Avro Avian G-EBZM and the MGAE - a little told tale

[viscount]

Avro Avian G-EBZM
… and the role Liverpool enthusiasts played in its rescue.

The 'rescue' of the Avro 594 Avian III G-EBZM in 1959 could be considered an opening act of the 'amateur' preservation movement in Britain. This story goes back to the very beginnings of enthusiast aviation societies, and aircraft rescue and conservation in the North West, but is a little told tale. While not involved personally, I am in a position to tell the story as related by some who were.

The Avro Avian was rescued from the fire dump at Ringway (Manchester Airport) shortly before it was to be burnt when members of the 'Merseyside Group of Aviation Enthusiasts' (MGAE) at Liverpool realised its historic significance. The Avro Avian, designed by Roy Chadwick, was built by A.V. Roe & Co., at their Newton Heath, Manchester factory. G-EBZM was initially flown during 1928, with its first C of A, number 1546, awarded 3rd August 1928. Probably on behalf of Avro's was flown by aviatrix Lady Mary Heath, appearing at Baldonnel and the Paris Orly Aviation Meetings (where it was placed 4th in competition) during late summer 1928. It was then sold to Merseyside Aero & Sports Co.Ltd., February 1929 and operated from their Hooton Park base for a few years before a few months registered to C.M.Norman c/o Air Service Training at Hamble from September 1932. From there service as a joy-riding mount with Giro Aviation Co. Ltd., at Southport Beach from November 1932 until grounded during 1937 following a tangle with telegraph wires. With the expiry of its C of A (20.1.38) it was stored in a dismantled state by Giro at Hesketh Park throughout the war and beyond. In the mid '50s purchased by Bernard Murphy an engineer with Eagle Airline's maintenance base on Ringway's South side. When Eagle suddenly closed their base in 1958, Murphy transferred with Eagle to either Bermuda or The Bahamas; so he and a partner gave their dismantled aircraft to the fire service, although the refuse department got there first and removed Fleet 7C G-AEJY and bits of G-EBZM to a local tip. However, the Avian fuselage and two wings were taken over by the Fire Service and dumped in some old firing butts pending incineration. MGAE member Alan Madden was an ATCO at Ringway and talked the Airport Fire Officer into parting with it.

It was during April 1959 that G-EBZM was rescued from the Ringway Fire Service and loaded by sheer youthful muscle power (Phil Dale, Bryan Heatley, Ian Keast, Phil Butler, Peter Schofield and 3 or 4 other MGAE members) onto flat-bed truck that Phil Dale had ‘borrowed’ with driver from J.Sarsfield & Sons, Monumental Masons L14, and transported to Bryan Heatley's father's garage behind some shops off Tarbock Road in Huyton, near Liverpool. Bryan, was a founder member in 1956 and Chairman of the MGAE, however at the time of the ‘rescue’ there was no clear idea of what to do next, other than ensure no further harm could be done to the airframe until such time as restoration could begin. While the aircraft was safe and out of the elements, after a year or so, Heatley senior got fed up working around the Avian whenever he needed his car, so it had to move! As some MGAE members were involved with the 'Double Alfa Flying Group' operating Proctor G-AIAA and rented hangar space in Hangar 50, the Avian moved alongside at Speke Airport (Liverpool) around June 1960. For a while the MGAE paid the Airport monthly for storage space until it got more than the group's finances could manage. So, during February 1961 it was moved from Speke's Hangar 50 to Lymm Grammar School where MGAE member Peter Schofield was teaching and able to provide storage.

At this stage, the concern to organise and fund the future conservation and rebuild of Avian G-EBZM provided the spark for some MGAE members and others to form the Northern Aircraft Preservation Society (NAPS) in late October 1962, with G-EBZM their initial aircraft. Ownership quickly transferred from the MGAE to NAPS November 1962. Later that same month the Avian was on the move again, this time using founder NAPS member Richard Jones’s Ford van, to a garage in Stretford, Manchester where it could both be stored safely and work commence on conservation and rebuild. There is an intriguing photo of this move: www.e83w.co.uk/photos4.htm (the second photo down).

NAPS, undertook the long term rebuild to display condition in the Manchester area, mainly at their premises in Peel Green and Wigan over a period spanning the next ten years or so. The restoration being aided by using parts of another Avian G-ABEE found by the group in November 1962. After much work 'ZM was suitable for display and made some brief appearances at local air displays around Manchester eg Woodford RAeS Garden Party June 1966 (fuselage only) and Barton 1972 LAC Show (complete), before going out on long-term loan for display with the Torbay Aircraft Museum from June 1973. NAPS changed its name to ‘The Aeroplane Collection’ in the early 70s. The Avian returned to Manchester 9th December 1982 and then loan to Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MoSI) where it has been on display since the opening on 30th March 1983, to the present day. With its local Avro origins, North West based operators and its rescue and rebuild also in the North West, an extremely appropriate exhibit. Very few of the public seeing it there looking pristine will have very little appreciation of its local history and the significant part played in the very early days of the aircraft preservation movement in Britain.

