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Post by viscount on May 9, 2014 11:23:06 GMT 1
THE STORY OF AVRO 19, G-AGPG INTRODUCTIONShortly before Newark Cockpit Fest in June 2013, I was contacted by Mike Davey, the new owner of the cockpit section of Avro 19 G-AGPG, who intended to exhibit there. Mike required a basic time-line history for the aircraft – but in a hurry! Using what little I had in books and could find on the internet (some of which was rather misleading), I was able to put together a reasonable account. Since then I’ve been able to dig deeper into some of the ‘claims for fame’ put forward for the aircraft and examine the aircraft log books subsequently loaned to me by Mike. Having continued the research, thought nwan readers may be interested in an in-depth look at the past of this aircraft which has not been served well by the preservation movement, although its very survival, even as just a cockpit section is quite remarkable. CHAPTER ONE: EARNING ITS KEEPG-AGPG was built by A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd. (alternatively referred to simply as Avro) at their Yeadon, Leeds factory, with construction number 1212, with its first flight (a subject I’ll return to later) in July 1945. Although initially notified to the registration authorities as an Anson XII, ‘Papa Golf’ was built for the civilian market as an Avro XIX series 1, later to be usually presented as Avro 19 srs 1. She was powered by a pair of Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah Mk.15 engines, with a cabin capable of seating 7 passengers plus 2 crew. The Avro 652A Anson was one of very few pre-war designs (the Anson 1 first flew 7th January 1935) to not only have been produced throughout WWII, but for a good few years beyond, with production not ending until 1952 with the delivery of the final Avro Anson T.21 to the R.A.F. Indeed A.V.Roe produced more Ansons than any other Avro design, even the Lancaster, some 8,138 aircraft being built in Britain, with a further 2,882 in Canada. She was registered as G-AGPG to A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd from their offices at Greengate, Middleton near Manchester on 15th June 1945, with the first Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) issued 6th August 1945. After a total of 3 hours 50 minutes of constructor’s test flying at Yeadon, she was delivered to Woodford on 17th August 1945. While she may have had a minor initial role for customer demonstration flying, right from the start she was used as a communications ‘hack’ between various Avro facilities and beyond. It was whilst at Avro’s that she acquired the moniker “Aggie Paggie” reflecting her registration letters. For the following 16 years she served Avro well, clocking up an average of around 100 hours airborne each year, mostly flying from Woodford, but also at times from Yeadon and towards the end for Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft out of Coventry. Whilst operated by Avro, during winter 1948/49 she was converted, with new metal wings fitted and her engines upgraded to Cheetah Mk.17, bringing her to Avro 19 series 2 standard.   Top: Although described as 'camouflaged' by some sources the royal blue satin finish is described in detail in the final paragraph of this post. Photo is most likely at Ringway. The Registration applied as required by wartime regulations still in force in mid 1945. Above: Seen at Hendon 1951 in a different Avro scheme, possibly applied on conversion to a series 2 aircraft, Spring 1949. On 11th July 1961 ”Aggie Paggie” was flown on delivery from Woodford to Lympne, for new owners Skyways Coach Air Ltd at Lympne, Kent. The change of ownership was notified 13th July 1961, with a further ownership change to Eric Rylands (the Managing Director of Skyways Coach Air) on 25th July. Skyways Coach Air was a British airline which at that time operated Dakotas, and from 1962 a fleet of 3 new Avro 748s on passenger services. An unconfirmed story relates how Eric Rylands whilst being shown around Woodford’s production line prior to ordering the Avro 748 as the first British airline customer showed considerable interest in the Avro 19, so was offered it as part of the deal! Certainly the Avro 19 passed from Avro to Skyways ownership. With Skyways ‘PG was never intended for passenger services although painted in the airline’s colours , but as a ‘hack’ ferrying management, crews and spares as required. After several years of use, despite having a valid of C of A and a fresh 50 hour check, she was not flown again after 8th July 1964, presumably having been put up for sale and became a ‘hangar queen’ for the next three years. G-AGPG was purchased by Ekco Electronics Ltd (formerly E K Cole Ltd) of Southend-on-Sea and delivered Lympne to Southend on 26th October 1967, with ownership officially changed two days later. She replaced Avro Anson 1, G-ALIH. Her owners, Ekco were purchased by Pye of Cambridge, with the ownership change of ‘PG notified 2nd January 1970, to Pye Telecommuications Ltd, Ekco Avionics Division, although she remained based at Southend/Rochford throughout. Following delivery to Ekco, ‘PG was immediately modified by Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd, who removed the original radio station and installed a revised radio station and demonstration radar. She was also repainted out of Skyways scheme into fresh colours and re-flew in modified form on a test flight 26th January 1968 and in the course of the next twelve months clocked up around 120 hours in the air. During the latter half of 1970 she flew less frequently, with her last flight of 1 hour 50 minutes, being recorded on 24th January 1971, bringing her total time aloft to 1,948 hours and 23 minutes. While she had only completed three and half hours since a Check One she did not fly again, and her C of A lapsed. Although kept in readiness for further test work, she was put up for sale with an asking price of £3,000.   