G-AEXF Mew Gull - Some Questions
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Douglas,
When transcribing the urls, I added www. in error. The battle's description therefore is at: Le drame du Vercors
and the plaque is at http://pagesperso-orange.fr/espacesa...lyon/drome.pdf
The third one merely refers to his building a second hangar in 1938 for his personal aircraft: aroclub with apols for the dud links!
vbrgds
Alan
When transcribing the urls, I added www. in error. The battle's description therefore is at: Le drame du Vercors
and the plaque is at http://pagesperso-orange.fr/espacesa...lyon/drome.pdf
The third one merely refers to his building a second hangar in 1938 for his personal aircraft: aroclub with apols for the dud links!
vbrgds
Alan
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atb1943
Thanks for the Links Update and now I will just go away and try to remember sufficient French to translate them (I was one of Count Spani's few failures in this regard back in the day). On Second thoughts I'll ask Google to do it on the fly!
Thanks again Alan.
Douglas.
Thanks for the Links Update and now I will just go away and try to remember sufficient French to translate them (I was one of Count Spani's few failures in this regard back in the day). On Second thoughts I'll ask Google to do it on the fly!
Thanks again Alan.
Douglas.
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You ought to get in touch with Tony Bianchi at Personal Plane Services High Wycombe.His Father Doug Bianchi had it in his Hangar at White Waltham after the war.I believe it had been in France ,but was chopped in half over there to stop it being flown.Bianchi brought it back to England in bits with ,I think, Peter Cliffords help.Tony has a excellent Oil Painting of it on trestles in his Fathers hangar,at White Waltham in the late 40s.It sits on the wall in his office.By the way,when it was rebuilt again in the early 80s,Brian Smith brought it to Old Warden,and He and I (flying Hawk Speed 6 GADGP) flew in formation at Shuttleworth at the Air Show there,which was the first time they had flown together since before the War.Des then flew the Speed 6 several times before he purchased the Mew Gull.
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Bianchi brought it back to England in bits with ,I think, Peter Cliffords help
I've just been reading a truly delightful article by Doug Bianchi in a 1977 copy of Pilot about how he got the decidedly battered and neglected Mew flying again in France, then Hugh Scrope flew it back to Blackbushe!
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Hi Tredders!
Does the article also explain how the Mew Gull actually changed hands, either before or after the war?
I am intrigued as to how they got to know each other (Alex and VV) - is it mentioned anywhere?
brgds
Alan
Does the article also explain how the Mew Gull actually changed hands, either before or after the war?
I am intrigued as to how they got to know each other (Alex and VV) - is it mentioned anywhere?
brgds
Alan
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Hi,
Don't think it mentions much about how it got to France, but certainly there is something about how Hugh Scrope came to acquire it!
I'll make it available this evening - even if adds nothing much to Opssys's knowledge, the article is wonderful to read.
I think Pilot or PPS should try and make the collective jottings of Doug Bianchi available in a book - like Brian Lecomber, he had a happy knack of weaving fact and humour together.
Incidentally, it includes the well known pic of three Mew Gulls parked together. I'd never noticed before that they were all bereft of their spinners. Anyone know why this might be?
Don't think it mentions much about how it got to France, but certainly there is something about how Hugh Scrope came to acquire it!
I'll make it available this evening - even if adds nothing much to Opssys's knowledge, the article is wonderful to read.
I think Pilot or PPS should try and make the collective jottings of Doug Bianchi available in a book - like Brian Lecomber, he had a happy knack of weaving fact and humour together.
Incidentally, it includes the well known pic of three Mew Gulls parked together. I'd never noticed before that they were all bereft of their spinners. Anyone know why this might be?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Have created a PDF of the above article, but signally failed to find somewhere to post it on t'net! My Google account seems to require people to log in now...
Therefore anyone who'd like a copy can email me at [email protected] and I'll send a copy - it's about 700kb.
Cheers
Treadders
Therefore anyone who'd like a copy can email me at [email protected] and I'll send a copy - it's about 700kb.
Cheers
Treadders
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Final bit of information - I've just obtained a copy of Leslie Hunt's 'Veteran and Vintage Aircraft' - Fourth Edition (Revised) of 1974. It shows XF as registered to Norman Jones at Redhill as follows:
Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF c/n E22 ex Zs-AHM, winner of King's Cup 1938 and 1955, UK-Cape and back record etc:Restoration by M. Barraclough and Ptrs. Possibly at Hanwell, but will fly here when restored.
Hope that is of use.
Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF c/n E22 ex Zs-AHM, winner of King's Cup 1938 and 1955, UK-Cape and back record etc:Restoration by M. Barraclough and Ptrs. Possibly at Hanwell, but will fly here when restored.
Hope that is of use.
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Gentlemen.
Thanks for the Updates since my last post.
My Plans have been disrupted by pressing issues and other projects which (quite rightly) people have been pressing me to deliver.
Once I am clear of these I will post a PDF with Part 1 of the History of XF from Construction to the end of the Appleyard ownership.
This will give all those following this thread a chance to see what I have done and provide suggestions, criticism, or corrections.
Opssys
Thanks for the Updates since my last post.
My Plans have been disrupted by pressing issues and other projects which (quite rightly) people have been pressing me to deliver.
Once I am clear of these I will post a PDF with Part 1 of the History of XF from Construction to the end of the Appleyard ownership.
This will give all those following this thread a chance to see what I have done and provide suggestions, criticism, or corrections.
