G-AEXF Mew Gull - Some Questions
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Opssys
I've made some enquiries and can now say with certainty that the accident was in 1985 and with almost 100% certainty that it was on Monday, May 6th. (May Bank Holiday that year.)
FL
Flying Lawyer
Thank you for removing possible legal wrangles from the equation, whilst all sources I have able to find follow the same pattern: The accident wasn't Desmond Penrose fault,and it happened in the spring, the Year is never stated an therefore it could be 1985, or 1986 (Change of ownership was delayed but by how much).
Thank you for removing possible legal wrangles from the equation, whilst all sources I have able to find follow the same pattern: The accident wasn't Desmond Penrose fault,and it happened in the spring, the Year is never stated an therefore it could be 1985, or 1986 (Change of ownership was delayed but by how much).
FL
Dev One's photos
King's Cup Brooklands 1938
Vega Gull
Phoenix
Phoenix
Dev One
Before
After
Keith,
I know it's a bit of thread drift from XF, but I'm sure the regulars here would like to know more about the DW1 and your father's connection with it.
Vega Gull
Phoenix
Phoenix
Dev One
In the Brooklands vein I also attach a couple of scans of the before & after of one of the DW1’s! The before shot shows Dudley Watt at left, & my father (3rd from left in flat cap & dark coloured shirt), do not know the others.
After
Keith,
I know it's a bit of thread drift from XF, but I'm sure the regulars here would like to know more about the DW1 and your father's connection with it.
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Dear Heeeeennnnnry Crun,
Thanks have found the entry you suggested, but not much help to me as I have no website to up/download to/from, but as you can see India Four Two has provided that link - for which thanks!
As for my fathers involvement with -EBOG - I do not know much - I think he would have been about 19 at the time of the photo (1929) & the SE5A was modified for the Bournemouth air race in 1930 which Dudley Watt could have won easily but apparently he cut inside a pylon & was disqualified! I think the SE5As were also used for 'skywriting'.
My father was apprenticed to Vickers (although he said he was kicked out after 6 months) & then worked for Brooklands Aviation, but I am not sure if he worked for Dudley Watt between. From the photo I have to guess the latter as I have photos of him at other Brooklands Aviation sites.
Not much available on the internet except a couple of Flight Global entries, some on the DW2.
Keith
Thanks have found the entry you suggested, but not much help to me as I have no website to up/download to/from, but as you can see India Four Two has provided that link - for which thanks!
As for my fathers involvement with -EBOG - I do not know much - I think he would have been about 19 at the time of the photo (1929) & the SE5A was modified for the Bournemouth air race in 1930 which Dudley Watt could have won easily but apparently he cut inside a pylon & was disqualified! I think the SE5As were also used for 'skywriting'.
My father was apprenticed to Vickers (although he said he was kicked out after 6 months) & then worked for Brooklands Aviation, but I am not sure if he worked for Dudley Watt between. From the photo I have to guess the latter as I have photos of him at other Brooklands Aviation sites.
Not much available on the internet except a couple of Flight Global entries, some on the DW2.
Keith
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Victor Vermorel
Opssys, on the subject of Victor Vermorel, there is a detailed biography - including the circumstances in which he was shot dead by the Germans - to be found at http://leg.hon.beaujolais.free.fr/do...r_vermorel.pdf. Depending on how well you read French, you should find it of considerable interest and it should go a long way to answering your initial question about him.
Thread Starter
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Victor Vermorel
fauteuil volant.
Many thanks. Sadly I would given enough time be able to read through it... Fortunately I know a Lady who can and with her help discover the story of a patriot and brave man,
Opssys
Many thanks. Sadly I would given enough time be able to read through it... Fortunately I know a Lady who can and with her help discover the story of a patriot and brave man,
Opssys
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Location: Breighton Airfield
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Gentleman,
She's now based and flying at Breighton Airfield in Selby if you want to see her again.
The Real Aeroplane Company - Breighton Aerodrome
She's now based and flying at Breighton Airfield in Selby if you want to see her again.
The Real Aeroplane Company - Breighton Aerodrome
Walking The Mew.
A rather belated observation here, but anyway.......
Earlier in the thread, Flying Lawyer made this comment;-
'Another snippet -
Forward visibility with the Cape config cockpit was very poor when the aircraft was on the ground. Henshaw taxiied it by walking beside the aircraft with his hand on the throttle!'
It's true to say that the 'XF's later cut-down fuselage restricted visibility. However, Alex's stunt of taxiing the Mew whilst walking alongside it was, I believe, restricted to when he first acquired the machine, long before the fuselage was cut down. I suspect that it only happened a few times early on. Viewing the surviving photos and film footage, Alex is always shown remaining seated whilst taxiing with the machine in it's cut-down configuration. If there is any evidence that he did this later I'd be interested to see it.
Today the Mew appears to some extent to be 'just' a nippy little light aircraft. In the 1930's, most pilots were still only experienced in slow, uncomplicated biplanes. This applied especially to the private pilot community. The Mew was generally viewed, unfairly, with some considerable awe and trepidation and came to Alex with that baggage. Given that he subsequently operated it day and night, heavily-loaded with an aft CofG and in a very fatigued state, we must presume that that initial trepidation had well and truly dissipated...!
Earlier in the thread, Flying Lawyer made this comment;-
'Another snippet -
Forward visibility with the Cape config cockpit was very poor when the aircraft was on the ground. Henshaw taxiied it by walking beside the aircraft with his hand on the throttle!'
It's true to say that the 'XF's later cut-down fuselage restricted visibility. However, Alex's stunt of taxiing the Mew whilst walking alongside it was, I believe, restricted to when he first acquired the machine, long before the fuselage was cut down. I suspect that it only happened a few times early on. Viewing the surviving photos and film footage, Alex is always shown remaining seated whilst taxiing with the machine in it's cut-down configuration. If there is any evidence that he did this later I'd be interested to see it.
Today the Mew appears to some extent to be 'just' a nippy little light aircraft. In the 1930's, most pilots were still only experienced in slow, uncomplicated biplanes. This applied especially to the private pilot community. The Mew was generally viewed, unfairly, with some considerable awe and trepidation and came to Alex with that baggage. Given that he subsequently operated it day and night, heavily-loaded with an aft CofG and in a very fatigued state, we must presume that that initial trepidation had well and truly dissipated...!
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Cor, G-HEKL looks an absolute beauty - hope she and I will coincide soemwhere soon...
More Mew Gull news.
'XF is set to depart Breighton for pastures new. Rumour has it that it will be Old Warden. No news on the new owner - yet. My contact at TSC knows nothing, so Mr.H. is my best guess...
Last edited by GQ2; 23rd Sep 2013 at 11:50. Reason: Best guess...!
