Aeroplane Monthly 1982-11
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Personal album
75% of the Martin Hearn staff draped around G-ABAA at Hooton in August 1938. The lads are, from left to right, Eric Calland, Forester Lindsley, George Nicholson, Doug Let ford (sitting) and Victor Thomas. Where are they now?
Capt L. J. Rimmer giving some dual to Fg Off Birch, the 504K’s new owner, in September 1938. Rimmer is standing in the rear cockpit during the landing at Hooton.
Avro 504K G-ABAA was probably built from spares and was registered in September 1930 to G & H Aviations Ltd at Stag Lane. In March 1933 it joined Luff’s Aviation Tours Ltd and in May 1936 was sold to Williams and Company at Squires Gate, Blackpool. At some time in September 1938 it was sold to a Fg Off Birch and in 1939 it moved south to Brooklands. G-ABAA’s subsequent history is obscure though it was probably put into storage after the Ministry refused to certify rotary engined aircraft. It is thought that AA was acquired by Richard Nash and added to his collection of elderly aircraft. The Nash Collection passed to the Royal Aeronautical Society and it is believed that ’AA is the RAF Museum’s Avro 504K H2311 currently held at RAF Henlow.
G-ABAA seen at Hooton in August 1938 before and during being cleaned up after being left out in the open for three months at Yeadon, Leeds.
Capt Rimmer running up AA at Hooton in 1938.
An undated photograph of AA plying its trade, flying joyriding trips from Hooton with two “punters” in the rear cockpit. Note the “erk “pulling on the starboard wing to turn the Avro ready for take-off.
Disaster! AA is seen at Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, on April 15, 1938 on the first day of the joyriding season after pilot L. A. Lewis had just bent the wingtip (covered by a coat) the axle and the rear fuselage. The Avro had to be dismantled and returned to Hooton for repair. Lewis was fired!