Left: Southend 1968, presumably fresh from repaint by ATEL after modification. Right: At Blackbushe 19th September 1968CHAPER TWO: LIFE AFTER FINAL FLIGHT - AS A MUSEUM PIECE By the early 1970s, even post War Avro 19s were considered as ‘museum pieces’ from a by-gone era of fabric construction on a metal frame and radial piston engines - and a museum piece is exactly what G-AGPG became. In April 1972 she was moved across Southend Airport and was an indoors exhibit when the Historic Aircraft Museum (HAM) opened its doors to the public on 27th May 1972. Although soon moved to an outdoor location, she was in excellent condition and a worthy exhibit with local connections. Some sources state that she was donated to HAM, other that she was sold to HAM for a nominal £300. Although showing some stains and paint fading after 10 years outdoors, she was still with the Museum when it was closed down during the second half of 1982. On 10th May 1983 the HAM assets were placed for sale under the auspices of auction house Phillips. Under the hammer, Avro 19 G-AGPG was sold for £2,800 to Phillippe Denis, a French collector, who aimed to return the aircraft to airworthy condition and fly her in France. The future looked bright. Harry Holmes informs me that Avro Heritage had hoped to acquire the aircraft, but was outbid. How different the rest of this story would have been if they had been successful.   Left: Not long after the HAM opened, this is an October 1972 shot of G-AGPG on external display with the Historic Aircraft Museum at Southend. Right: An undated shot, but could be anytime early in the 10 years she was on display. CHAPTER THREE: VANDALS & DECLINEHowever 1983 was a fateful year, as, while in exterior store at Southend she was damaged by vandals who slashed the fuselage fabric. Unfortunately this allowed the wind inside, which ballooned the remaining fabric off the airframe. With such damage the proposed sale stalled and the damaged airframe sat at Southend as the other previous exhibits departed. She was eventually rescued by British Air Reserve and taken to Lympne, Kent April 1984. At some point she was partially dismantled to facilitate an in-depth condition survey (although I am uncertain if this was at Southend or Lympne). During 1986 she was transported a short distance to the Brenzett Aeronautical Museum at Brenzett, Kent and placed in dismantled external storage under a tarpaulin, until a collection capable of restoring the airframe could be found. This proved to be a difficult task. After over 10 years stored in the open, during summer 1996 she was moved to BAe. Aerostructures at Chadderton for inspection during August by the team that were completing the restoration to airworthiness of G-AHKX, but with an eye to bringing G-AGPG back to sound static exhibition for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Cost estimates were found to be well beyond the finances available for the project. So, in June 2000 she passed into the custody of The Aeroplane Collection (TAC), and the now delicate corroded airframe moved to Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire. Stored indoors in several locations, it was hoped that a group capable of the restoration and rebuild would be found. However, around 2003 the management at Hooton decided that rent should be payable on the space the aircraft occupied in Hangar 3, so the airframe was donated, in lieu of rent owed, to the Hooton Park Trust. Not that her time at Hooton Park was without incident, as she survived a partial collapse of a hangar roof and had to be rescued from a hazardous environment! By 2011 it was decided that despite good intentions, the resources, manpower and expertise did not exist at the site to carry out the now very extensive rebuild and restoration, so the aircraft was sold to Richard Parr to be parted out for spares.   Left: Becoming derelict at Southend - from Aeroplane Monthly March 1984 (via Dick Gilbert). Right: Seen at Brenzett during 1991.   Left: G-AGPG's fuselage undercover, in storage at Hooton Park in the care of TAC, 17th October 2010. Right: While the wing centre section were stored outside. The metal construction of the series 2 wing is clearly evident. CHAPTER FOUR: DECISION MADE The metal wings, engines, fuselage framework and more substantial nose were moved during 2011 to Market Drayton and the care of Richard Parr. During 2012 the aircraft was parted-out. The flying surfaces and some other components were retained by Mr Parr for another Anson project (thought to be in Australia); the port engine was sold to an engineer/collector in the Parbold, Lancs area for restoration to running condition; while the cockpit and nose section were purchased by Mike Davey as a long-term restoration project. The fuselage frame more or less collapsed without the tail and cockpit to keep it in shape. The cockpit section was separated from the much corroded fuselage section on 18th October 2012 and transported to Newborough, Lancs, where a new trailer mounted support frame was constructed and remedial work begun on the airframe over the winter months. With initial work progressing well, the old girl slowly but surely getting some of her dignity back. Even though far from finished she was displayed at the Newark Air Museum’s ‘Cockpit Fest’ event on June 15th 2013. The event judging was carried out by Ken Ellis (of MAS and W&R fame) and he recognised how “Aggie Paggie” had been badly treated by the preservation movement for 40 years, but that she, or at least a significant part of her, would at long last be restored and the cockpit awarded the “Wrecks and Relics Spirit of Cockpit-Fest” award. Over the next few weekends she also attracted much attention at the Speke and then Manchester Air Fairs. Although some 30 years since she could be considered a failure of the British aircraft preservation movement, sections of G-AGPG now have an assured future. The Avro Heritage Centre at Woodford, one of her old haunts, has expressed a firm interest in displaying the cockpit in their museum when restoration is complete and their former Fire Station premises converted and opened at Woodford.[/p]
 
Left: The trailer mounted nose section of 'PG exhibited at the SAHG Air Fair at Speke, 30th June 2013. At this time restoration is still in the initial stages. Right: A week later at the Manchester TAS event, 13th July 2013 seen exhibited adjacent to another Avro product, the Vulcan.
