DeHavilland Dove Pic
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G-ASMG
The usual pilot of the Dove in those days was I believe Dick Whittington ( Jock Harvey was a fitter ).
It was the truly tragic you-wouldn't-believe-it-in-a-film incident when John Cunningham was taking up a HS125 with a Chinese delegation of hopefully potential customers for that aircraft, with Dick Whittington in the right hand seat for a change, when they had a multiple bird-strike just after wheels up, knocking out both engines.
Cunningham did a good job of belly landing across the main Guildford A281 road into a field, and all got out.
It was only later that the fire service discovered pieces of car, and it became horribly apparent that Dick's wife had parked off the end of the runway, with their children, 'to watch daddy'.
They were all killed. Dick took a while off, then resumed flying, but it was only just short of his retirement.
In later years, G-ASMG was flown by most of the Harrier & Hawk Test Pilots ( I remember a landing by John Farley which was so smooth we literally didn't know we were on the ground until the scenery slowed to an unfeasible rate then we taxied & stopped ).
A lot of the comms' flying in later years ( mid 1980's ) was by Chris Darwin, ex-FAA Phantom pilot, a delight to fly with who really enjoyed being in the air - surprisingly, I can think of some Test Pilots who didn't feel that way, and would snag any aircraft presented to them as long as they got their pay.
John Farley was altogether more willing, of course !
Mike Oliver, Test Pilot on the Gnat and ex-racing driver, was usually Operations Manager in the pilots' tower, but often flew the Dove or Piper Seminole for me on photo - sorties.
DZ
It was the truly tragic you-wouldn't-believe-it-in-a-film incident when John Cunningham was taking up a HS125 with a Chinese delegation of hopefully potential customers for that aircraft, with Dick Whittington in the right hand seat for a change, when they had a multiple bird-strike just after wheels up, knocking out both engines.
Cunningham did a good job of belly landing across the main Guildford A281 road into a field, and all got out.
It was only later that the fire service discovered pieces of car, and it became horribly apparent that Dick's wife had parked off the end of the runway, with their children, 'to watch daddy'.
They were all killed. Dick took a while off, then resumed flying, but it was only just short of his retirement.
In later years, G-ASMG was flown by most of the Harrier & Hawk Test Pilots ( I remember a landing by John Farley which was so smooth we literally didn't know we were on the ground until the scenery slowed to an unfeasible rate then we taxied & stopped ).
A lot of the comms' flying in later years ( mid 1980's ) was by Chris Darwin, ex-FAA Phantom pilot, a delight to fly with who really enjoyed being in the air - surprisingly, I can think of some Test Pilots who didn't feel that way, and would snag any aircraft presented to them as long as they got their pay.
John Farley was altogether more willing, of course !
Mike Oliver, Test Pilot on the Gnat and ex-racing driver, was usually Operations Manager in the pilots' tower, but often flew the Dove or Piper Seminole for me on photo - sorties.
DZ
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Here's a snap I took of ZK-DHW at North Shore airfield, Auckland on 24th March 2007.
ZK-DHW DH104 Dove 8. North Shore Aerodrome New Zealand. 24 March 2007 :: ZKDHW.jpg :: Fotopic.Net
ZK-DHW DH104 Dove 8. North Shore Aerodrome New Zealand. 24 March 2007 :: ZKDHW.jpg :: Fotopic.Net
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Double Zero.
I remember Ted Trodd (think the spelling is correct), flight shed electrician.
The name of the flight shed foreman escapes me (well it was 42 years ago), but I recall seeing him in the photos taken during the rollout of the prototype Hawk in 1974.
A graduate apprentice from Kingston managed to "scrounge" a flight in G-ASMG with Dick Whittington, I think they went to Larkhill, then Hatfield.
Ciarain.
I remember Ted Trodd (think the spelling is correct), flight shed electrician.
The name of the flight shed foreman escapes me (well it was 42 years ago), but I recall seeing him in the photos taken during the rollout of the prototype Hawk in 1974.
A graduate apprentice from Kingston managed to "scrounge" a flight in G-ASMG with Dick Whittington, I think they went to Larkhill, then Hatfield.
Ciarain.
Double Zero
Dick W, sadly, passed away last year. He had suffered from a throat complaint which made speaking difficult. I met him via my partner and her friend (both ex Dunsfold) and did some computer sorting-out for him.
