Aeroplane Monthly 1978-02
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Personal album
S.E.5A G-EBCA was owned by Dr Whitehead Reid, and was powered by an ancient 80 h.p. Renault, giving it a giddy top speed of 65 m.p.h. It was used for visiting outlying patients for many years until it was scrapped in 1930.
S.E.5A G-EAXW, ex F5259, owned by the Aircraft Disposal Company Ltd, was borrowed for the one and only Oxford v Cambridge Air Race at Hendon in July 1921. 'XW was flown by N. Pring of Oxford, but engine trouble forced him out of the race.
Handley Page W.8 G-EAPJ was a rebuild of an H.P.W.4. It was operated by Handley Page Transport Ltd on the London-Paris run and was named Newcastle, but later became Duchess of York. 'PJ crash-landed at Poix in Northern France on July 10, 1923.
Vickers 66 Vimy Commercial G-EASI was flown first by Instone & Company Ltd and then transferred to Imperial Airways on March 31, 1924.
Avro 504K G-EADA, ex E4221, was converted to a 504N by the fitment of a Lucifer engine and, later, an N-type undercarriage for prototype trials at Farnborough and Martlesham Heath in 1923.
Parnall Pixie I G-EBKM was a single-seater built for the 1923 Lympne Light Aeroplane Trials. It was designed with two sets of interchangeable wings and engines, and is seen here with short, 18ft span wings and the 736cc Douglas engine, in which form it was known as the Pixie II.
Sopwith Scooter G-EACZ was first flown at Brooklands in June 1918, and originally bore the marks K-135. In 1921 'CZ was sold to Harry Hawker but remained in store after his death until May 1925, when it was sold to C. Clayton at Hendon. The Scooter is best known as the mount of Dudley Watt, "Dangerous Dan", who raced the aircraft in his own inimitable style during 1926.
Bristol Bullet Type 32 G-EATS was built as a flying testbed for the Bristol Jupiter radial engine.
Beardmore W.B.XXIV Wee Bee I G-EBJJ was built to compete in the 1924 Lympne Light Aeroplane Trials, and won the main prize in the hands of M. Pearcy. Weighing only 840lb with two passengers, the Wee Bee had a maximum speed of 87 m.p.h. on a 32 h.p. Bristol Cherub.
The Jaguar-engined Martinsyde A.D.C.1 G-EBKL was an updated F.4, and first flew on October 11, 1924. It competed in the 1925 and 1926 King's Cup Air Races, and was finally burnt at Croydon in 1936 after withdrawal from the register in April 1927.
Handley Page O/10 G-EATM was operated by Handley Page Transport Ltd and flown on a daily service between Croydon and the Continent. It carried 12 passengers and was powered by two 360 h.p. Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines. ’TM crash-landed at Senlis, N. France, on December 30, 1921.