Hughie Green shot up by Migs when flying down the corridor into Berlin to record a show there? Seem to think he was flying a Cessna twin.

thunderbird7

31st Oct 2011, 06:56

I'm pretty sure it was a 4 seater - I remember sitting in the back with another cadet - maybe a 2+2 or 2+1 adult but we definitely went 4 up.

Opsbeatch

31st Oct 2011, 12:51

My first ever flight in anything was in this beast!! It's all your fault ;);)
It was a 4 seater 2+2.

OB

Dan Winterland

31st Oct 2011, 16:58

In reality, it was a 2+2 in the way classic British sports cars were. Three adults or two adults and two kids. IIRC, G-AWSW had a bench seat which could accommodate two light people, but W and B considerations were in force. But it's 17 years since I flew her.

bobward

1st Nov 2011, 13:20

Somewhere in my home archives I've a picture of her when she was first dekeivered to 5 AEF - in a blue and white scheme. She was then called 'Sprirt of Butlins' as Billy Butlin won it in a raffle, and Hughie Green suggested he pass it on the the ATC.

I only flew in it once as a cadet, and can confirm that it flew with two "little 'uns" in the back. I was a bit bigger and was allowed in the front where my amateurish pudding stirring made the two in the back fill their blue bags with re-cycled opizza.....:sad::sad:

Hughie Green did indeed get bounced in the Berlin corridor in the 1960's. I remember reading about it in the RAF Flying Review (who else remembers that one??) It seems that the clearances weren't all in order before they went. After dodging Migs and Yaks for a while they made a break for Berlin, which was when the Migs opened up on them.

This was before he hosted Opportunity Knocks - had that show been on air at the time they might have hosed him down earlier...... :eek:

CoffmanStarter

2nd Nov 2011, 09:47

Bob ...

This from the Auster Heritage Group ... is this the Blue & White scheme you mentioned ?

G-AWSW D5 180 XW635 (http://austerhg.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=5710&g2_imageViewsIndex=1)

Kind regards ...

Coff.

bobward

2nd Nov 2011, 12:44

That's the lady - although my picture is slightly different. She's lined up parallel to the old hangers at Marshall's close to the corner where the flight line office used to be.

Happy memories of a mis-spent youth back in the 1960's!:ok::}

brokenlink

2nd Nov 2011, 19:55

Wander00,
If you are still interested in 1094 (City of Ely) Sqn ATC please PM me as it is still around.

Regards,

BL

Dan Winterland

3rd Nov 2011, 06:30

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb73/dbchippy/Ludlow89-111.jpg

At Cranwell in about 1991.

aw ditor

3rd Nov 2011, 07:34

Most surprised there is no picture of her' in the car park of the Ancient Shepherd' at Fen Ditton.

BossEyed

3rd Nov 2011, 13:58

Hughie Green vs the MiGs story is discussed in this link (http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/archive/index.php?t-49299.html). One of the posters there, Roger Smith, looked up an article in 'Flying Review'.

Written by C. J. Luxton who was one of the three occupants of Cessna 310 "Oscar Kilo" - HG was pilot, CJL co-pilot (operating the radio) and the third person was Jim Preston a journalist. HG was travelling to do a show for the Services.

They were flying from Stuttgart to Gatow via Frankfurt at 9,500ft cruising at 200mph. Ten minutes after entering the 20 mile wide corridor Berlin radar told them of another aircraft "approaching fast from five o'clock" - a MiG flew past/in front of them. After flying past a second time very fast the Russian pilot extended flaps and undercarraige and made signs for the Cessna to follow and land - which were ignored.

The MiG opened fire although not hitting the Cessna and a Yak-25 joined in flying across their path at supersonic speed making the Cessna rock violently, almost rolling on it's back and the left engine stopped. The two Russians repeated their manaeovres and the occupants of the Cessna agreed they would have to give in and turned right. However, informed by Berlin that they were only 27 miles away, the Cessna was turned back on course and dived to gain max speed. The MiG returned and started firing again but, fortunately, the Cessna found a little cloud cover and made it to Gatow.

