During the past week I received the image below from Adrian Batchelor who worked with HPB Aviation at Leavesden for over 20 years (in their paintshop department) and who has been involved in repainting a number of aircraft which have featured on Nostalgia including G-AWOL and G-EORR. Most notably however, Adrian was involved in repainting Tommy Sopwith's Ecureuil G-GINA (the UK's first AS350) and has kindly sent us this photo which he took after completing the job:
Endeavour Aviation's AS350 G-GINA at Leavesden Aerodrome in 1981 after being resprayed by HPB Aviation (Photo: Adrian Batchelor)
Sir Thomas Sopwith (Tommy's father): Who lived to be 101 and built over 18,000 aircraft during the First World War including the iconic 'Camel'
Tommy Sopwith in 1958 winning a Rally with a Sunbeam Rapier (I think)
Besides racing cars and flying helicopters, Tommy was a keen competitor in power boat races:
Tommy Sopwith's 'Avenger' powerboat which he raced throughout the 70's and wearing his '007' numbers
In 1968 Tommy won the Cowes boat race with his craft 'Telstar'. The favourite had been Charles Gardner's 'Surfury' (one of the fastest boats in Britain at the time) but ..
“As we approached Torquay I had seen a helicopter flying low back toward the Isle of Wight, I assumed there was a race boat there and that it was likely Sopwith. I didn’t want to believe it, but there was a nasty feeling at the back of my neck….!”
Tommy Sopwith and the crew of 'Telstar' at the Winners' Berth of the 1968 Cowes boat race. Charles Gardner arrives in his craft 'Surfury' "stunned" to find Sopwith had arrived before him and relegating him and the crew of 'Surfury' to that of runners up
Tommy's smaller craft, Telstar, had won over Surfury through a choice of tactics in which Sopwith stole victory under the noses of Gardner and his crew by selecting a calmer inland course.
Charlie Gardner's Surfury racing (and winning) in the previous years' Cowes event (1967)
Present in the shot above is a float-equipped Alouette II and which, one surmises, is none other than G-AVEE (aka F-BNKZ) and which we discussed on page
46.
The Alouette had been hired by the BBC to provide aerial shots of the race which was commentated on by the late great Raymond Baxter.
Raymond Baxter seen here in front of a SEPECAT Jaguar at RAF Laarbruch in 1976 and who provided commentary for the Cowes boat race
Oddly, the late Raymond Baxter bears an uncanny resemblance to my doctor!
More Sopwith Files on pages
33 &
35.