 
 
Now nearing the completion of the cockpit section to display standards, as seen at the TAC Hooton Park Open Day on 18th September 2016.
COLOUR SCHEMES
From the photographs above, clearly G-AGPG wore at least 4 colour schemes during her flying career.
Initially flown in what some sources describe as ‘camouflage’, it is described in detail in an issue of 'Flight' as royal blue satin finish overall, silver nacelles and nose cone, with large black registration outlined in silver and underlined in red/white/blue identification colours as required by wartime civilian regulations which were still in force. Interior furnishing in light and dark grey with fushia metal fittings.
Following that, by 1951 a plain, more airline like scheme, with silver overall and a dark blue ‘tear-drop’ shaped cheat line around the windows and much smaller registration. Speculate the change of colours followed the major wing modification winter 1948/49. Unfortunately colour cannot be determined from b&w photos, anyone help? indeed, anyone know of further schemes while with Avro?
She is next known in Skyways pale blue scheme with red cheat-line edging and registration letters 1961-1967, although photos from this period are rare.
Most photographed in colour is the Ekco/Pye scheme from 1967 until the fabric was totally removed. The company titles were amended during service, as shown on the photographs.
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Post by viscount on May 9, 2014 11:55:22 GMT 1
INFORMATION FROM THE LOG-BOOKS
The log books, there are three in total, covering the entire flying career of ‘PG, did not contain all the information I anticipated but nether-the-less provide an interesting insight into the life of “Aggie Paggie”. I had hoped that the airfields visited would be listed and pilots named, however on the majority of pages, the information consists purely of date, time, daily total flight time and a cumulative flight time total (which towards the end changes to time since previous major check). Where filled in, the comments space is not related to the flights, but to inspections, engineering work completed and modifications incorporated. Unlike the civilian registration documents, which initially briefly refer to the aircraft as an Avro XII, the Log Books refer to her as an Avro XIX from the outset.
SO WHEN WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT ?
For the majority of the first page, the pilot has filled in the airfields visited, so is worthy of a detailed examination. However the closer I looked, the more a small problem became apparent. Perhaps a transcription here will be of interest, as I’m sure the places visited in the first month are representative of her work with Avro over a number of years. I have changed entries into sequential date order and into a consistent presentation regarding route flown that day.
Date Time Flight Time Comment
17.08.45 12:00 03.50 Constructors test flights
17.08.45 12:00 00.20 Yeadon to Woodford (entry is made out of sequence, likely on 06.09.45)
20.08.45 11:00 02.10 Woodford – Hendon – Baginton – Woodford
23.08.45 09:30 01.50 Woodford – Yeadon – Waddington - Langar – Woodford
28.08.45 11:30 00.20 Check test flight
31.08.45 11:40 01.00 Woodford – Ringway – Woodford – Speke – Woodford
06.09.45 10:30 02.30 Woodford – Prestwick - Woodford
12.09.45 11:00 02.05 Woodford – Yeadon – Baggington (as entered in log) – Yeadon – Woodford
14.09.45 10:30 00.10 Woodford to Ringway
17.09.45 10:00 00.10 Ringway to Woodford
17.09.45 00:20 Woodford to Yeadon (entry is made late, probably on 15.10.45, added between lines and in slightly different hand writing)
17.09.45 02.20 (this and subsequent entries in the same, different hand writing, but with no details as to where was visited)
She may from 17.09.45 have then operated from Yeadon for a while, although with no comments as to point of origin or destinations, it is impossible to say
for certain.
A logical first question on opening the Log Books, just when was the first flight? As 17th August 1945 is the first entry in the log book it is easy at a glance to accept this as the first flight. However when entries are placed in date sequence, clearly something does not match up. Nearly 4 hours of test flying time on the same afternoon, must have required an impossibly ‘snag-free’ aircraft! Put this together with the aircraft’s first C of A, certificate 7185, being issued on 6th August 1945, which would have to be after an ARB conducted test flight, clearly the log book entries need a re-think. I suggest that the log book commences on the day of hand-over to the customer (which in this case is a division of the manufacturers) at midday on 17th August. As prior test flights count to total hours, they have been lumped together at 3 hours 50 minutes and all entered under the Log Book starting date. Maybe the test flight documents were once filed in a pocket at the back of the log book, but have long since fallen out! Having filled in the log book once on 17th August before departure on delivery, the pilot then omits to fill-in the delivery flight until he notices this several weeks later. I suggest a similar pattern of events on 17th September. Two out of the three out-of-sequence entries I have spotted in the log books are both on this first page! The closest I think that we will ever get to a first flight date is ‘July 1945’.
