G-AEXF Mew Gull - Some Questions UPDATE
This updates what I think I now know since the questions waere originally poseted:
Question 1: Ernie Crabtree 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 Ernie the owner?
J.E.G Appleyard stopped advertising XF in April 1965. I suspect title of the
passed to Ernie Crabtree immediately after, but no one bothered to register the change, until after the accident at Catterick on the 9th August 65. Thanks to Treadigraph I now know that Ernie Crabtree and Northern Air Taxis are effectively one and the same.
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?
Ernie Crabtree advertised XF in Flight in February 1966. I suspect he donated to HAPS shortly after, but this is still unclear as the Aircraft was not advised as Permanently Withdrawn from Use until Oct 68.
Question 3 - Which Museum?
I know it was at Squires Gate in 1970 when vandalised
Historic Aircraft Preservation Society (HAPS) at Booker and thence to Reflectaire Ltd first at Booker, then Squires Gate. Wings Sawn off at Booker, further vandalised at Squires Gate
Question 4 - John Batt Registered the Aircraft in 1970 - Was this a rescue attempt that didn't get off the ground?
The short Answer is YES. John Robert (Bob) Batt did acquire XF as a restoration, but it appears discovered attempting it was beyond him and passed the Airframe to Barraclough and Storey, plus sundry items he had transferred to Sothend. Obviously a Percival fan, Bob Batt owned a Proctor and a Prentice.
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?
Currently either Spring 85, or 86.
Add to that the crash at old Warden Date
Finally for this post:
Up until the transfer of XF to HAPS I am as 'happy' as I am ever going to be, that I have traced the History of XF. Although the circumstances of the killing of Victor Vermoral are still a mystery. One trivial item passed to me in another place was that Hugh Scrope whilst in France recovering XF was told by a Clairvoyant that anyone who owned XF would suffer ill fortune!