Opssys
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The Mew Gull Article by Doug Bianchi
The article converted into a PDF by treadigraph is on now online:
Return of a Thoroughbred
Many thanks Tredders
Opssys
Return of a Thoroughbred
Many thanks Tredders
Opssys
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Thanks again from me too Tredders!
Here's a photo I've had for almost 50 years. I assume it is one of Brian Stainer's, it's typical of his size of print.
Location unknown, but believe someone once thought it was Wolverhampton.
The two lines of text under the tailplane state:
EMPTY WEIGHT 1265 LBS
MAXIMUM WEIGHT 1850 LBS
cheers
Alan
[IMG]www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics
/thumb_Mew_Gull_G_AEXF.jpg[/IMG]
Here's a photo I've had for almost 50 years. I assume it is one of Brian Stainer's, it's typical of his size of print.
Location unknown, but believe someone once thought it was Wolverhampton.
The two lines of text under the tailplane state:
EMPTY WEIGHT 1265 LBS
MAXIMUM WEIGHT 1850 LBS
cheers
Alan
[IMG]www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics
/thumb_Mew_Gull_G_AEXF.jpg[/IMG]
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atb1943
Yes! A very pretty Aircraft (In fact other than the Cape Configuration she always managed to look good - the Cape Config gave her a a bit of mean b*tch air)
If this is when I think it is, then at the time of the picture she was owned by Nat (J.N).Summers with the Doug Bianchi Modified Canopy (and the same racing number as used by Hugh Scrop), so Wolverhampton is probably right.
As for your incident with the image, I'll PM You
Opssys
Yes! A very pretty Aircraft (In fact other than the Cape Configuration she always managed to look good - the Cape Config gave her a a bit of mean b*tch air)
If this is when I think it is, then at the time of the picture she was owned by Nat (J.N).Summers with the Doug Bianchi Modified Canopy (and the same racing number as used by Hugh Scrop), so Wolverhampton is probably right.
As for your incident with the image, I'll PM You
Opssys
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Hi Alan, your link is missing the "http://" prefix to the address.
That canopy was surely designed to accomodate a very tall person!
No probs about the article, and thanks to Opssys for hosting the original!
Cheers
Treadders
PS how come my posting time is showing yesterday (23:48) when it is most assuredly today (07:48) - have we suddenly gone on Pacific Coastal Time or something?
That canopy was surely designed to accomodate a very tall person!
No probs about the article, and thanks to Opssys for hosting the original!
Cheers
Treadders
PS how come my posting time is showing yesterday (23:48) when it is most assuredly today (07:48) - have we suddenly gone on Pacific Coastal Time or something?
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It's called 'turning the clock back' which is what it is all about!
Thanks both, for the tips. Why we cannot download from HD I don't know.
If I had half-a-crown for every time I've seen a question about photos...(it wouldn't be worth much...!)
alpha tango bravo
Thanks both, for the tips. Why we cannot download from HD I don't know.
If I had half-a-crown for every time I've seen a question about photos...(it wouldn't be worth much...!)
alpha tango bravo
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G-AEXF Mew Gull - Some Questions
Treadigraph et al: I know that it's more than a year old this thread, but I can confirm a couple of things.
1. My bum was the next one to sit in EXF's seat after Hugh Scrope's when she arrived at Blackbushe in '48/49(?) I would have been about 11 yrs old!
Doug Bianchi, Hugh Scrope, my father & one other pushed her into Dougs hangar & I was told to sit in whilst this manoeuvre took place. One thing that still stands out to me was that the pitch control was a push/pull knob on the RHS under the instrument panel & labelled Coarse/Fine.
2. The various canopy mods were made to improve the pilots vision for short closed circuit racing - very necessary for the Kings Cup when coming up on slow Tigers & the like. Not very pretty, but practical - Same goes of course for my uncles Speed Six DGP.
3. I thought (& my memory is fading these days) that EXF ran into a ditch at Shoreham back in the 50's when arriving for one of the Daily Express South Coast Races, & that unfortunately the wings had to be sawn off to get her to Dougs new premises at White Waltham - the wings I believe were remade there - I seem to remember her on trestles under a canvas tent whilst undergoing this surgery. This may also explain the picture with the coast in the background.
1. My bum was the next one to sit in EXF's seat after Hugh Scrope's when she arrived at Blackbushe in '48/49(?) I would have been about 11 yrs old!
Doug Bianchi, Hugh Scrope, my father & one other pushed her into Dougs hangar & I was told to sit in whilst this manoeuvre took place. One thing that still stands out to me was that the pitch control was a push/pull knob on the RHS under the instrument panel & labelled Coarse/Fine.
2. The various canopy mods were made to improve the pilots vision for short closed circuit racing - very necessary for the Kings Cup when coming up on slow Tigers & the like. Not very pretty, but practical - Same goes of course for my uncles Speed Six DGP.
3. I thought (& my memory is fading these days) that EXF ran into a ditch at Shoreham back in the 50's when arriving for one of the Daily Express South Coast Races, & that unfortunately the wings had to be sawn off to get her to Dougs new premises at White Waltham - the wings I believe were remade there - I seem to remember her on trestles under a canvas tent whilst undergoing this surgery. This may also explain the picture with the coast in the background.
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Mew Spinners
Further to my last on EXF, I think the lack of spinners was for all Gipsy Sixes with VP props in 1938/39 - they kept falling off. I have some photos taken at Brooklands for the 38 Kings cup which shows Vegas & the Heston Phoenix spinnerless.