The sequel was that the Russian Commander would not then grant safe passage for the aircraft on it's flight out of Berlin so the three occupants returned to London by BEA Viscount. Eventually told by the British Embassy in Bonn they could fly it out "at their own risk" they returned to Gatow by Viscount and sneaked out early one morning without using any radio and flying at low level along the shorter corridor to Hanover thence on to London.

Hueymeister

23rd Feb 2013, 20:58

The Ancient Shepherd was Johnny's favourite watering hole!

Spitfirefan

7th Jun 2014, 09:32

Found this thread while looking for something else and signed up to have a quick wallow in nostalgia! I was a staff cadet at Cambridge in the 70s, and remember her in both the blue/white and the later colours. As well as Johnny Blackmore (sad to see he's no longer with us) I also recall Derek Simmonds and ??? Bryce-Smith flying her.

Happy days.

Mike

Gail1951

4th Sep 2014, 21:31

John Blackmore was my father. He set up No 5 AEF in the 1950`s and I was a very frequent visitor as a little girl - almost every weekend - and ran the tuck shop in the 1960`s. I spent most of my childhood in the back seat of a Chipmunk doing Loop the Loops and Barrell Rolls. :D

He continued flying for the RAF as Reserve right up until his 65th Birthday and even managed a further couple of months after that day before his retirement was made official.

It was he who accepted the Husky on behalf of No 5 from Huey Green and I am sure I have a photo somewhere. Having recently moved, things are a little haywire still, and I am not sure where the photos are.

Dad lived for flying, and he was an absolutely amazing pilot. He should have received an MBE at the very least for all his services to the AEF but he was a bit of a `rascal`. Say no more. :)

Hueymeister

5th Sep 2014, 00:11

Last day in light blue tomorrow after 26 yrs. Someone has just messaged me about this thread, which is quite ironic really! Fond memories of flying with Johnny, Ced, Bryce, Pete Raye, Stan Hayward to name but a few....

BigDotStu

2nd Jan 2016, 18:26

Found this thread while trying to explain what the Husky was on another thread.

This aircraft was also the first aircraft I ever flew (much to the consternation of the two other cadets in the back seat) when undertaking AEF flights with 5AEF at Marshals with my CCF RAF section in 86/87 or thereabouts.

I also remember John Blackmore - I seem to recall the magic phrase when asked what you would like to do was "How about some aerobatics please Sir", and he would then proceed to chuck us all over the sky in the Chipmunk! Couple of grey-out moments, but I never needed the paper bag :)

Happy days!

Longtime demobbed

2nd Nov 2016, 20:28

I looked at this thread because I was interested in Husky XW635, the first aircraft I ever flew in. However, thinking wider, does anyone remember the cheerful Charlie that used to do the safety briefing at Marshalls before ATC cadets flew? I think his name was Mr Bull; I'm not going to state the obvious because he gave vital advice, but he took great delight in stressing the negative, especially with what could go wrong! He favourite comment was, "Who had Strawberry sandwiches for breakfast? Well you'll enjoy them just as much coming up as they did going down" He used to dress in a light brown overall if I remember correctly. After his briefing, I wished that I worn my brown corduroy trousers!

bobward

3rd Nov 2016, 16:38

Longtime,
I remember the old gent you mentioned, although I thought his name was Gerry?? One other small detail from the grey Cells: he did his bale out briefing using a board with drawings of (I think) a Gloster Gladiator on it. Eventually a talented cadet artist gave him a set showing Chipmunks in the 1970's.

Back to the start of the thread. I was told that 5 AEF got the Husky after (Sir) Billy Butlin either won it in a raffle, or bought it at a charity auction. Hughie Green then persuaded him to donate it to the ATC. When she was in her original blue scheme, she had 'Spirit of Butlins' in script each side of the nose.

