Avro York G-AGJE and the Olympic equestrian team 1952

[micpap]

Hi all,

I am trying to find as much info as possible on a Skyways of London (Lancashire Aircraft Corporation) Avro York G-AGJE that carried the British equestrian team to the Helsinki Olympic games in July 1952. My intention is to build a highly detailed and as accurate as possible model in 1/48 scale using the wings of a Lancaster bomber.

So far I have been able to find scattered info on the subject but my major problem what the interior of the aircraft looked like.

I will greatly appreciate any form of help, I believe it is a very unique and interesting modelling subject that is worth researching and building.

Thank you very much in advance

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/768x1014/skyways_pax_interior_001_768x1014_5562393f87f24a2178dd18791e 300ae6e69c4a0b.jpg
Photocredit Dunsfold Airfield History Society.





https://www.britishpathe.com/video/oly12-horses-for-helsinki/query/harry+llewellyn

I assume you have seen this news clip. Brief detail shown of Foxhunter's accommodation. Perhaps the seating forward of the horses was similar to that depicted in this image from a Skyways York?

[micpap]

Thank you very much for your reply and your interest in my topic.

This image shows the aft section of a cabin from a late 40s "First Class passenger aircraft" with a seating capacity of approximately 20 passengers.

With reference to a CAA airworthiness approval note 2116 dated 5/3/1952 (4 months before the Olympics) the capacity of the aircraft was 52 passengers and 4 crew. It is also mentioned that the type of seat in this aircraft was Rumbold M.348 / 349 but I have been unable to find what this type of seat looked like. It also appears that whilst loading the aircraft with horses, there were a few foldable passenger seats in front of the cargo hold hatch which I have identified as being Rumbold LAR/143 but I do not know what was installed at the front of the aircraft. What I also know is that the back of the aircraft had been stripped of seats to accommodate three or four horses whilst at the front there were seats for riders and grooms.

The sources for the above info are AANs from the National archives, an article from flight global archives August 1952 and Air Britain's "Lancaster to York" by Derek A King.

Once again thank you very much for your reply and I really hope that I will be able to clarify the picture as the research goes on.

[David Rayment]

Mmmm! Nice seats. Fancy 11.5 hours as in Gander to Bovingdon

David R

[treadigraph]

Great idea and hope you will share some pics of the completed project in due course.

Friend of mine built this York (http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal8/7801-7900/gal7854-York-Aibara/00.shtm) using the Tamiya Lanc wings, though his interior was rather less ambitious!

Good luck!

[Self loading bear]

In Duxford they have a York.
It looks to have a special seat but that can of course be of a different aircraft.
But you can always ask them what they know about it.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/750x1334/04600f74_1087_456f_b5f6_f71848d6ca53_efba2e7558c0e3da25a0555 4eb7d7bff38ed77e5.png

Further I found a photo of second class seats but folded down


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/799x544/ef3d7533_8c49_4f4b_87f2_d3cba3c36123_223c459e7a608f597e168db df3eb85fa2affc2ff.jpeg

success with your search and project!

[Fareastdriver]

Where's the spare drum of engine oil?

[The AvgasDinosaur]

You could always try and locate a copy of John W.E. Newby’s incredible book Skyways-Byways.
It’s a very comprehensive history of the airline.
Sadly it’s quite rare these days.
Be lucky
david

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1500x2000/cpqmhxywaaaiuda_jpg_large_york_ada51668f676a1d8fdc93d3f911d8 2fe0508a1c3.jpg

[micpap]

You could always try and locate a copy of John W.E. Newby’s incredible book Skyways-Byways.
It’s a very comprehensive history of the airline.
Sadly it’s quite rare these days.
Be lucky
david


Thank you very much for the suggestion, I have ordered this book from Watrstones, estimated delivery 3 weeks... Hopefully I will get it some time soon

[micpap]

Thank you very much for the image, any idea what book this page is from?

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Thank you very much for the image, any idea what book this page is from?

Well, I pinched those images off Twitter. However a bit of digging reveals the book is called 'Foxhunter' (In Pictures) by Col Harry Llewellyn published 1952 by Hodder.
Plenty of copies available.

[micpap]

Thank you all very much for your comments and suggestions,

I was wondering if anyone has any information on the Olympic flights themselves concerning dates, number of passengers etc. Interestingly enough in the picture above you can see the foldable seats I was referring to just in front of the cargo hold hatch.

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Have you looked on the thread 'RAF Bovingdon 1960s' ? There is a little bit of newsreel footage of some of the Olympic Team boarding a Skyways York.

[sandiego89]

What a great modeling subject. Wonder if those lucky horses appreciated the thrill of being next to those Merlins! :)