General Aircraft Monospar ST-12
 

Reading a number of magazines lately which have ab article on the restoration of a Monospar ST-12 at the Newark Air Museum, The Showground, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts, NG24 2NY. They are seeking drawings, plans and cockpit photographs. Pprune seems to come through on most occasions with these requests. Copy of article at http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com/news...ws_152152.html Contact can be made through their web site at http://www.newarkairmuseum.org

Brian, was that the aircraft that an Australian doctor and offsider flew from Sydney to London in the early 1960s?

The doctor wrote a book about it called, I think, "Two Men In A Flying Machine" of which I have a copy but not to hand at present.

Some years ago I met the author when he was passing through Cambridge in Tasmania and he told me that the aircraft was then in a British collection as he had sold it at the end of his trip. For the life of me I can't remember his name. I do recall that he was killed in an aircraft crash a few years later.

"Two Men and a Flying Machine" by John Morris. Copies available from Abebooks. :ok:

Is this the one that was at Redhill up to about 2 years ago?

Reckon you might be thinking of the Percival Q6 Chevvron.

The Monospar was at Redhill for a short while in the early 60s - some of the Tiger Club pilots sampled it - it had moved to Newark by about 1985/1986 as I can recall seeing it there about then.

You're right of course! How could I make such mistake; I used to spend ages peering at it throught the window of its locked shed!(it's not there any more; don't know where it went)

Why do I suddenly feel incredibly old? Because I saw that Monospar at Redhill on 14 October, 1961. I hope they get it flying again and it'll probably last me out.

I have a hazy recollection of the book and recall that the Monospar was designed by one NS Norway. Who? Neville Shute:ok:

Or has my false memory syndrome resurfaced?

Sir George Cayley

Can't help with actual photos but this marketing blurb of the Pobjoy powered variant gives a good idea of what it was all about.
£1750 ex works!! http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...onospar3SZ.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...onospar4SZ.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...onospar2SZ.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...onoSpar1SZ.jpg

W

and by an incredible co-incidence, the ST-25 Monospar has just been featured on 'What Cockpit'.
hmmmm :}

Not such a co-incidence mustpost. When I saw the thread it reminded me of a photograph I had ready to post. An article covering the ST-25 Monospar was published in the December 1977 issue of the "Aeroplane monthly".
Mel

treadigraph,

Thank you for that. Yes, it was John Morris and I do still have the book but it is in storage elsewhere.

Sir George,

Yes, the aircraft was designed by Neville Shute.

And if this was the aircraft that was flown by Tiger Club members then it is the one that John Morris flew to the UK. I am delighted by the thought that it is to be restored. The book was one of many that fired my imagination and led me to learn to fly

I got a copy from Abebooks and read it over the Easter weekend - very enjoyable book and nicely written.

The aircraft at Newark is indeed VH-UTH as flown by John Morris. Is it the only survivor?

One flew commercially for aerial mapping in New Zealand until the early Eighties, when it was destroyed in a hanger fire (at Hastings I think).

I wonder if someone at that aerial mapping company has details ? :ok: