The first aircraft owned by private persons date from right after the end of the First World War. Especially companies soon realized that the aircraft could take them across the country or the world to all kind of places where the airlines did not come. In this article, we will present one of the larger private aircraft around, the Fokker F.VIIb-3m. The text of this article is an extract from the series of books (four volumes) written by Theo Wesselink about the Fokker F.VII. These books can be obtained through Dutch Aviation. [caption id="attachment_4173" align="aligncenter" width="800"] The Fokker F.VIIb-3m, G-EBZJ...
John Stroud – illustrator, aviation expert, photographer and historian
by: Colin Higgs From: www.aflyinghistory.com [caption id="attachment_3974" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Avation photographs from Flying History Limited[/caption] John Stroud was born on 3 April 1919 in Balham, south London. Unlike many of the people associated with the early days of British aviation he did not come from a wealthy family. His father, Albert Stroud, was a shop assistant, who had married Laura Archer at Lambeth the previous year. Early Aviation Experiences Among John's earliest memories was a visit to Croydon airport when he was three or four years old by which time the family had moved to Streatham Common. Even though he...
The ultimate price deserves respect
[caption id="attachment_3596" align="aligncenter" width="583"] Photograph of a similar aircraft as mentioned in the article: Short Stirling. (via Wikipedia)[/caption] Although my website is about civil aviation, I do hope my followers allow me to point out this article: The Netherlands has a rich tradition in salvaging wrecks of Allied bombers and fighters from the Second World War. The below mentioned article came to my attention and touched me. I feel that we also in other countries should try to do our best to keep alive the memory of those who gave the ultimate sacrefice for our freedom. Possible salvage aircraft wreck with...
Imperial Airways and the most beautiful Speedbird of the sky!
By: Rob Mulder - fleet information via Malcolm Fillmore For: www.europeanairlines.no De Havilland Ltd. designer Arthur E. Hagg designed one of the most beautiful aerodynamically airplanes of the pre-war era. But, as with the German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, the Second World War limited the civil use of the aircraft. On 20 May 1937, the prototype of the D.H.91 Albatross, marked “E.2.”, took to the air with the personnel of the factory witnessing the event. Before the war, the delivered aircraft had a good flying record and were a treat to look at. Check this link as well: https://youtu.be/6Q_zNrj0GpM [caption...
THE BRITISH AIRCRAFT ON THE ELTA OF 1919
Rob J M Mulder Between the 1 August and 14 September 1919 the Eerste Luchtverkeer Tentoonstelling Amsterdam – ELTA (First Aviation Exhibition Amsterdam) was held. It was hailed as a great success: more than 100 aircraft participated and more than 500,000 spectators (some sources take about as many as 1,000,000) passed the gates. The French Captain Hirschauer wrote about the exhibition ’…since the air exhibition of Reims of 1909…never has an air show been as impressive as the ELTA’. After 90 years it is time to reflect and have a look at the British participation. Once the guns of the...
An Englishman’s dream:
The North Sea Air Mail Express Newcastle – Stavanger By: Rob Mulder For: www.europeanairlines.no It has taken many years and numerous attempts to realise the opening of an air service between Norway and the United Kingdom. Both Norwegians and Englishmen have throughout the twenties and thirties of the last Century tried, but it was an Englishmen pursuing his dream that would follow in the footsteps of the Norwegian aviator Tryggve Gran and inaugurate an air service across the North Sea. The first attempts from the Norwegian side At the formation of Det Norske Luftfartrederi AS – DNL in 1918, the...
British Aerial Transport F.K.26 ‘Commercial’
World's first aircraft specifically designed for commercial aviation, 1919 By: Henri Kaper For: www.europeanairlines.no Introduction by Rob Mulder, webmaster: The BAT F.K.26 Commercial is the world’s first aircraft sepcifically designed for commercial aviation. Henri Kaper wrote an article for the webiste of the Koolhoven Aeroplane Foundation and we would like to let as many as possible get to know about this achievment. With the permission of Henri Kaper we have published the article on our website as well. World's first aircraft specifically designed for commercial aviation, 1919 When the end of World War I was in sight, aircraft builders saw...