Aeroplane Monthly 1979-03
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R.Williams - Ensigns for the Empire (1)
A Miles Magister lends scale to five Ensigns awaiting modification in 1939. Front to rear, Ensign, Elsinore, Euterpe, Egeria and Empyrean.
The first flight of the first Ensign. G-ADSR rises from Hamble on January 24, 1938, piloted by C.K.Turner-Hughes.
The first AW 27, G-ADSR Ensign, did not enter airline service until October 24, owing to repeated modifications for Imperial Airways.
Elsinore, the third AW 27, was accepted by Imperial Airways on November 7, 1938, and survived until March 1947.
G-ADSU Euterpe was originally allocated the Indian registration VT-AJF and the name Everest, but neither was used.
Croydon scene just before the war. In this view are the A.W.27s Ettrick, Elysian, Elsinore, Eddystone and Explorer, the D.H.91s Frobisher and Falcon, the H.P.45 Horatius and the Short L.17 Syrinx. Just visible in the background is a Junkers-Ju 90.
Imperial Airways airliners grounded at Croydon during the last month of peace had to stand in the open. Behind G-ADSX Ettrick can be seen G-ADSZ Elysian and G-ADST Elsinore.
The second Ensign was G-ADSS Egeria, which made its first flight on May 26, 1938. It was scrapped at Hamble in April 1947.