He was a pleasant and generous man and made no mention to me of his appalling misfortune - I only knew of it from my partner.
Dick W, sadly, passed away last year. He had suffered from a throat complaint which made speaking difficult. I met him via my partner and her friend (both ex Dunsfold) and did some computer sorting-out for him.
He was a pleasant and generous man and made no mention to me of his appalling misfortune - I only knew of it from my partner.
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Hi DZ,
The port flap jack linkage eye bolt failed, and the failure appears consistent with progressive fatigue failure which reached ultimate strength limit on this flight and failed instantaneously.
Regards,
HectorusRex
The port flap jack linkage eye bolt failed, and the failure appears consistent with progressive fatigue failure which reached ultimate strength limit on this flight and failed instantaneously.
Regards,
HectorusRex
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Thanks to all for the various info'.
I'd heard Dick Whittington had motor neurone problems oncoming, if anyone had suffered enough already it was him...
I've asked my father, Stan Lawson, who was a fitter in production at the time of the 1st Hawk, XX154, later a chargehand in Experimental usually looking after trials Harriers.
He remembers Ted Trogg, he was an electrician usually on night shift. Not too sure of the chargehand on 154 but it may have been 'Knocker' Brett.
I remember being secreted in to look at XX154 just before her 1st flight, aged 12.
In 2006, when the new owners of Dunsfold decided to hold a ( surprisingly good ) airshow, XX154 came ' back home ', supported by her current groundcrew from Boscombe ( Hi Baz & co ! ).
Duncan Simpson was there to meet her, and the media + me to record their reunion.
I covered the show too, which in my opinion has steadily gone downhill in subsequent years, and meanwhile I've discovered what that lot are really like, so they won't be getting another 600+ free photo's out of me.
Duncan is now President of Tangmere Museum, where I'm a volunteer, since the passing of Neville Duke, he's a very approachable and enjoyable person to talk to; he suffered throat damage when ejecting from the 1st 2-seat Harrier, so I think speaking is a bit of a strain, but he's very willing.
I'm still in occasional e-mail contact with Mike Oliver, who seems well and was kind enough to send me some signed Gnat photo's recently, and John Farley who lives fairly locally.
The chargehand usually in charge of G-ASMG and later the Jetstream GB-WWW ( on lease from the Distillers' Group ! ) was Harold West.
It was very noticable that while the Dove was usually available to say, take us groundcrew to Scotland for fairly frequent test range work, ( we even had an HS125 on one occasion ) with the advent of the Jetstream availability dropped off markedly, apparently those actually contributing to aircraft development weren't important enough, but it was OK to fly it empty to Scotland with nothing but a Director's golf clubs on board !
Andy
I'd heard Dick Whittington had motor neurone problems oncoming, if anyone had suffered enough already it was him...
I've asked my father, Stan Lawson, who was a fitter in production at the time of the 1st Hawk, XX154, later a chargehand in Experimental usually looking after trials Harriers.
He remembers Ted Trogg, he was an electrician usually on night shift. Not too sure of the chargehand on 154 but it may have been 'Knocker' Brett.
I remember being secreted in to look at XX154 just before her 1st flight, aged 12.
In 2006, when the new owners of Dunsfold decided to hold a ( surprisingly good ) airshow, XX154 came ' back home ', supported by her current groundcrew from Boscombe ( Hi Baz & co ! ).
Duncan Simpson was there to meet her, and the media + me to record their reunion.
I covered the show too, which in my opinion has steadily gone downhill in subsequent years, and meanwhile I've discovered what that lot are really like, so they won't be getting another 600+ free photo's out of me.
Duncan is now President of Tangmere Museum, where I'm a volunteer, since the passing of Neville Duke, he's a very approachable and enjoyable person to talk to; he suffered throat damage when ejecting from the 1st 2-seat Harrier, so I think speaking is a bit of a strain, but he's very willing.
I'm still in occasional e-mail contact with Mike Oliver, who seems well and was kind enough to send me some signed Gnat photo's recently, and John Farley who lives fairly locally.
The chargehand usually in charge of G-ASMG and later the Jetstream GB-WWW ( on lease from the Distillers' Group ! ) was Harold West.
It was very noticable that while the Dove was usually available to say, take us groundcrew to Scotland for fairly frequent test range work, ( we even had an HS125 on one occasion ) with the advent of the Jetstream availability dropped off markedly, apparently those actually contributing to aircraft development weren't important enough, but it was OK to fly it empty to Scotland with nothing but a Director's golf clubs on board !
