The Hughes 269A N8785F?

Thats what the AIB report says.
American export C of A issued 7 Feb 1963.
21 June 1963 Westland applied to register the aircraft in their name.
Application not granted as still American registered.
12 July 1963 leased to Management Aviation
Crashed 18 July 1963

Intriguing.

I thought that Sloane's or perhaps even 'Air Gregorious' were the Hughes agents around that time? That Westlands would import a Hughes 300 and lease it to Management Aviation is something I would never have guessed!

Both G-ASBD & SBL were owned by Westland up until October 64. They carried military serials XS684 (BL) & XS685 (BD) for a while. Seem to recall one of them was reported as being present at a Middle Wallop Open Day in 62/63 which suggests they may have been evaluated for the Army Air Corps.

N8785F may have been part of the same package.

Planemike

Plane mike is spot on.Westland offered the 269A in the competition for an AAC replacement for the Skeeter and imported the aircraft as a demonstrator.

I'm in the area and will ask about also one person may have a memory good enough to recall. Ill get back to you as soon as possible.

Ronald Harvey Osborne
 

It was by chance that I read your entry on this web page. I am the eldest daughter of Ronald Harvey Osborne and I am very interested in receiving the log books you have in your possession. I don't know how much info you require to verify my being the person I say I am. The name of the film he was in was 'VIPs starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton and I was lucky enough to go to Heathrow where they were filming. Unfortunately that day they were not on set.

He was in fact spraying a field belonging to Mr James Cargill the evening he was killed.

I would also be interested knowing how you obtained these, were you a friend or just enthusiastic about helicopters.

I have sent you a personal message.

Great to hear from you.

I suspect the film you refer to was filmed on April 8 1963 as there is an entry
Luton-Heathrow with local flying at Heathrow and then Heathrow-Luton. It doesn't say what the trip was for.

And then there was silence. Might have been something to do with the fact that I said I would require positive identification and would only hand over the documents personaly.
I hate to use the word scam in connection with this, but sadly it would seem to be the case.

Very disappointed but I haven't given up yet.

Eric: If nothing comes of your efforts to repatriate the books to Ron's family then perhaps give someone at GAPAN a call. Some of the Colonel's memorabilia is kept in their library and they may be willing to act as custodians of the logs until someone claims them. If no one claims them then at least they will serve as an interesting piece of reference material.

If GAPAN can't help then try the RAeS (who AFAIK) also have some of the Colonels' memorabilia.

If they can't help then try asking PPRuNer Heli1 if the Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare are interested.

Speaking of museums .. there are currently plans for a new rotary museum in Durham.

Brgds

It goes without saying that the Helicopter Museum would be pleased to add these logbooks to its growing library of logbooks for test pilots,service pilots and commercial pilots,including most of the UK pioneers.

I will pass them on to the Rotorcraft Museum if I cannot find the familly.

Heli 1

I have sent you a PM on a different subject.