No. 63b Seaplane 'Mercury', the mail aircraft that was carried by no. 63a Flying Boat 'Maia', together forming the set 63 Mayo Composite Aircraft (1939-1941), had the correct registration number G-ADHJ (see picture). The same no. 63b was re-issued post-war as ‘Seaplane’, without ‘Mercury’ transfers on sides below the cockpit, without gliding game hole on top and without clamp underneath, for coupling with 'Maia'. And, it had a new, but fictive number G-AVKW.
Just curious if there was any chance that this new number was ever in use for a registered aircraft, the internet gave a quick answer: yes there was! The number G-AVKW was assigned to a Belgian aircraft, a two seater double decker Stampe-Vertongen SV-4B C/N 561, developed pre-war, but this version built in license in France by SNCAN (Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord) in 1947. It was registered two decades later in the UK: 1-5-1967 (these were very popular second hand aircraft for recreation, stunt teams etc.). It didn’t last long, however, after that, because it crashed near Godstone, Surrey, 29-10-1967. Registration belatedly cancelled by the CAA as aircraft ‘destroyed’ on 29-6-1970.
See also: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=65788 Kind regards, Jan
Great writeup Jan on a most interesting model, when it was combined with the Flying Boat. But I always thought the Seaplane by itself was also a nice airplane model, and got one several years ago. The photo of the two of them together is amazing.....thanks!
Regards,
Terry
Thanks, Terry, remarkable find, isn't it? I found two more pictures in my image files, one showing differences underneath and a final one showing the Composite Aircraft (uploading images is very easy and produces nice quality in my opinion). Kind regards, Jan
P.S.: see also this interesting contemporary documentary:
Jan--What a great short film showing the composite planes in action and separating successfully. I did not know earlier that they used power from both planes for takeoff....amazing!
Regards, Terry
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