Wander00

4th Nov 2016, 12:00

Bryce Bryce-Smith ISTR was a highway engineer with Cambridge City Council when I was there 70-72

PaulEMB

4th Nov 2016, 18:03

Longtime,
That stirs up some memories! - Mr Ball, if I recall - I'm still struck by him finishing up the briefing by telling us that if we didn't follow his instructions on having to bale out we'd be ¨pushing up the daisies¨!

flapsin

5th Nov 2016, 07:08

Out Of Trim

6th Nov 2016, 20:54

Damn it, I was in the ATC in the 70's, never got near that Beagle. It sure looks like a nice aeroplane! It seems I missed out twice as I never got near the AEF airline flights either.

I did manage to get a little gliding in at Kenley in Kirby cadet mk IIIs and Sedbergs. Plus a couple of Chipmunk flights at RAF Abingdon and RAF Benson. Oh well..

Auster Fan

6th Nov 2016, 21:33

The Beagle Husky is quite a good aeroplane - it's a effectively a Lycoming powered Auster. The 180HP gives it a good take off performance, but then it was power against drag and not worth thinking about cruising above 90knts. And the split flaps make it a real dragmaster and good for short strip landings.

I've also flown the Aviat Husky (which is a bit like a Cub on steroids) and the two are very similar. The yank machine has a 180hp Lycoming as well, but with a CS prop. It's got truly enormous flaps and even better short field performance than the Beagle Husky. But the British aircraft is nicer to handle.

Both would make an excellent glider tugs!
It was based loosely on the J/1 airframe and during the marketing of it, suggestions of a crop spraying variant were put forward. It was my first aircraft trip as an Air Cadet...I seem to vaguely remember that the BBMF sailed past at a lower altitude inbound to a Duxford display.

Auster Fan

6th Nov 2016, 21:41

Back to the start of the thread. I was told that 5 AEF got the Husky after (Sir) Billy Butlin either won it in a raffle, or bought it at a charity auction. Hughie Green then persuaded him to donate it to the ATC. When she was in her original blue scheme, she had 'Spirit of Butlins' in script each side of the nose. According to a book I bought recently on the tale of woe that was Beagle, the story is that it was originally bought by the National Society for the Mentally Handicapped, raffled and Billy Butlin won it. He re-auctioned it on behalf of that charity and it is believed that the joint winners were Fred Pontin and Hughie Green, the latter donating it to the ATC.

Spitfirefan

14th Jul 2017, 22:04

Jerry Ball - quite a character iirc.

How about a pic. Can't remember who took it, but that's me in the grey flying suit.
https://s26.postimg.org/svd4k6kzd/7907-_Self_PB-_XW6350001.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/ec5zirrud/)

ATC71

3rd Sep 2019, 16:32

Can anyone help with the current, precise location of XW635. I flew in her as a staff cadet at 5AEF in the very early 70s. I'm currently making a short documentary about the staff cadets of that time and would dearly love to get some shots of her airworthy or otherwise.

nitv9

4th Sep 2019, 10:39

ATC71

5th Sep 2019, 15:51

I believe it is now wearing G-AWSW and is active and based at Spanhoe.

Many thanks - a great help

Cat Techie

5th Sep 2019, 18:14

First powered aircraft I ever flew in (no speedboats for it being at Cambridge). i was at the place i actually first flew in a glider, day before yesterday, so a bit of a coincidence this popping up.

old-timer

21st Feb 2023, 13:36

My 2nd flight with 5 AEF was in XW635- nice aircraft :-)
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1399/d_perry_atc_logbook_pages_9a13d8563ecd46914248356bafbd0848f1 f18fe3.jpg
my logbook from the 70's with my AEF flights, also an Argosy pax trip which made me airsick!

aw ditor

21st Feb 2023, 14:48

Ah yes, and the apres flying' at the Ancient Shepherds in Fen Ditton. The tail wheel on the Husky was tensioned' by a rubber bungee which frequently "pinged". Replacement thereof improved Marshalls profits.

AD, ex 5 AEF'

longer ron

21st Feb 2023, 19:08

. The tail wheel on the Husky was tensioned' by a rubber bungee which frequently "pinged". Replacement thereof improved Marshalls profits.