WHAT ELSE CAN BE DEDUCED FROM THE LOG BOOKS?As mentioned above, the lack of information regarding airfields visited and pilot’s names came as a disappointment, especially as the first page provides a ‘taster’. However the more I looked, the more the hours flown and engineering comments and stamps intrigued me. Many of the modifications incorporated are listed by number and technical description. However one I rather like is a simple entry, dated 6th June 1946 “Civil Mod 9 (Provision of ash trays) incorporated”. This task was also noted on the C of A modifications list, dated 24th September 1947 “Civil Mod 9. To fit ashtrays and delete ‘No Smoking’ label.” Oddly this one of very few “Civil Mod” mentions I spot any reference to! I digress, as the major annual entries regard the major overhaul, inspection, subsequent air-test flight and Certificate of Airworthiness renewal. Engineers stamps, signing off work completed, reveal where many of the annual overhaul checks took place.
Total Annual Final C of A Test Location and Comments
Time time Flight Flight
226.57 226.57 01.08.46 07.09.46 Speculate C of A at Yeadon as the sign-off signatures do not appear elsewhere. No ink stamps used.
305.52 78.55 25.08.47 24.09.47 A.V.Roe at Woodford. All Woodford work has clear ink stamps and usually signed-off by H.Caulfield*.
395.28 89.36 21.09.48 19.04.49 A.V.Roe at Woodford. Major modification work to Avro 19 series 2 standard*
514.23 118.55 27.04.50 12.06.50 A.V.Roe at Woodford
603.38 89.15 08.06.51 20.06.51 A.V.Roe at Woodford
687.03 83.25 24.04.52 15.05.52 A.V.Roe Repair Organisation stamp, no location, signed-off by W.Sturrock*
791.18 104.15 07.04.53 22.04.53 Flown to Waddington, A.V.Roe Repair Organisation stamp, again signed off by W.Sturrock.
848.28 57.10 22.04.54 11.05.54 Flown to Waddington, A.V.Roe Repair Organisation stamp.
938.33 90.05 17.05.55 02.06.55 same A.V.Roe Repair Organisation stamp and W.Sturrock signature, but no location provided.
1042.32 103.59 04.06.56 18.06.56 A.V.Roe Repair Organisation, Bracebridge Heath headed paper, again signed-off by W.Sturrock.
1122.52 80.20 08.04.57 03.05.57 A.V.Roe Repair Organisation, Bracebridge Heath
1231.27 108.35 01.05.58 21.05.58 A.V.Roe Repair Organisation, Bracebridge Heath
1329.32 98.05 23.06.59 16.07.59 A.V.Roe Repair Organisation, Bracebridge Heath
1421.57 92.25 18.07.60 10.08.60 Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Co. headed paper, presumed at Coventry.
(A 2 month extension to this C of A was granted 8.61 to Skyways Ltd.)
1609.19 187.22 26.10.61 05.07.62 Check 5 and C of A with Skyways Engineering Ltd at Lympne.
1695.03 85.44 26.08.63 20.05.64 Skyways Coach-Air Ltd, Lympne
(Final flight with Skyways 08.07.64, after which she was not flown again until a ferry flight 26.10.67)
1703.58 7.55 26.10.67 29.01.68 Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd, Southend* During this overhaul she was fitted with an elongated radar nose cone.
1823.58 120.00 12.01.69 19.02.69 Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd, Southend
1911.48 87.50 06.02.70 20.02.70 Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd, Southend
1948.23 36.35 24.01.71 to the time of the last recorded flight 24.01.71
* = further detail can be found in the following paragraphs. Sorry if this table distorts on small screens.
