I wanted to put a short Aircraft History under a scan (not very good due Age of the original) of a picture I had taken at the Croydon Airshow Show of 1980. that will be posted on one of my Web Sites. However I have got extremely involved as even outside its time with Alex Henshaw the Aircraft has led a fascinating life.
Question 1: Ernie Crabtree (corrected from Eric Grabtree) Force Landed G-AEXF at RAF Cetterick on the 6 Aug 1965 - He is always shown as owner, yet John Appleyard is still shown as registered owner until the 1st August and then registered to Northern Air Taxis on the 10th August 1965. So was Eric the owner?
Question 2: North Air Taxis were registered owners of the Aircraft from August 65
until 11 October 1968when they notified the CAA that the Aircraft was PWfU.
But when did they sell/give to a Museum?
Question 3 - Which Museum?
I know it was at Squires Gate in 1970 when vandalised
Question 4 - John Batt Registered the Aircraft in 1970 - Was this a rescue attempt that didn't get off the ground?
Question 5 and Last - Before buying G-AEXF John Penrose did a trial flight with the Aircraft and had the bad luck to break it on landing (all sources agree it wasn't his fault), but none state the date. Any ideas?
I think I have got most of the rest of the history straight (including its time in France during the War, although if anyone knows how M. Victor Vermoral was killed it would satisfy my morbid curiosity).
Whilst discovering the 'facts' has been an interesting journey, it has shown the limitation of many Interent Sources as there are too many contraditions between them.
Oh and here is a 640x480 Pix of the Scan:
