BAC 1-11 Maiden Flight

[airsmiles]

Does anyone have any information about the maiden flight of the BAC 1-11 G-ASHG from Hurn? What about any photos?

As a local I would be interested to know which runway it used and where it flew on the maiden flight.

Thanks

[Jhieminga]

If no answers turn up here, you could try asking the guy who runs this site: HOME OF THE BAC 1-11 ON THE WEB (http://www.bac1-11jet.co.uk/)

[dixi188]

BAC One-Eleven maiden flight was 20th August 1963. (my 10th birthday).
It used runway 26. and was about 1800 hrs I think. The chase plane was a Jet Provost.
I saw it from the end of our road, north of Castle Lane, as it appeared above the trees.
I can't remember if it landed back at Hurn or went to Wisley.

The book to read is "The BAC One-Eleven Story" by Richard Church. (Air Britain publication)
Hope this helps.

[Brian Abraham]

From flight international | united airways | british united | 1963 | 1490 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%201490.html) Some photos on this page and two pages previous.

ONE-ELEVEN AIRBORNE
Less than an hour from sunset on August 20 the British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven made its first flight, only 27 months after the decision was taken to go ahead and build. Rarely has a new aircraft taken to the air backed with so much sound commercial hope.

The flight was watched by a crowd of several thousand BAC employees, and top executives from most of the eight operators who have ordered One-Elevens, plus one or two from airlines who haven't—yet. Hundreds more people watched from the fields and lanes around Hurn Airport. After various delays through the day due to frequent and torrential thunderstorms and last-minute adjustments to the aircraft, the taxying and accelerate/stop trials were finally completed; Jock Bryce, BAC chief test pilot, and Mike Lithgow, co-pilot, declared the aircraft ready to go when the runway had been "squeezed dry." After a run of about 1,100 yd. the One-Eleven—bearing the colours of British United Airways, the first customer—was airborne on its first flight, which lasted 28min. After the flight Mr Bryce said that "everything went according to plan; we flew to 8,000ft and did not exceed 180kt."

[airsmiles]

Many thanks for this information. Looking at the old photos of Hurn brings back some memories. If it took off from runway 26 it would have gone straight over my house at Bear Cross then. Shame I missed it!

Thanks to all

airsmiles

[hurn]

My old man used to build 'em at Hurn.

He's got a photo somewhere of the take-off of the maiden flight of G-ASHG, I'll see if he can find it.

I've also seen some photos of the one which landed on Salisbury Plain (G-ASJD?). Pictures of it being dismantled for transportation back to Hurn.
Interesting stuff.

[airsmiles]

Quite by accident, I've found this rather grainy video of the first flight on Yotube.

YouTube - BAC 1-11 First Flight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXUYR2u2RPU&feature=related)