Edward, Prince of Wales' flight to Stratford-upon-Avon

[littles]

Hi all,
Random question but hoping someone out there can answer it. On 23rd April, 1932 Edward, Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII (briefly!) flew himself into Stratford-upon-Avon to open the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre.

Does anyone know which aircraft he used? I know he had a Fox Moth (G-ACDD) and in 1936 a Dragon Rapide (G-ADDD) but I think the Dragon was too late for my dates. Any information or resources very gratefully received - need this asap.

Many thanks

[tail wheel]

You seem to be missing his DH84 Dragon G-ACGG?

Built by deHavillands at Stag Lane, it was the personal aeroplane of Edward, Prince of Wales. Registered as G-ACGG 12.6.33 to HRH The Prince of Wales. C/n / msn 6025.

G-ACGG was the 2nd Dragon to be outfitted with the 'De Luxe Scheme 8' luxury interior which included a separate toilet, wash basin and luggage compartment (costing £190). The first Dragon with the Scheme Eight interior was purchased by William Lindsay Everard, MP registered as G-ACEK.

The interior was also outfitted with leather armchairs that used an aluminum frame with taller back, padded leather with red and fawn piping. The interior upholstery followed the red and fawn leather scheme with red fittings and bulk heads; there was also a clock and 'aneroid' mounted on the cabin bulkhead. The passenger compartment was sound proofed and air ducts were provided for each seat.

The fuselage was painted in the Guards Regiment scheme of deep red and dark blue, which was the Prince's favorite. The wings and tail were silver. The aircraft was sold in 1935 to Richard Shuttleworth who later created the Shuttleworth collection of historic aircraft.

Re-registered 29.4.36 to Leonard H Stace, Heston (CofR 6960). Registration cancelled 9.12.37 as sold abroad.

To Australia as VH-AAC. Impressed into RAAF Service 17/04/41 as A34-10. Sold 29.8.44 and reverted to VH-AAC with Mandated Airlines in Papua New Guinea.

Crashed at Slate Creek, New Guinea 29.1.51. Its remains were purchased by Territory Airlines in 1952 for rebuild but this was never proceeded with, and instead parts were incorporated into sister craft VH-AIA.

From memory, VH-AIA ended it's days as an agricultrural aircraft in Queensland.

I had a photo of the G-ACGG with the Prince in the cockpit which was published in the front pages of "Balus" Vol 1 by Jim Sinclair. The same photo appears HERE (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%201535.html).

Somewhere I have an amusing account of the final accident of VH-AAC. The pilot's surname was Lamb(?) and the passenger was the hospital Matron. After a further incident involving a Norseman, Lamb gave up flying and opened a photography shop.

[WHBM]

So did he fly it himself (bearing in mind the Dragon was a single pilot type), taking quite some time out of life to become and remain current, or did he employ a pilot ?

[tail wheel]

Everything I've ever read indicate Edward was a competent pilot.

Condensed from here (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%201535.html): "He learned to fly and soloed in 1929 and purchased a de Havilland Moth, built to his own order. He used this aircraft so often, always in company with a safety pilot, that he employed a full time personal pilot, Flt Lt E Fielden (later Air Vice Marshall Sir Edward Fielden). During the next few years the Prince of Wales owned many aircraft, including another Moth, four de Havilland Puss Moths, a de Havilland Dragon, an assortment of de Havilland Rapides and a special Vickers Viastra used on special occasions.

With the death of his father, King George V, the Prince of Wales chose to fly to the Accession Council which had to be held within 24hr, and in so doing became the first British monarch to fly. During his short reign he officially
formed the King's Flight with Fielden as captain, a post he held until 1961."

Indeed, I suspect that King Edward VIII is still the only reining monarch to fly an aircraft?

Read the full article.

[teeteringhead]

Slightly off track, but mention of Flt Lt Fielden stirred a memory. Mother was visiting us in married quarters at Benson, where one of the roads is named Fielden Road (or was in the early 80s anyway).

Mother, like many women of her age, had had a bit of a "pash" on the PoW in the 1930s when she was a teenager, and knew much trivia about him (and of course vehemently disliked "the Simpson woman" as she always called her).

On seeing the road sign, she confidently remarked: "Ah - named after the Prince's Pilot of course!" which at the time was news to me (I wasn't on "The Flight" of course - far too rough!)

[WHBM]

Flt Lt E Fielden (later Air Vice Marshall Sir Edward Fielden).
Boy, that was the route to the top then !
He used this aircraft so often, always in company with a safety pilot, that he employed a full time personal pilot,I was not aware that either the Fox Moth or the Dragon were Dual. So how did that work then ?

[Warmtoast]

According to The Times he arrived at Stratford-upon-Avon from Windsor in a monoplane. See extract below:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/PrinceofWales-1932.jpg


When the Prince of Wales flew to Stratford-upon-Avon 1932 he'd had his wings for three years so one would assume he had some degree of competence, enough perhaps to fly himself.

FWIW here’s a photo of three kings with wings.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/ThreeKingsandWings.jpg

Although George V wore the pilots brevet on his uniform he was never trained to fly.

The Duke of York (later George VI) served inthe RAF 1918-1919, gaining his wings in 1919.

He was followed by his brothers Edward Prince of Wales (King Edward VIII, later Duke of Windsor) in 1929 and Prince George (later Duke of Kent) in 1930.

[PPRuNe Pop]

You know, I have wondered since the seeing the current DofY in RAF uniform at the Bomber Command memorial - how etc., Although he won naval wings, AFAIK he never achieved the RAF brevet, yet wore one as a high ranking RAF officer. Anyone know different or like his brother Wessex he wears any uniform.......