Comments:During the period with Avro, the only non-Avro routine maintenance appears on 12th July 1946 with a 60 hour check on airframe and engines, along with a 50 hour routine radio check at Staverton, but no name of the organisation provided. She then commenced a period of intensive flying with on 13th July with 7 hour 50 mins in the air, next day 7 hour 25 mins and the following day an impressive 9 hour 25 mins – the most flying in one day I can find in the logs. No clues at all as to why, other than to speculate that as Staverton was the home of Dowty Rotol who made the propellers she was fitted with, then they might have been involved? The protracted time on the ground 21.09.48 to 01.04.49 at Woodford was presumably while new metal wings were fitted and brought the aircraft to Avro 19 series 2 specifications. The Log books don’t state the fitting of new wings directly, but the record shows a long list of approved design modifications incorporated. Her engines were removed and uprated at the same time to Cheetah 17 and placed back on the opposite wing to previously! This work was followed by a number of test flights, 1st to 14th April. Before she flew again regularly there is a pencil comment “Transferred to Exp. Dept. 13/5/49” which I don’t fully comprehend, but possibly denotes transfer within the company to the Experimental Department of A.V.Roe as a ‘hack’ visiting various military installations, maybe previously it had been operated by the Sales Dept. (a guess on my part). Usually May 1952 is given as the date new wings were installed; the aircraft log books certainly don’t support this. I’ve corresponded on the ‘Airfields Information Exchange’ forum regarding the A.V. Roe Repair Organisation Bracebridge Heath and find that this facility was in former WWI hangars, about a mile from the current boundary of Waddington Airfield on the opposite side of the A15. During WWII it was responsible for stripping down damaged Lancasters and returning parts and undamaged sections of aircraft back into service. Post War, they constructed the Avro 707 (scaled down Vulcan test aircraft) there and towed them to Waddington for flight. It is not yet clear if G-AGPG was towed to the Bracebridge Heath site for each of the 8 years, or if she was (far more likely) worked on at Waddington, with workshop repairs and paperwork completed at Bracebridge Heath. Although for the first 4 years, the name Bracebridge Heath was not used in the log books, other evidence including signatures and references to Waddington, make me confident that this was the location of the ‘A.V.Roe Repair Organisation’ used (name as appears on an ink stamp). Throughout her 16 years of ownership by A.V.Roe, the majority of minor and routine ‘line’ work is signed off with a stamp ‘A.V.Roe Woodford’ and frequently by the same signature, H.Caulfield (Harry Caulfield's name is confirmed by Harry Holmes of Avro Heritage, as the spelling is not certain from the signature). Mr Caulfield was Flight Sheds manager, with Brian Gee his assistant (although this signature does not appear in the Log Books). Clearly from the different hand-writing styles and pens used filling in the Log Books, “Aggie Paggie” was flown by a number of different pilots over the years. It is known that during operation by Avro, one regular pilot was their test pilot Jimmy Orrell, while Tony Blackman briefly mentions flying “Aggy Paggie” (his spelling) during the mid ‘50s in his book ‘Flight Testing to Win’. Finally, around 1962 the airworthiness regulations changed from an annual major overhaul and inspection, to a system based on the number of hours flown, with a series of minor and major maintenance checks during the year. The annual Certificate of Airworthiness award now being based on the paperwork from the hours flown maintenance checks and inspections along with a test flight, rather than just an annual overhaul and inspection and test flight.
During the C of A October 1967 to January 1968 by Aviation Traders at Southend, G-AGPG was fitted with an elongated nose (removed from Anson 1 G-ALIH) to house a demonstration radar, along with changes to the cabin layout to accommodate the radar screen.
CLAIMS TO FAME & DISPELLING MYTHS
A number of statements about G-AGPG appear on the web or verbally attributed to the aircraft, some have not proved easy to confirm or debunk.
*She was the prototype Avro 19 – not so, military Avro 19s commenced delivery at around the time of G-AGPG’s first flight.
*She was the first civilian Avro 19 – well, G-AGNI was the prototype civilian Avro 19, attaining her C of A little under 6 months earlier than G-AGPG. However, very significantly, ‘PG almost certainly was the first Avro 19 intended from the outset as a production civilian aircraft – other early Avro 19 aircraft were laid down for RAF and converted to civilian standards on the production line, following a reduction in an order for the RAF.
*All the civilian Avro 19s were produced at Woodford (Wikipedia). Not so, some (like G-AGPG) were certainly off the Yeadon production line.
* G-AGPG was the first Avro 19 fitted with a metal wing. Not so, the first civilian Avro 19 constructed with the metal wing was the series 2 prototype G-AHKX, mid 1946.
* Statements both on the web and in print that G-AGPG was converted to series 2 (metal wing) during May 1952 – the log book evidence is that it was much earlier, during winter 1948-1949.
* Only Avro 19 to fly with both wooden (series 1) and metal (series 2) wing. Not sure about civilian aircraft, but a number of RAF aircraft certainly were so modified.
* An Australian website states the sale as SU-ADJ between Pye and HAM ownership (so c.1971/72). Total rubbish as SU-ADJ an Anson XII of Misrair fatally crashed 24.5.46 was C/no 1272, not 1212 of G-AGPG.
* A claim to fame that can be easily confirmed is that the aircraft, while with Ekco/Pye, worked on the development and demonstration of the weather radar as fitted in Concorde.
FINALLY
Well I hope I’ve provided some insight into the career of G-AGPG, a bit of a detective story in places, making sense of clues, as the log books were not written as a history lesson. An interesting aircraft and one which deserved a better fate, although as stated at the outset, it is quite amazing that anything has survived at all!
Remarkable to reflect (1945-2021) a life-time of 76 years:
Active flying career (1945-1971) 27 years (of which the first 16 were with A.V. Roe & Co Ltd)
As a museum exhibit (1972-1982) 11 years
As a vandalised airframe (1983-1986) 3 years
Then as a partially dismantled, stored frame (1986-2013) 27 years (of which around 15 were outside)
Split into sections, separating the cockpit section as a trailer mounted exhibit (2013-on) 8+ years (as at 2021)
Once again as a museum exhibit (2017-on) 4+ years (as at 2021)
The truly remarkable thing, is having been let down by the preservation movement in 1983, she has survived 31 of her 76 years as a vandal damaged and externally stored airframe!
