Miles Falcon G-ADTD

[fauteuil volant]

Does any forum member have any information, recollection or photographs of Miles Falcon Six G-ADTD which crashed into the sea off Angmering, West Sussex, on 21 September 1962 killing its pilot, Geoffrey Marler, and destroying the aeroplane?

[S'land]

Photograph here:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1062963/

Brief info here:

http://members.aol.com/warwicaero/milesaircraft/aircraft/m03afhis.htm

Falcon Six M. 3B(D) 255 G-ADTD Crashed Thruxton England 1962 Known History: CoA issued to Maddox Airways Ltd, Brooklands on the 4th February 1936; To Vickers Aviation Ltd, Brooklands in February 1936; During 1939-45?, Vickers communications aircraft during war. When modified to M.3D standard, it became Miles communications aircraft.; To Miles Aircraft Ltd, Woodley in February 1946; To R.S. Turner, Woodley in May 1948; To Wiltshire School Of Flying Ltd, Thruxton during February 1951; To G.C. Marler, Thruxton in May 1959; On the 21st September 1962 it crashed when it hit a tree, and went into the sea off Angmering, Sussex. Owner, Geoffrey Marler was killed in the crash;

[fauteuil volant]

Thanks S'land. I've got the basic information - that which is available on the web; local newspaper reports; some contempory recollections; and suchlike. What I had hoped is that someone on the forum - probably no spring chicken now - might be able to add, from their own knowledge, to what little there is recorded about Geoffrey Marler, this Falcon or the demise of both in 1962.

[skydivernigel]

I went to a prep school (Ladycross, awful place) in Seaford, Sussex 1967-1971. One of the boys, Marler's (IDR his first name) dad was said to have died in an airshow crash. I'm guessing Cecil Geoffrey Marler was his dad. He was a couple of years older than me, super nice kid, with a big mop of curly hair.

[fauteuil volant]

I suspect that your schoolmate would have been either Christopher Marler (who would have been about 11 in 1967) or Nicholas Marler (who would have been about 9 in 1967).

[brakedwell]

I am sorry for the diversion, but I have had a question mark in my my mind about a Miles Hawk Speed Six in Lincolnshire around 1957. I had almost finished a Vampire Course at RAF Swinderby when someone on the course talked me into investing twenty quid in a Taylorcraft plus 6 which was owned by a local plumber and was kept in a hangar at an old bomber airfield at Bardney. A Miles Hawk was the only other aircraft in the rather tatty old hangar and was owned by the Sports Club of a Doncaster Steel Works, I think. Anyway, we tried to contact the club boss, but failed. Had we succeeded we would have asked for permission to fly the Miles Hawk Speed Six. I would love to know what happened to what looked like a beautiful aircraft.

[JW411]

John; it's a hangar not a hanger.

[brakedwell]

Corrected Jock.

[VictorGolf]

It's in one of the hangars at the Shuttleworth Collection.

[brakedwell]

Thanks, I really liked the look of that aircraft!

[Fargo Boyle]

Miles Hawk Speed Six | Shuttleworth (https://www.shuttleworth.org/collection/hawk-speed-six/) Miles didn't build too many ugly aeroplanes!

[sandringham1]

This history forum has more information http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=730.0

Richard

Just noticed that the original request for info was way back in 2008.

[Planemike]

Re: The Miles Hawk Speed Six.... Only three were built. G-ACTE was exported in Sept 37. G-ADOD crashed at Gwelo in Southern Rhodesia in October 36.
This leaves G-ADGP which is, of course, still extant. However in 57 it was in the ownership of Ron Paine. Possible it could have been in a "tatty hangar" at Bardney but I have my doubts....In 57 there were still quite a few Hawk Trainers around: more likely it was one of these.....(in my opinion) !!.

[VictorGolf]

But would a Hawk Trainer qualify as a "beautiful aircraft" as remembered by the poster?

[brakedwell]

I can’t remember if it had one or two seats, but the owner of the Taylorcraft reckoned it was a Hawk Speed Six. Anyway we were more interested in getting The Taylorcraft/Auster airborne after filling up with two jerrycans of petrol. After all, we were meant to be jet pilots!

[Planemike]

But would a Hawk Trainer qualify as a "beautiful aircraft" as remembered by the poster?

Well, they do say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"....!! Just think a Hawk Trainer is a more likely candidate.
"""Miles didn't build too many ugly aeroplanes! "" OK.....Try the Miles Aerovan.....!!!

[Dan Dare]

The Shuttleworth Hawk Speed Six was apparently being boxed-up to be shipped to USA in the 90s when Roger Mills (a gentleman deserving of his own thread with many tales to tell) intervened.

[Planemike]

The Shuttleworth Hawk Speed Six was apparently being boxed-up to be shipped to USA in the 90s when Roger Mills (a gentleman deserving of his own thread with many tales to tell) intervened.

I well recall meeting Roger Mills, I think it was at AEROEXPO at Booker, immediately after he had purchased the aircraft. Quite rightly he was so pleased that he had been able to keep it in this country.... It would have been such a shame to see it go to the USA where its significance would have been completely overlooked.