AD, ex 5 AEF'

Ah yes the Bungees - how to keep cadets from getting bored whilst waiting for the weather to improve - ''go out and search the airfield for a missing bungee'' - I remember it well :).
Did some chippie rides at Cambridge but preferred to go to Newton - a much nicer airfield to fly from :)

Not Long Here

22nd Feb 2023, 08:38

What a great thread. Never had any of these experiences being a working class Glasgow lad who some how ended up as a Nimrod Nav/Capt before moving on to the RNZAF and in my 18th year here. But hearing these stories, I wonder if these will ever be repeated with modern generations or have we become too involved with the cost and not the value.

chevvron

22nd Feb 2023, 09:52

My 2nd flight with 5 AEF was in XW635- nice aircraft :-)

my logbook from the 70's with my AEF flights, also an Argosy pax trip which made me airsick!
Know the feeling. My first ever flight was in an Argosy in 1962 doing circuits at Benson and I only lasted about 1 and a half hours before they took pity on me and offloaded me then carried on flying!
My only contact with the Husky was in '71 when I was doing flying training at Marshalls of Cambridge; never got to fly in it although I flew in AEF Chipmunks and a solitary Piston Provost (my second ever flight after the Argosy) which rather spoilt me for Chipmunks.

Four Turbo

24th Feb 2023, 11:40

Ah yes! THE RAF Husky. I flew her quite a lot from 1976-80 whilst recruiting from an office in Bedford. The 5 AEF flying club kept me sane (and I could take my staff flying). The way I heard the history was that it was one of the last of its iline and did not have much of a market. So it finished up brand-new in the ballroom of the Cafe Royal in London at a charity auction. Hughie Green was (one of?) the winners, but had no use for it. So in a fanfare of publicity he gave it to the ATC. The RAF now had a totally non-military aircraft that was not Boscombe approved, so did not much want it either! However after all the press reports they could not just reject it. After a bit of lateral thinking they gave it to Marshalls to look after and produce as required for 5 AEF. They did this very well (complete with Chipmunk wheels). On the AEF we aimed to give each cadet a Chipmunk ride. However when things got a bit busy we fired up the Husky and cleared the list three cadets at a time. As a sop to normality we used a typewritten checklist, rubber stamped by Handling Squadron (who had never seen the aircraft).. Happy days. Comments/corrections welcome (it was a while ago). Mike T.

chevvron

24th Feb 2023, 13:44

Ah yes! THE RAF Husky. I flew her quite a lot from 1976-80 whilst recruiting from an office in Bedford. The 5 AEF flying club kept me sane (and I could take my staff flying). The way I heard the history was that it was one of the last of its iline and did not have much of a market. So it finished up brand-new in the ballroom of the Cafe Royal in London at a charity auction. Hughie Green was (one of?) the winners, but had no use for it. So in a fanfare of publicity he gave it to the ATC.
I believe the Husky was originally destined for WJAC (Womens Junior Air Corps) and GVC (Girls Venture Corps Air Wing) cadets sponsored by Billy Butlin (who I think-but I'm not sure-was joint winner with Hughie Green) but was 'absorbed' by Marshalls and added to the 5 AEF fleet to be operated by all female and male cadets, female ATC cadets only being authorised from the early '80s.
I saw it operate from Marshalls while I was doing a 6 week PPL course there in 1971 although of course I was mon-fri and the AEF normally operated weekends but when I took cadets to Marshalls for AEF in 1987 one day during ATC summer camp at Wittering, I don't recall it flying on that occasion so maybe it had been 'retired'.

WB627

24th Feb 2023, 19:05

There was a BIG p*ss up at Cranwell for the 25th anniversary of the AEF's 1977. My Dad was in attendance, having been a founder member of No 1 AEF at Biggin Hill in 1952. A Poster and other handouts were produced for the event and handed out to the attendees. I have my Dad's somewhere, but I know not where, but I do remember that said Beagle Husky was included in the list of aircraft with 5 AEF and that Hughie Green was mentioned as the benefactor.

Time to search the loft