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Post by viscount on May 9, 2014 12:10:22 GMT 1
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Post by viscount on May 9, 2014 12:52:24 GMT 1
BRIEF TIME-LINE HISTORY
Built 1945 by A.V. Roe & Co Ltd at Yeadon. Construction commenced as an Anson XII, but completed June 1945 as an Avro XIX with manufacturer’s construction number 1212. Was the first civilian production Avro 19 series 1 and fitted with Cheetah XV engines. July 1945. First flight at Yeadon. 6th August 1945. G-AGPG issued with its first annual ‘Certificate of Airworthiness’ by the ARB following a successful ‘air test’ flight. 17th August 1945. Delivered to A.V. Roe Co. Ltd. at Woodford, near Manchester for sales demonstration work, although used mostly as a company communications ‘hack’ between factory sites, based at Woodford and Yeadon. In early 60s probably loaned to Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft at Coventry for a while. With Avro for 16 years, August 1945 to July 1961 and flown for a total of 1592 hours by them. Winter 1948-1949. Converted to Avro 19 series 2, with an all metal wing fitted and engines uprated to Cheetah 17 specification. 11th July 1961. Delivered Woodford to Lympne, Kent, acquired by Eric Rylands, MD of Skyways Coach Air as personal transport and company ‘hack’. 103 hours added until last flown 8th July 1964. 26th October 1967. Delivered Lympne to Southend-on-Sea. Purchased by Ekco Avionics (later part of Pye Telecommunications Ltd). Fitted with a demonstration weather radar in a modified nose. 253 hours added in 3 years of test and demonstration flying. 24 th January 1971. Last flight, airborne for 2 hours 50 minutes. Landed back at Southend. Grand total time of 1,948 hours and 23 minutes flying time. 27th May 1972. The Historic Aviation Museum (HAM) at Southend opened its doors to the public. G-AGPG was initially an exhibit indoors, although soon moved to an outdoor location. Late summer 1982. The Historic Aviation Museum at Southend closed down. 10th May 1983. The HAM assets sold at auction. Under the hammer, G-AGPG sold for £2,800 to Phillippe Denis, a French collector who aimed to restore the aircraft to flight in France. During 1983. Vandals cut through the underside fabric, the wind ballooning the fabric off the airframe. The purchase abandoned as a result. Semi-derelict, the airframe sat at Southend for some time. (For more on the timing of the vandalism see the entry by 'hawkseye66' further down.) April 1984. Rescued by the British Air Reserve and moved to Lympne, Kent, where it was inspected and assessed for rebuild, but was otherwise kept in external store. During 1986. Transported to the Brenzett Aeronautical Museum, Kent. Placed in external, partially dismantled storage until a collector capable to restoring the airframe could be found. Summer 1996. Moved to Chadderton for inspection, with the aim of restoring the airframe for exhibition in the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester. Cost estimates, even using apprentice training and retired engineers, well beyond finances available for the project, despite its great relevance to Manchester's aviation history. June 2000. Passed into the care of The Aviation Collection (TAC). The now corroded and delicate frame moved to Hooton Park, Cheshire. Stored indoors in several locations while the airframe’s future was debated and some way of saving the aircraft sought. Around 2003. Ownership passed to the Hooton Park Trust, although the aircraft remained in the care of TAC at Hooton. 1st September 2011. By now it was very clear that the airframe was past economic restoration, sold to Richard Parr of Market Drayton, Shropshire and moved out of Hooton Park. 18th October 2012. Nose and cockpit separated from the seriously decayed fuselage frame and collected by Mike Davey for restoration. The wing remained with Richard Parr and readied for export to Australia to aid restoration of an Anson there. At least one of the Cheetah 17 engines under active rebuild to running condition. 15th June 2013. The project to restore the nose section given a first public outing at ‘Cockpit Fest’, Newark. Shortly after, also appeared at Speke and Manchester Air Fairs. Although interrupted by outings to various 'cockpit' events, work proceeded on restoring the cockpit with instrumentation, Perspex, metal framework and fabric covering. Restoration was largely complete by summer 2016. early 2017. Placed on public display indoors in the A V. Roe Museum on the former Woodford airfield - a very fitting location' MAIN REFERENCES:Some of the more useful sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Ansonsearch for threads containing “G-AGPG” on forum.keypublishing.com/forum.php www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?7575-Bracebridge-HeathAnson marks detailed on: britishaviation-ptp.com/avro652_1.htmlMilitary Anson production lists: britishaviation-ptp.com/avro652_2.htmlCivilian Anson production/conversions: britishaviation-ptp.com/avro652_3.html (scroll down to find Avro 19s on each of the above three pages). Lost Aviation Collections of Britain, Ken Ellis, pub Crecy, 2011. British Museum Aircraft, Ken Ellis, pub MAS, 1977 BAe Chadderton Project File 1996 (a private circulation document) Also many thanks to owner Mike Davey for the loan of the log books and the BAe project file, permitting me to put together a more factual than usual history, and to Phil Butler for pointing out the odd error - a task he does rather well! |
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Post by thepaperplane on May 9, 2014 18:26:56 GMT 1
A comprehensive and, as ever, well-researched article, Brian on Aggie Paggie.
