Dakota G-AJHZ at Luton
 

Hi all,

I am trying to resolve the fate of a former Luton resident, G-AJHZ the former British Westpoint Dakota. The following is what information I have on it at Luton and after it departed Luton.

In August 1966 it was stored at Luton wearing RAF roundels after being used in a film.
In Feb 1967 it was painted as XY-BUR for a film at Luton. [Any ideas which film?]
The CofA expired on 3 April 1967.

I have had one reply from a Luton spotter who has given some detailed sightings at Luton which alters all my ideas on when G-AJHZ departed the UK. He wrote " G-AJHZ was at Luton in June 1967, parked at the back of the McAlpine Aviation hangar (roughly where security gate 5 now is). It was still in British Westpoint colours with the titles painted out as I remember. It remained there until March 1968. On 17th March 1968 it had been moved, I think to the area now in front of the minitower, and was doing engine runs. My next airport visit wasn't until 7th April when I believe it was no longer there. Hope this helps."

It was next reported that it was in poor condition at Lisbon in early June 1968.

The next report comes from a letter in Propliner Magazine number 104 from Norbert Oertel who recorded G-AJHZ at Gando Airport, Las Palmas in 1969. He also produced a photograph of this Dakota which seems to have been stripped of paint, all control surfaces, fin tip and tailcone. The registration G-AJHZ is just visible on the upper surface of the starboard wing. He states that it disappeared by 1972


Problems –
Registration was cancelled 14 September 1966 as abroad - when did it actually leave the UK, who owned it and what was its destination?

Luton ATC logbooks has anyone got access to them for the period February 1968 and May 1968 and will be willing to check out this period for me for any test flights and a delivery flight?

Has anyone else got any record of this airframe and / or a photograph of it at Gando?

Does anyone know how to contact Norbert Oertel?

Tom Macfadyen

Hi - When you look at the CAA pdf files - see the Keegan address has a stamp 11-11-68 where the company has been pursued. So obviously the entry for 'abroad' was only entered in 1968 after they finally got a reply!
Typical for TDK. So whether the export date has any true relevance is a guess
ianCallier.

G-AJHZ Luton
 

Thanks Ian I had not noticed that little stamp at the address.
But still need dates for the various movements

Tom

Patience, Google used to be your friend, now Forum member LTNman has your answer. Surprised he has not responded yet! If no answer, repost on his thread, Luton -8 (Airlines).

I haven't got a clue as it is just before my time at the airport even though my photo collection goes back to the 1930's.

Hopefully vintage ATCO will see this thread as his links to Luton would cover this period.

I can't even think where to start looking although I will put a link to this thread on a facebook closed group that covers the town of Luton but often has airport related information on there from people who used to work at the airport in the 50's and 60's. I will report back if I get an answer.

On the 17th February 1967 it was pictured at Luton on Stand 10 as XY-BUR in basic latter Westpoint colours. I know this from a Facebook Forum that I am a member of.

At Luton stand 10 or 11. Not sure if this is the photo Buster is referring to.

http://s280.photobucket.com/user/jet...0kgoc.jpg.html

Dakota G-AJHZ at Luton
 

Many thanks any help will be much appreciated.
I have been researching the histories of the Dakota since around 1959 and this airframe is one of the many that I don’t have a confirmed fate for.
Thanks again for spreading my request a wee bit further.

Tom

Thanks for the reply and th confirmation of the date 17 February 1967 as the date of the sighting as XY-BUR

Tom

Dakota G-AJHZ at Luton
 

I used to visit Luton on the way down south or on the way back north in 1960's and probably into the 1980's, but I cannot say that I am an expert on the stand numbers at Luton. Can you confirm that this photo was taken at stand 10 or 11?

Tom

Stand 10 is on the hangar line and is the closest stand to the old control tower. Stand 11 is the next stand going away from the tower. Probably due to the camera angle it is indeed stand 10 but looks slightly like 11.

If you look at this link then it is the top left hand border of the photo http://www.pprune.org/9092619-post964.html

Probably not that much help but I have a copy of "British Dakotas" published by The Aviation Hobby Shop about 1984 and it gives last registered owner of G-AJHZ as Trans World Leasing and foot-note "fate unknown, seen derelict Lisbon 1968 "

It was not derelict at Lisbon, the report actually said in poor condition but this probably not quite correct as it flew on to Gando Airport, Las Palmas and was observed there in 1969. It very common for spotters to exaggerate how bad an aircraft is – quite often it is being worked on and parts are missing and as in this case the sighting of “in poor condition” became "fate unknown, seen derelict Lisbon 1968 " with no actual justification.

It was next recorded at Gando Airport, Las Palmas in 1969, but had gone by 1972.
The photograph taken in 1969 shows it stripped of paint, all the flying control surfaces have been removed as has the tail cone, fin tip and at least the starboard engine. It looks to as if it was being overhauled and perhaps abandoned during the process for reasons we don’t know. Or perhaps it was flown out after the work on it was competed. If it was just being stripped for spares why remove the paint?

This sighting at Gando Airport is a very good example as to why I need a constant flow of sightings to build up a picture of what was actually happening.

Tom

Dakota G-AJHZ at Luton
 

LTNman
Thanks I have a much better idea of where it was sitting.

Tom

I know that SPANTAX had a number of DC-3s based at LPA in that period. Perhaps JHZ was purchased by them and used for spares?

Hi Hotel Tango,
This one of the rough ideas that is being tossed around that it was eventually purchased as a source of spares. But I need positive proof of it’s ultimate fate.

Tom

XY-BUR markings
 

The markings were applied for the filming of episode 29 of the UK TV series 'The Champions'. I'm currently watching it on TV and Googled the registration and it brought me here. The filmed segment was supposed to be at a small airport in Belgium. Strange how most of the other aircraft in the background had 'G' registrations.

G AJHZ
 

Having an interest in the pioneer aviator Bentfield Hucks, I was fascinated to find that BEA named one of their Dakota aircraft after him. Searches led me to this site and Tom's post that included a request for info on the film this aircraft appeared in. I have found a French website, aeromovies that has an entry for a 1966 British film called 'Where The Bullets Fly' and lists the aircraft used in the film, one of which is G AJHZ. It includes a short history of the aircraft. Hope this is of use.