With the decision by the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MoSI) to close the aviation section as the building in which it was housed was deteriorating was taken during 2021, the exhibits to be returned to their owners and new homes found. Five of the exhibits on being returned to The Aeroplane Collection were slated for removal to one of the restored hangars at Hooton Park. The Avro Triplane and Benson Autogyro moved across in November 2021. After careful dismantling by specialists GJD the Avian returned to Hooton Park at 10:30am on Friday 3rd December 2021, for reassembly the following day. So after some nearly 39 years of display in Manchester, G-EBZM is on the move again.



A 1928 photo at Hooton Park showing Avians G-EBXX and G-EBXY of Liverpool and District Flying School, with G-EBZM beyond in a different scheme with 'Avian' logo below the cockpit. Copied from 'Swift' magazine, winter 1999/2000, original photo credit to 'MAN'



A Richard Riding photo of G-EBZM during the '30s, with Avro Avian logo on fuselage side, scanned from 'Swift' magazine, Spring 2000.



A further Richard Riding photo of G-EBZM during the '30s in a modified colour scheme, scaned from 'Swift' magazine, Spring 2000.



G-EBZM in storage at Hesketh Park in 1948. Photo credit AMG Armstrong, copied from 'Swift', Spring 2000.



G-EBZM in dismantled storage at Hesketh Park Aerodrome, Southport, 8th September 1953. A Phil Butler photograph, via Phil Dale and Don Stephens.



Photo is scanned from the 1974 reprint of 'Wrecks and Relics 1961'. Caption states taken at Speke August 1960, while in storage with the MGAE at Liverpool Airport. Photographer not identified, but quite likely George Jones.



The Avian, presumed on leaving Hangar 50 for Lymm School and further storage with the MGAE. Phil suspects the date might 25th March 1961, which conflicts slightly with the text.



The fuselage in storage, an uncaptioned photo possibly by Richard Jones of the Avian either at Lymm or on arrival at Stretford, which would make it November 1962. Copied from 'Swift' Winter 1999/2000.



Photo is scanned from Air Britain 'Digest' August 1966 and shows Avian G-EBZM exhibited by the Northern Aircraft Preservation Society at the R.Ae.S. Display at Woodford, 9th July 1966. Certainly shows the progress made in 5 years since the photo above.



Photo is scanned from a 1979 MAS Flypast, taken by George Jones of G-EBZM being erected at the Lancashire Aero Club 50th Anniversary Air Show at Barton, September 1972.



The fully restored Avro Avian G-EBZM at MoSI on display, seen here late August 1996.


FOOTNOTES:

My Sources: Don Stephens, founder member of MGAE, compiler of MGAE's W&R 1 in 1961 and W&R 2 in 1963, and who remains in contact with some of the original rescuers - without whose intervention the Avian would most certainly have been 'lost'. Also: 'British Museum Aircraft' Ken Ellis, MAS, 1977; MAS 'Flypast', Ken Ellis, particularly a piece by Phil Butler, 1983; 'Swift' magazine, ‘British Civil Aircraft Registers 1919-1929’ A-B Monograph 1970s; MoSI website.

Chronology: The February 1956 formed MGAE became the Merseyside Society of Aviation Enthusiasts (MSAE) Jan ‘63 until March ‘72; then Merseyside Aviation Society (MAS) until the end of 1986; in spirit continued as the North West Air News Group and since 2006 as nwan.co.uk website and associated forum. This ‘rescue’ story is just one small, but early chapter of this forum’s local aviation heritage.

For more:
..... on the Avro Avian, a contemporary of the de Havilland Gipsy and Tiger Moth, but sold in far less numbers, have a look at the Wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Avian

..... on MoSI's Air & Space Gallery, Britain’s most overlooked aircraft collection, then:
www.mosi.org.uk/explore-mosi/explore-galleries/air-space-gallery.aspx

.... on the Avro Avian, G-EBZM (note that I contest several dates), Roy Chadwick and Lady Mary Meath:
www.mosi.org.uk/media/33871685/avroavian594iiiag-ebzm.pdf

.... on The Aeroplane Collection, their history, their aircraft etc:
www.theaeroplanecollection.org

If you know more about the rescue, and especially if you have further photos of G-EBZM to share, whatever the quality, I'd be delighted to hear from you, either as a post on this thread or by PM. Anyone have a photo of it at Higher Blagdon, Devon (6.73-12.82) with the Torbay Museum? Brian Jones.