It's remarkable when one considers, of what remains of the machine, that in August next year seventy years will have elapsed since her first flight. It will be around that time when she, hopefully, will be going Roe Heritage at Woodford for long-term display.
tpp
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Post by acklington on May 10, 2014 18:53:10 GMT 1
Excellent history and detail - very well done! I have a couple of photos which may be of interest; But firstly, my only photo of PG's predecessor, G-ALIH taken at Biggin Hill from a distance with a 'box brownie' camera. The date was 25th November 1964, and my unsuccessful visit to the RAF Selection Centre at Biggin Hill. The reason I've included this photo is because I vaguely recall reading that PG inherited G-ALIH's radar nose cone. This would make sense if G-ALIH was going to be sold on by ECKO, as the two aircraft would have merely swapped noses. I may well be wrong, but is there anything in PG's history that would confirm this? And incidently, where is the radar nose cone now?  G-ALIH, Biggin Hill, 25 Nov 1964 by Philip Pain, on Flickr Next are my two photos of PG taken at Southend Airport on the 21st Anniversary Air Display, on 24th March 1968. The ATEL hangar was open to the public, and the main attractions were two newly converted Carvairs for Aer Lingus, EI-ANJ and AMR. Photography was not easy (as can be seen!), but I still kick myself that I didn't try harder for a partial photo of EI-AMR, and also the ex-Ansett DC-4 nose, left over from one of the Carvair conversions.  G-AGPG, Southend, 24 March 68 (1) by Philip Pain, on Flickr  EI-ANJ, AMR, G-AGPG, Southend, 24 March 68 by Philip Pain, on Flickr Finally, my take on PG at the Southend Air Museum, dated 14th October 1972.  G-AGPG, Southend Museum, 14 Oct 72 by Philip Pain, on Flickr The above four photos were scanned from prints, but I do also have the negatives. Regarding PG's travels, I was recently glancing through an IOM ATC logbook from the 50's, and I'm sure that I spotted G-AGPG as having made a one-off visit to the IOM. This might have been in connection with the (then) Martin Baker ejection seat factory at Ronaldsway, as they did supply the seats for Avro Vulcans. I'll see if I can find the logbook entry again. |
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Post by viscount on May 10, 2014 21:47:01 GMT 1
Great photos 'Acklington', thank you - I especially like the ones inside ATEL's hangar.
Yes, the modified nose to house the demonstration radar was transferred from Anson 1 G-ALIH. I've amended the original text to include this fact. The use of existing panels is not stated as such, but the Log Book engineering comments imply that the modifications had prior approval. Being older and ex-military, but especially as it was a wooden winged aircraft with a lower cabin roof, G-ALIH was retired from service September 1967 on acquisition of G-AGPG. Quite likely there were maintenance issues being a modified Anson 1, the CAA did not appear to like the type. With a 'standard' nose re-fitted, G-ALIH found her way into preservation with the (then) small Newark Air Museum. However the fuselage was completely destroyed in an arson attack during 1971.
I'm not sure if Mike Davey has the rounded front end of the nose, the cylinder sides are still attached to support it. No doubt he will be along shortly with an answer! I look forward to inspecting the progress made by Mike on the restoration of the cockpit section this summer - hopefully it will be an exhibit at the SAHG 'Air Fair' at Speke on 13th July.
Clearly 'PG travelled widely around Britain, especially during her days with Avro. It is unfortunate that after the first 15 or so entries, no pilot made any notes as to where she had been, except for two mentions of going to Waddington prior to a C of A check. She is known to have visited Speke eg 31st August 1945 and in the '50s, but certainly has made no visit after 1960 while with Skyways or Ekco.
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Post by thepaperplane on May 10, 2014 22:38:22 GMT 1
Yes, a rather sad tale about LIH, having survived into preservation she was then destroyed in a fire. I understand that the flying surfaces survived the fire and were incorporated into another project, possibly the Anson now at Newark.
The nose radome does survive and is on a shelf awaiting refurbishment and, eventually, refitting to Aggie Paggie's cockpit. I haven't displayed the cockpit with the radome on since I acquired it as it is rather large and difficult to transport separately. It can't be fitted for travelling either because the cockpit is then too long to fit the trailer!
Rest assured the radome will eventually find its way onto the front of the cockpit.
Whilst I'm on; as you will be aware from Viscount's excellent research, Aggie Paggie was used to air test the E190/290 radar destined for Concorde. The radome was necessary to hide the radar scanner/head but this gear, along with the radar displays and all test equipment was removed by Ekco after the trials but the mounts and racks are still present.
I'm returning the cockpit to the Ecko configuration so I'm looking for a (static/unserviceable) radar display, controls and scanner head to re-fit to the cockpit to better reflect its important test role. If anyone can point me in the direction of any of these parts I would very much appreciate it.
Your photo's are excellent, acklington. It really shows what a high gloss the aircraft's finish was originally, something that is not apparent at all when you see what the paint work is like now. She must certainly have been a very attractive aircraft in her prime.
