View Full Version : Harvard formation team.
Just wondering what happened to the aircraft from the team and if they all still survive?
treadigraph
1st Oct 2022, 21:48
I recall
Tony Hutton (died a few months ago), G-AZKI, now in US
Gary Numan, G-AZSC now flying from Goodwood
Peter Snell, G-BGOU, crashed at Bourn 1985 Snell killed
Norman Lees, G-BDAM, still in UK (Lees killed in Spit crash at Goodwood c2000)
Euan English, G-TEAC, crashed near North Weald c1995, English killed.
Probably others at various times. Sad isn't it, three died in flying accidents, only Mr Numan left...
bobward
2nd Oct 2022, 16:22
Didn't Gary Numan put out a message a while ago that he'd hung up his helmet, due to friends being killed?
treadigraph
2nd Oct 2022, 16:40
Bob, yes he did. I think the loss of Norman Lees was the one that made him think again.
I really can't think of any other pilots that flew with HFT, Tony Hutton mostly flew his Beech 18 with the others in Harvards.
I really can't think of any other pilots that flew with HFT, Tony Hutton mostly flew his Beech 18 with the others in Harvards.
Pete Treadaway also used to fly the B18 in support of the Harvard Formation Team.
Killed displaying a Dragon Rapide at Audley End in 1991.
My Dad always said the Harvard was a killer.
treadigraph
3rd Oct 2022, 17:19
Vaguely recall that Peter Snell's accident appeared to be a roll inverted and pulled through at lowish level? Euan English crashed while dog-fighting with another T-6? His back-seater (son?) survived?
Distracted while at Arundel cricket a gew years ago by a Harvard pulling a very tight left turn at altitude overhead: "watch this" I said, and we saw it flick through from near knife edge left to knife edge right; presumably a deliberate demonstration of its foibles.
Was Tony Hutton the man who used to wear trainers of different colours?
Pete Treadaway also used to fly the B18 in support of the Harvard Formation Team.
Killed displaying a Dragon Rapide at Audley End in 1991.
IIRC the Rapide was ex Shuttleworth Collection.
treadigraph
6th Oct 2022, 03:14
The late Len Perry used to wear different coloured shoes I believe. The Rapide G-AHGD was owned by Michael Astor for many years and I recall it at Booker, though given his address it may well have had an association with Old Warden. Interestingly, I see the wreck was acquired by Ralph Jones at Southern Sailplanes and back on the register until "permanently withdrawn from use" a few years ago so presumably there was an intention to rebuild it.
T J Johansen
13th Oct 2022, 12:31
Tony Hutton, G-BIWX His second Harvard, this one a MK. 4. Passed through several owners and currently flying as SP-YIX in Poland.
A couple other Harvards operated by the team was:
Robs Lamplough, G-BGPB Think it took over from G-BGOU after Snell's crash in 1985. It then crashed in 1989. Rebuilt by ARCO and flown in Portuguese colors as "TAZ".
Gavin Keegan, G-CTKL used by the team in the late 80s to early 90s. Now owned by Mike Simpson and might be based at Biggin Hill.
T J
treadigraph
13th Oct 2022, 20:08
G-CTKL certainly flies out of Biggin on occasion, noticed it on ADSB yesterday. Funny how Harvards were banned there for for noise reasins fofcquite a while, various ex Portuguese AF examples arrived there circa 1979, including BGOR, BGOU, TEAC, ELLY, JUDI, but not all of those acquired by Whoever came to the UK. .. I think there were 5 in the BGO* batch... Great place for vintage hand-me-downs back then, at least one Ju-52, several T-28s, a Caribou, a Varsity, half a dozen plus T-6s, Don Bullock and Ted White kept the B-17 and A-26 there at least some of the time, plus Shipping and Airlines imported some nice American classics.
uxb99
13th Oct 2022, 20:18
Tony Hutton, G-BIWX His second Harvard, this one a MK. 4. Passed through several owners and currently flying as SP-YIX in Poland.
A couple other Harvards operated by the team was:
Robs Lamplough, G-BGPB Think it took over from G-BGOU after Snell's crash in 1985. It then crashed in 1989. Rebuilt by ARCO and flown in Portuguese colors as "TAZ".
Gavin Keegan, G-CTKL used by the team in the late 80s to early 90s. Now owned by Mike Simpson and might be based at Biggin Hill.
T J
I remember seeing the front section of an orange Harvard with a bent prop sitting in ARCO's hanger around 89, Wonder if that's the one you are referring to?
treadigraph
13th Oct 2022, 20:42
Sounds like 'GPB, it was in a yellow Canadian scheme with orange cowling.
possel
21st Oct 2022, 14:58
Vaguely recall that Peter Snell's accident appeared to be a roll inverted and pulled through at lowish level?
I recall that accident as we saw the Harvard team off from Finningley BoB display just before it. Ten years later I got my PPL at Bourn and I mentioned that crash to Lindsey Brown. He said that he'd seen that manoeuvre and knew that the pilot was not going to pull out of it.
BSAA1947
21st Oct 2022, 18:04
Euan English crashed while dog-fighting with another T-6? His back-seater (son?) survived?
Yes, his son Nick English was with him and was seriously injured in the accident. Nick and his brother Giles later founded Bremont watches.