Aircraft

Wheeler Slymph

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Wheeler Slymph G-ABOT at Old Warden in March 1965.

A single-seat mid-wing monoplane designed and built by A.H.Wheeler in 1931. Construction was started in Hinaidi, Iraq, that year. It was fitted with a Blackburn Tomtit engine.

It was not flown and brought to Henlow where it was registered G-ABOI c/n AHE.1.

In 1932 it was converted to an ABC Scorpion engine but it was never flown.

It was donated to the Shuttleworth Trust at Old Warden and stored there until loaned to the Midland Aircraft Preservation Society. It was stored in the Coventry area.

Span: 22.00 ft
Length: 14.09 ft

Weymann

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France
Charles Weymann designed and built in 1916 an all-metal biplane with conventional fuselage. In 1929 joined with lePere, and Weymann-lePere was formed from the remains of a separate company called Avimeta which had closed in 1928. Weymann-lePere held a Cierva license; when lePere left in 1930 Weymann reverted to original name.

Weybridge Man Powered Aircraft Group Dumbo

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Financed by the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Weybridge Man Powered Aircraft Group’s Dumbo, which took 10,000 man hours to build and had wings which spanned 36.6 m (120 ft) and drooped down at rest. It has a structure of metal tube covered in see-through ‘Melinex’. All the flying surfaces are capable of being warped to act as control surfaces.

The aircraft has a bullet-shaped fuselage with a four-unit tailplane mounted at the extreme ear with a pusher propeller behind that. The pilot sits in the nose.

The wing is internally braced and set low on the fuselage.

It first flew at Weybridge on 18 September 1971.

Wingspan: 120.00 ft
Wing area: 480 sq.ft
Aspect ratio: 30-1
Empty weight: 125 lb

Westward Airways Fairey Flycatcher

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In January 1977 construction of Fairey Flycatcher replica S1287 was started by Robinson Aircraft at Blackbushe, later transferred to Rod Bellamy, whereas the CAA Aircraft Register states Westward Airways, Lands End, England as the manufacturer

On 17 July 1977 it was registered as G-BEYB to John Fairey, and powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B engine, making its first flight, at Middle Wallop, on 23 July 1979. The first public display was at the Middle Wallop Air Show on 28 July 1979.

It was damaged following a take-off accident on 4 October 1980, flying again following repair on 23 July 1981.

On 01 September 1995 it was flown to Lee-on-Solent for a static role at the Fleet Air Arm Officers Association reunion, the last public function before sale to FAAM.

On 05 June 1996 it was flown to RNAS Yeovilton by John Fairey and put into 12 hanger (FSAIU).

In July 1996 it moved into the FAAM and onto public display.

By 2012 it was in the Reserve Collection at Cobham Hall Store.