The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 G-AJOV over Birmingham Airport circa 1950. A bit of digging reveals, Cosford`s Dragonfly is WP495, an HR.3 variant painted as BEA helicopter G-AJOV. Hopefully these two images exemplify the significant differences beween the variants. Thomo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 A posed picture from 1948. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 A crashed BEA WS.51 (the name Dragonfly was not given until later), somewhere in Wales, it occured whilst probably undertaking the World's first passenger helicopter service between Cardiff - Wrexham - Liverpool (and return) during 1950/1. Can anyone indentify the machine? I'm relatively sure its not G-AJOV, I can't find any record of causalties, does nay one know any different? Thomo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) Another Royal Mail/BEA staged promo image from 1948 - Location: Peterborough, I believe. Thomo. Edited January 27, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 1948 a photo autographed by John Fay the pilot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 G-AJOV Liverpool, June 2nd. 1950. Thomo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 On 27/01/2017 at 10:25 AM, The Tomohawk Kid said: A crashed BEA WS.51 (the name Dragonfly was not given until later), somewhere in Wales, it occured whilst probably undertaking the World's first passenger helicopter service between Cardiff - Wrexham - Liverpool (and return) during 1950/1. Can anyone indentify the machine? I'm relatively sure its not G-AJOV, I can't find any record of causalties, does nay one know any different? Thomo. That's G-AKCU, written off after being caught in a downdraught off mountains near Croesor Dam, North Wales, 24th May 1949, whilst airlifting cement to repair the dam. Pilot unhurt. Film of the crash here 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 @Dave Swindell Thats uber cool, thanks for the post - its building up an an intriguing picture of British aviation. Top post. Thomo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) G-AJOV Hovering for a publicity shot at Speke in June 1950 ahead of the World's first passenger service, to Cardiff (via Wrexham) and return. Edited February 3, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 A BEA WS.51 1953 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Does anyone know where the service landed in Wrexham? I grew up not far away from Borras Airfield which had been a training base during the war. I believe it's still in use by light aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Apparently it was in a field where the Sainsbury's is now, so not at Borras airfield itself which I think had closed by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 21 hours ago, 71chally said: Apparently it was in a field where the Sainsbury's is now, so not at Borras airfield itself which I think had closed by then. Correct. I have a picture somewhere of G-AJOV landing at Wrexham. Wrexham was to all intents and purposes a request stop and was shortlived, I have ll the time tables from 1950 and 1951, I'll dig them out when I get chance. The winter time table was very different to the summer one as one would expect. Thomo. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 (edited) www.britishpathe.com/video/helicopter-service/query/Speke Pathe film of an early flight on the Liverpool - Cardiff service. Thomo Edited February 2, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 (edited) Hay Mills Rotor Station (just east of Birmingham) buit on Hay Mills playing fields. this was the World first purpose built heliport, this serviced the short lived Birmingham - London helicopter service in 1951 and 1952, which commenced after the BEA Anglo Welsh service stopped. The return fare to London was £4.10s and took just over an hour one way. My eyes can't makeout which WS.51 is on the helipad. Thomo. Edited February 2, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 (edited) On 01/02/2017 at 10:24, JamesP said: Does anyone know where the service landed in Wrexham? I grew up not far away from Borras Airfield which had been a training base during the war. I believe it's still in use by light aircraft. Now I'm home I can answer your question fully: The Wrexham stop on the Liverpool - Cardiff BEA service was Plas Coch. Flights operated from a concrete pad on the site of the present day Homebase store.The only structure on the site was a pre-fabricated glass fronted cabin which served as a waiting room and seats could be booked through Denbighshire Travel. Return flights to Cardiff cost £5.7s and Liverpool £1.10s.The helicopters carried a maximum of three passengers, each carrying 33lbs of luggage. By the time the service was discontinued in March 1951 a total of 219 passengers had been carried to and from Wrexham and a total of 819 in total for the entire service. Interestingly Borras operated until 1959 and could have acommodated the service. Thomo Edited February 2, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 (edited) G-AJOV at Speke, June. 1950. Edited February 2, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid Typo,what else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 1 hour ago, The Tomohawk Kid said: Hay Mills Rotor Station (just east of Birmingham) buit on Hay Mills playing fields. this was the World first purpose built heliport, this serviced the short lived Birmingham - London helicopter service in 1951 and 1952, which commenced after the BEA Anglo Welsh service stopped. The return fare to London was £4.10s and took just over an hour one way. My eyes can't makeout which WS.51 is on the helipad.. I believe that could be G-AJGW. The Rotorstation was just off the Coventry Road, situated half way between the centre of Birmingham and Elmdon Airport (now Birmingham International). Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Any manufacturer up to a 1/32 WS.51 with HR3/5 options? Thomo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 3 hours ago, The Tomohawk Kid said: Interestingly Borras operated until 1959 and could have acommodated the service. Thomo My understanding is that it was sold off in 1959, whereas flying use stopped just after the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 1 minute ago, 71chally said: My understanding is that it was sold off in 1959, whereas flying use stopped just after the war. Nope flying stopped in 1959. Thomo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 (edited) Okay a surprise to me, and the first time that I have heard that. Edited February 2, 2017 by 71chally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 (edited) 13 hours ago, 71chally said: My understanding is that it was sold off in 1959, whereas flying use stopped just after the war. When I lived there ('81-'93) an Alfred McAlphine quarry had been developed adjacent to it, I don't know if it was used directly by the company but I'm sure light aircraft did use it. It appears to have obliterated by the quarry now. We used to cycle to this spot where we could just see the end of the runway. Google Street map Edited February 3, 2017 by JamesP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 (edited) 22 hours ago, JamesP said: When I lived there ('81-'93) an Alfred McAlphine quarry had been developed adjacent to it, I don't know if it was used directly by the company but I'm sure light aircraft did use it. It appears to have obliterated by the quarry now. We used to cycle to this spot where we could just see the end of the runway. Google Street map As understand it Borras was closed as RAF base and placed on care and maintenance in 1945, but was used by gliding clubs and light aircraft movements through the '50s. On the 22 October 1959 it was sold to United Gravel Company a subsidiary of McAlpines and may have light aircraft operations for a short while afterwards. In the 1970s quarrying operations commenced in the area and have almost completely obliterated the site as mentioned by @JamesP. As recently as 2004, the original runway surface and markings were extant in places. I'm not sure of light aircraft movements as late as the '80s and '90s, but I guess if the runway still existed it may have been possible. Thomo Edited February 4, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid Typo, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 (edited) 12 hours ago, WhirlybirdModels said: We have a correct BEA Dragonfly in development at the minute. This will not just be a rebox of our HR3, but properly modified to represent the version. Hopefully out in November. Dave @ Whirlybird Dave, Thats great news, it was suggested that the fuselage halfs may be clear resin, is that still the plan? The WS.51s used for postal operation had the rear seats removed and a net installed behind the pilots seat, that would be a nice option to give. This I'm sure this will be a great commercial success as with careful engineering it should be possible to produce the vast majority of S-51 variants too and tap into the large US and overseas market with a myriad of different and colourful markings. Thomo. Edited February 4, 2017 by The Tomohawk Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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