Mystery Aztec - Solved!

[acklington]

Bit of a long shot, but I'm hoping that someone might recognise this Piper PA-23 Aztec 250. The photo I took at Exeter Airport way back in May 1989, expecting the aircraft to move, but it didn't, so I couldn't get the reg.

I have googled Aztecs till my eyes ache, and there are plenty of them! However, none have this distinctive colour scheme, so it might stir a memory with someone. It doesn't appear to have any particular connection to Exeter, so it might have been a visitor from elsewhere.

Exeter, 1 May 89 by Philip Pain, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, and 'fingers crossed'.

[digit]

Guess you've probably tried anyway but can you get anything from the under-wing by dropping the highlights, boosting the shadows and cropping in Lightroom etc?

GC

[acklington]

Oct 6, 2018 21:58:50 GMT 1 digit said:

Guess you've probably tried anyway but can you get anything from the under-wing by dropping the highlights, boosting the shadows and cropping in Lightroom etc?

GC

Thanks GC, as you can see (below) I have tried every trick, but still getting nothing. There is perhaps a hint of the last letter being 'A'? Very frustrating, because it is a good photo and deserves an ID. Perhaps I should have tried years ago, but I had filed it in my collection as "G-?" and just forgotten it was there.

Phil
Exeter, 1 May 89 p by Philip Pain, on Flickr

[Beemer]

I have just trawled through at least 550 photos of Aztecs on AB Pics, no sign of it. It could be in there but re-painted in a different scheme.

[Deleted]

After a few hours of looking the closest I've come is this guys photo of Bandit G-BHJZ. The Aztec or at least a sister ship appears to be in the background. Perhaps you may be able to PM him through flickr.

www.flickr.com/photos/indiaecho/albums/72157626240031912

[viscount]

Looking at the zoom-in shot, the registration must be G-C, G-G, G-O or G-S***, as the top left curve is the same on both visible letters with no sharp corner. In 1989 the UK in-sequence register was in the second half of the G-B*** sequence, although out-of-sequence registrations had been available for a number of years.

[gonetech]

It is possible to search for de-registered aircraft on the G-INFO site.
It comes up with 295 de-registered Aztecs. Obviously many of these can be discounted straight away but would still probably take some time to sift through and search for possible images on Flickr etc.

[ian531]

I’ve searched on Flickr for Piper Aztec’s and Exeter Airport but drawn a blank

Ian

[radiostationx]

acklington, It may be worth sending your photo via email here


www.piperflyer.org/about/contact-us.html

Long shot but it may pay off you never know.

[dereks]

Hi

I pm'd Mike Lee who runs the Exeter, Dunkeswell visitors listings - He came back and said he thought it could be either G-BBCC or G-COMM - The latter would tie up with Viscounts comments above

Can't see any images for either of these on line -

Hopefully this might tie it down if someone can track down a pic of it and if so credit to Mike.

Regards

Dereks

[woody66]

Hi

I found one link to G-BBCC which includes the date taken. Looking at it though I would say it's not your machine Acklington.
abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1574462

Colin

[woody66]

Hi

I have now found one for G-COMM.
abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1241484

Colin

[viscount]

That photo is 1982, so well before the 1989 date - which gives plenty of time for a respray.

Looking on G-INFO:

C/no. 27-3500, built 1966.
Registered in UK to G-AZMG to agents Spooner Aviation and then several owners until:
Re-registered G-COMM 3.1.81 on transfer to Commair Aviation Ltd of Nottingham (as shown on the photo linked to above).
Sold to M.G.Wild of Braunton, Devon 14.10.88 until 15.4.94 - a re-paint late '88 would fit with the change of ownership and the 1989 photo date.
Subsequently to an owner in Slough (4/94-10/96) then Airtime Avn of Christchurch until cancelled 15.9.97 as permanently withdrawn from use following C of A expiry 4/96.

There was once a very active Aviation Group in the South West in the days of enthusiast paper magazines. Something like the South West Aviation Society - not got time just now to 'do a Google', but likely something would show up if they still exist and even better still if they have a forum for 'Ackington' to post his photo in the region where the 'prime suspect' G-COMM was at the time.

[acklington]

Magnificent effort everyone, and very many thanks for the effort you have all put in.

The link 'ste-t' provided does appear to show its tail, parked up at Exeter in June 1989. So it does appear to have been an Exeter resident. My photo is dated 1st May 1989.

The two links to the abic pic of G-COMM show an earlier colour scheme, but in every other respect the airframe details of the aircraft are identical. In contrast the link to the abic photo of G-BBCC shows different internal cockpit details.

G-COMM was originally G-AZMG, and its second reg G-COMM relates to "Commodore International", makers of the (in)famous Commodore 64 home and school computers. The Aztec was used for sales within the EU, and was possibly based at East Midlands. However by 1988 Commodore had gone bust, and G-COMM was re-registered to a 'Martin George Wild', location not found. I'm assuming that it was repainted at the same time, possibly shortly before my photo. After a further change of owner it ended up with 'Airtime Aviation Ltd' at Bournemouth Hurn, where it was eventually scrapped circa 1996. So still a close geographical link to Exeter.

So I'm content that my photo does show G-COMM. Very well done everyone, what a team!

P.S. this post crossed with Viscount's a couple of minutes earlier. Viscount has confirmed a Devon location for owner Mr Wild.

[viscount]

Looks as though our posts crossed (ie you were composing yours as I posted mine). A agree with your conclusion that G-COMM was very likely in the right place at the right time. Full marks to "Ste-t" for spotting the colours in the background to another photo and steering the investigation in the direction to come up with G-COMM.

No one ever came up with an airport to fit your Genair Short photo some while ago, but this time I think the forum has indeed come up with an answer.





Added: The Devon location for the 1989 owner came from the postal address provided on G-INFO. I had not made the 'Commodore' connection though - interesting.