Andy
HS125 bird-strike at Dunsfold
Double Zero,
Re your post number #21. I believe the pilot occupying the right hand seat was a Mr D H Wingate, and not Dick Whittington himself. The passing car, so tragically struck by the 125, was indeed driven by Dick's wife, but was travelling along the A281 and returning from a school run. In addition to Dick's wife and two young daughters, three other schoolgirls were killed.
Re your post number #21. I believe the pilot occupying the right hand seat was a Mr D H Wingate, and not Dick Whittington himself. The passing car, so tragically struck by the 125, was indeed driven by Dick's wife, but was travelling along the A281 and returning from a school run. In addition to Dick's wife and two young daughters, three other schoolgirls were killed.
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Spekesoftly,
I think you're right, Dick W. was probably on the 'field but not actually in the 125.
I'll dig out Paul McCue's book ' Dunsfold - Surrey's Most Secret Airfield ' which mentions the accident, but sure you are right & I was wrong - just checked with my father who saw the smoke etc from the hangars ( I was a schoolboy then ) - and he confirms D.W. was not actually aboard, for what difference it made...
I think you're right, Dick W. was probably on the 'field but not actually in the 125.
I'll dig out Paul McCue's book ' Dunsfold - Surrey's Most Secret Airfield ' which mentions the accident, but sure you are right & I was wrong - just checked with my father who saw the smoke etc from the hangars ( I was a schoolboy then ) - and he confirms D.W. was not actually aboard, for what difference it made...
Hi double Zero
Have you got any pics of XX154 when we brought her to Dunsfold in 2004 ??I think it was 2004 because it was the 30th anniversary of her first flight,which is partly why we were invited.
It was a great day out for me and I even got to tow the old girl out of the Flight Shed using that wreck of a tractor they had,the promised driver never turned up on the monday but luckily i had asked him where the tractor was parked and how to start it !!
We dont get the chance to take the Boscombe Hawks to airshows normally so it was a rare treat
regards LR
Have you got any pics of XX154 when we brought her to Dunsfold in 2004 ??I think it was 2004 because it was the 30th anniversary of her first flight,which is partly why we were invited.
It was a great day out for me and I even got to tow the old girl out of the Flight Shed using that wreck of a tractor they had,the promised driver never turned up on the monday but luckily i had asked him where the tractor was parked and how to start it !!
We dont get the chance to take the Boscombe Hawks to airshows normally so it was a rare treat
regards LR
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Hi,
Yes it was a rare treat seeing 154 coming in, and Duncan Simpson - the Test Pilot who'd done the first take-off, there to meet her.
I photographed Baz & all you guys, but unfortunately it was using ' Dunsfold Park 's camera; at the airshow a couple of days later I took over 640 shots for them, barely got a thankyou and had to fight for a ticket the next year !
The best ( only ) person to contact is Jerry Forristal, the 2ic, who actuallaly knows an aeroplane from an Aardvark, and is a good guy to help out when he can.
When I took those group shots of your team I asked specifically that you each got a copy; it speaks billions that you haven't got one yet.
I'm sorry, I don't have any of those shots myself, but do have some earlier shots of various happenings above or around Dunsfold - 1979 -93.
Dunsfold Park ( Rutland Group property developers ) hoped to build 2,600 houses on the site and I kid you not, dig up the relatively new laid runway for a ditch, & link it to the Wey & Arun canal to allow 'waterside proprties' !!!
I thought I was having my leg pulled when first told about it, but then I saw the plans - which have since been rejected as for a start the tiny local roads, & the busy / lethal A281 couldn't begin to stand it but they're appealing, etc.
There's a campaign against such desecetaion of an historic airfield; guess which side I'm on !
PM for details.
Regards,
DZ
Yes it was a rare treat seeing 154 coming in, and Duncan Simpson - the Test Pilot who'd done the first take-off, there to meet her.
I photographed Baz & all you guys, but unfortunately it was using ' Dunsfold Park 's camera; at the airshow a couple of days later I took over 640 shots for them, barely got a thankyou and had to fight for a ticket the next year !
The best ( only ) person to contact is Jerry Forristal, the 2ic, who actuallaly knows an aeroplane from an Aardvark, and is a good guy to help out when he can.