[davidedwards]

Hello

I can add a little to the rescue of G-EBZM, in the history of G-ABEE. My father bought the Avian in around 1935, and raced it fairly successfully up the the start of the war. He was in the RAF, and used it and kept it at his postings airfields. He kept it until about 1948, when he sold it for £25 because he thought petrol would never come off the ration! I understood it ended up with the Shuttleworth Collection, but they eventually disposed of it. I can remember, with my brother, aged about 10 and 12 holding the tailplane while Pa did a mag check before taking off from the racehorse gallops at West Ilsley. I have some photos of it in the 1930s.

David Edwards

[viscount]

A few more images to add. Firstly one 'cut and pasted' from elsewhere on the web, as acknowledged on the photo. It is the photo linked to earlier in the article. Very likely the arrival at Stretford from Lymm Grammar School in the hands of NAPS.



A colour photo of the inital MGAE 'rescue' of G-EBZM, possibly taken before departure from Ringway Airport, Manchester having loaded it for the journey to Speke, or more likely leaving Speke for Lymm Grammar School. After considerable exchange of e-mails the majority of 'rescuers' have been identified:

(cab end) Ian Keast, Bryan Heatley, -?- ,Tony Sarsfield & son (lorry owner), Peter Schofield, Jim Cassidy, -?- , Phil Butler (tail-gate end) - as Phil Dale is not on the photo, he could be the photographer, but as he has no recollection of the photo, maybe with someone else's camera!

My many thanks to Lloyd Robinson, keeper of the TAC images library for supplying this photo and giving permission to use it here.

[Deleted]

Blimey Viscount, that picture brings back a few memories! I can confirm the names of those you've identified, but not the ones you can't! I was never directly involved in the Avian's rescue, but I remember (some of!) the details exactly as you describe them. When I visited MOSI a few years ago, it was wonderful to see the old bird restored to its former glory. A very interesting blog.

[viscount]

I am delighted that, through a thread on another forum, I have been able to bring David Edwards (son of a former owner of G-ABEE, see several posts up) together with multiple Avian restorer, Paul Wheeler, who is in the early stages of rebuilding G-ABEE to flight in Australia. A successful outcome.

forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?104524-Avro-Avian-Rebuild It is page 4 that introduces G-ABEE (masquerading as G-EBTS 'Red Rose'). (Dead link July 2021, likely still exists but with a new name!).

[ronturner]

Thanks for the thread and details. I can well remember some of those activities. Although the photo indicates not, this is exactly the kind of adventure I would have been involved in with Ian Keast, Peter Schofield Jim Cassidy and Phil Butler. Great memories. The guy third from left! I can visualise him now, as clear as day, but as for a name. ....?

Ron Turner

[jetjockey]

The attached link maybe of interest
www.mosi.org.uk/media/33871685/avroavian594iiiag-ebzm.pdf (dead link July 2021)

JJ

[viscount]

It is now becoming clear that with the closing of the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry building in which the excellent Air and Space Gallery was housed, that a number of aircraft there on loan from The Aeroplane Collection (T.A.C.) are to be rehoused in the restored hangar at Hooton Park. One of the aircraft heading for the move is the Avro Avian G-EBZM after 39 years displayed in Manchester, with Hooton Park an entirely appropriate place for her to move to as she was flown from there in the 1930s.

By sheer co-incidence this thread is one of many Merseyside Nostalgia threads to have had the images re-instated in the past few weeks. A thread that since February 2014 has notched up 4,425 views. Looking back over it just now have noticed that some of the replacement images are incorrectly watermarked credited as originating from 'Rapide' magazine, when it should be 'Swift' magazine, before being renamed 'Rapide'.

Hopefully members of T.A.C. will be able to keep this thread informed of the move, as and when in occurs.

[davecalveley]

With the impending return of G-EBZM to Hooton Park may I please ask if anybody has contact details for any of the guys thet saved her from Ringway ...the intention would be to see if any of the guys would be interested in seeing her return ...any help appreciated ...


Regards Dave ..

[Beemer]

G-EBZM Avro Avian as seen looking splendid at the Hooton Park Trust Museum on Wednesday 18th of May. Thanks to Dave for the invitation.


G-EBZM Avro Avian by Beemer328i, on Flickr

[southp0rtwrecks]

Hi, G-EBZM I have a photo from the local paper showing this aeroplane on the horsebank at Southport in 1934 by the wreck of the trawler Endyminion. It landed on the sands by the wreck a risky job considering how soft the sand can be in this area of the beach. I’m not sure how I can add this photo to this post.

[viscount]

To post on NWAN you need to go via a 'host' site such as FlickR, Photobucket, Postimage etc. Initially a complex system up uploading the image, then downloading a unique code into you NWAN compose panel.

Have a look and you will find that you have PM (Private Message) from me.