Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF which Alex Henshaw flew to Cape Town and back in 1939, setting a record which stood for 70 years. This photo was taken at Luton around 1954 when it had been modified with the awful raise canopy for Peter Clifford of Oxford (there was very limited forward view from the ‘Cape canopy’). It was sold in 1961 and the canopy restored. Unfortunately, this aircraft has suffered several accidents over the years and has been extensively rebuilt each time. It is now resident at Shuttleworth Old Warden where it flies regularly but little remains of the original airframe. Alex Henshaw’s story of the Cape trip is told in his book Flight of the Mew Gull (1980).
This negative took extensive repairs to make it as good as this and I am grateful to BAE Systems Heritage, Warton, for the work they do. Hunting Percival Archive.