When I took those group shots of your team I asked specifically that you each got a copy; it speaks billions that you haven't got one yet.
I'm sorry, I don't have any of those shots myself, but do have some earlier shots of various happenings above or around Dunsfold - 1979 -93.
Dunsfold Park ( Rutland Group property developers ) hoped to build 2,600 houses on the site and I kid you not, dig up the relatively new laid runway for a ditch, & link it to the Wey & Arun canal to allow 'waterside proprties' !!!
I thought I was having my leg pulled when first told about it, but then I saw the plans - which have since been rejected as for a start the tiny local roads, & the busy / lethal A281 couldn't begin to stand it but they're appealing, etc.
There's a campaign against such desecetaion of an historic airfield; guess which side I'm on !
PM for details.
Regards,
DZ
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To Plank Cap
Re Plank Caps' photo (post 16) of the Dove at Sharjah: It is not "G-AJPR" as painted but a Dove 6 c/n 04469. It was on the Italian register as I-TONY and then became G-ARDE before being repainted as 'JPR.
The photo of the cockpit is in fact of the Heron in the same museum hangar. As the Dove is hanging from the roof there is no easy access to it.
Even the Heron is not what it seems:
"G-ANFE" is actually c/n 14072, a Heron 2 originally VR-NAQ, then G-ARKU. In 1961 it was transferred to the Royal Navy, and converted to a Sea Heron C20 (XR443). Withdrawn from use in 1989 it was sold as G-ORSJ, later changed to G-ODLG. Sold again in 1993 it became VH-NJP with Heron Airlines in Australia. It was acquired for the museum and painted to represent G-ANFE in 2003. There is the c/n on a plate just behind the co-pilot's head "14072", and also a hand-written "NJP" on the captain's roof
Furthermore, an Anson "G-AKVW" is C19 ex TX183. Its service career finished in 1968. It was sold to the Shuttleworth Trust, who were planning on a restoration, but that never came to fruition. It was registered G-BSMF.
A DC3 "G-AMZZ" has a tiny label on the roof between the pilots "C-GCXE". It is c/n12254, a C47A 42-92452 passed to the RAF at Montreal as FZ669. It served with the RAF in Canada until 1946 when it was officially transfered to the RCAF. In 1976 it became C-GCXE with Aero Trades Western. Cancelled from the Canadian register in 1977, it next appeared on the Dominican register as HI-502. Re-registered as N688EA in 1993.
So these "Gulf Aviation" aircraft are not that at all!
Laurence
The photo of the cockpit is in fact of the Heron in the same museum hangar. As the Dove is hanging from the roof there is no easy access to it.
Even the Heron is not what it seems:
"G-ANFE" is actually c/n 14072, a Heron 2 originally VR-NAQ, then G-ARKU. In 1961 it was transferred to the Royal Navy, and converted to a Sea Heron C20 (XR443). Withdrawn from use in 1989 it was sold as G-ORSJ, later changed to G-ODLG. Sold again in 1993 it became VH-NJP with Heron Airlines in Australia. It was acquired for the museum and painted to represent G-ANFE in 2003. There is the c/n on a plate just behind the co-pilot's head "14072", and also a hand-written "NJP" on the captain's roof
Furthermore, an Anson "G-AKVW" is C19 ex TX183. Its service career finished in 1968. It was sold to the Shuttleworth Trust, who were planning on a restoration, but that never came to fruition. It was registered G-BSMF.
A DC3 "G-AMZZ" has a tiny label on the roof between the pilots "C-GCXE". It is c/n12254, a C47A 42-92452 passed to the RAF at Montreal as FZ669. It served with the RAF in Canada until 1946 when it was officially transfered to the RCAF. In 1976 it became C-GCXE with Aero Trades Western. Cancelled from the Canadian register in 1977, it next appeared on the Dominican register as HI-502. Re-registered as N688EA in 1993.
So these "Gulf Aviation" aircraft are not that at all!
Laurence
Last edited by l.garey; 4th Mar 2009 at 13:17. Reason: Corrected a typo
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dick wittington
Correct dick wittington was not on the flight he was standing next to me in front of the static tank and we both watched the hs125 hit the flock of birds, i in fact had to give a statement to that fact. I worked in production on flying controls , i beleave flight shed foreman at the time of xx154 was bob goodfellow snr. hope that helps.