Lastly, I'd very much like to get my hands on some interior shots of Aggie Paggie from her radar test and HAM Southend days. I have one good, but limited field, view sent to me by Harry Turnbull of Lanark after he saw Aggie Paggie's cockpit at the AVP last summer. However, it only shows the immediate area of the main instrument panel. Port and Stbd cockpit and cabin shots would be a huge help to the restoration and I'm convinced that someone somewhere must have taken some back in the early seventies. Access to the aircraft was allowed at that time so I am sure these elusive views are out there somewhere.
thepaperplane
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Post by acklington on May 12, 2014 15:36:35 GMT 1
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Post by acklington on May 18, 2014 14:24:05 GMT 1
Just a quick update - I had another look through the old IOM ATC logbooks for G-AGPG's visit(s), but I'm afraid I couldn't find the entry again. But it will turn up one day!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2019 9:27:41 GMT 1
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Post by viscount on Oct 16, 2021 17:36:28 GMT 1
THE HISTORY OF AVRO 19, G-AGPG - A FOLLOW UPThis thread was the culmination of a fair amount of research initially and then the images and log book pages suffered a mauling at the hands of gdurl and tiny pics. As the photos came from numerous sources, it has taken some effort to replace them all, and add a number of further illustrations in the process. My thanks too, to 'Acklington' for replacing his images which had been obliterated by Tiny Pics, so restoring the whole thread back to life. After being something of 'dead' thread for a while I'm giving it a 'bunk up' back into the first page of the Section index. G-AGPG's restored nose section is on public display at the Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford (see their website for opening and location details). As at mid-October 2021 there have been 6,975 views of this thread since first posted during May 2014 and is the most detailed examination of a preserved aircraft's history that I have undertaken.  I have no idea of the provenance of this print in the Don Stephens collection. Though it is a mighty fine shot of G-AGPG in it's earliest colour scheme in the immediate post-war period. The colours are described earlier, as recorded by a 'Flight International' reporter. The aircraft beyond is a Beech 18, likely a Beech C-45 Expeditor - although there were a number of different designations for the same basic type while in military service.    Images of G-AGPG inside the Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford in September 2023. Not the greatest of angles possible due to exhibits alongside, and the perspex has distorted the cockpit view in through the port side window with reflections off the Lancaster nose. As detailed in some posts above, she suffered badly at times since airworthy, but she now has a safe, dry and respected place in a museum dedicated to her designers, constructors and her base airfield for many years. I note that by September 2024 the 'hit' counter has reached 9,860, so clearly this thread is being found by many on a 'Google' search. Welcome to NWAN Forum and do please go the 'home' page and find other topics of 'nostalgia' interest such as Burtonwood, Stretton, Hawarden, Hooton Park, Liverpool Airport and many further topics.
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Post by ronturner on Oct 17, 2021 8:42:05 GMT 1
Thanks for the prompt. I enjoyed reading this again. Although never flying in this machine I have connections with ECKO having worked with PYE just after the take over and have very many ECKO friends.
I have a history of how ECKO were ordered to move a project out of Southend and London to some secret place in the countryside. The location they chose was an old country house and farm on the outskirts of Malmesbury in Wiltshire, and the secret project they were working on eventually became known as Radar. After the war they reverted to civilian things such as heaters and radios, until bought by PYE when they starting making telecoms equipment. This is when I joined from Plessey Liverpool in 1972. Pye was bought by Philips who turned the site into an R&D establishment and with many others I embarked upon a very happy and successful career in this very unique establishment.
If I could find a way of digitising these old fashioned "gestetner" printed pages I am sure many would enjoy reading this history of wartime exploits, and pioneering work, not only in technology but in management/employee relationships, the introduction of on site health care and things like that.
(Admin . if you find this a diversion feel free to move or delete.)
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Post by hawkseye66 on Aug 22, 2022 9:20:01 GMT 1
Excellent and superbly detailed history! Must have taken quite a while to compile all that...
In the interests of historical accuracy, however, I can offer a slight amendment to the details. The vandalism to G-AGPG whilst at the Historic Aircraft Museum occurred before, not after, the closure of the museum and auction, probably around late 1982/early 1983 (and the museum actually closed shortly before the auction in May 1983, not late summer 1982)
>Late summer 1982. The Historic Aviation Museum at Southend closed down.
>10th May 1983. The HAM assets sold at auction. Under the hammer, G-AGPG sold for £2,800 to Phillippe Denis, a French collector who aimed to restore the aircraft to flight in France.
>During 1983. Vandals cut through the underside fabric, the wind ballooning the fabric off the airframe. The purchase abandoned as a result. Semi-derelict, the airframe sat at Southend for some time.
See my photo here (https://www.flickr.com/photos/194639104@N04/albums/72177720301102193) from Mar 1983, clearly showing that the vandalism had already occurred by then, and the aircraft had been moved away from the general display area into a smaller fenced-off compound. The auction catalogue (https://www.southendtimeline.co.uk/2/southend-timeline-auction-historic-aircraft-museum-history-of-southend-on-sea.html) also mentions that it had already been vandalised.
Perhaps the initial damage was actually not as bad as it looked (and was potentially fairly easily repairable), but the winds made it significantly worse while it was awaiting transport to France. But the initial damage definitely occurred before the sale.
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