Tiger Moth G-ANFW

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Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 169

I wonder if anyone can please relate the more recent movements of this Tiger, ex-RAF DE730?

I joined the Cornish Gliding & Flying Club at Perranporth as kid in 1967 and the then CFI George Collins had bought her, I think directly from RAF surplus sources for use as a glider tug, before ownership passed to the Club.

I mentioned in a forum post in 2006 that:

" ...he bought it from the Air Ministry, collecting it from Aston Down in 1946, with the intention of aerotowing from St Eval where he was CFI of the ATC gliding School. George Collins notes in his book "Sails in the Sky" that on April 19th 1957, "...we aerotowed the Olympia with the Tiger Moth from Culdrose...and imdediately put them at the disposal of our new Club, which had obtained a T31, a Tutor, and was anxiously awaiting delivery of the new T21."

I think she was very well maintained in the Club's ownership but in the late sixties/early '70s the decision was made to sell her in favour of a tricycle undercarriage aircraft, thought better suited to a post-war generation of tug pilots and perhaps easier to manage in the gusty cross-winds of that cliff-top site. There may have been worries about Gipsy engines and preferences for the Lycoming by that time.

George was not happy that the Club sold her, but the decision seemed right based on the perceived needs of the time, and the Club bought Mike Armstrong's gorgeous Beagle Airedale.

G-ANFW found her way to the Torbay Aircraft Museum by reference to this post:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/archive/index.php?t-74191.html

...but I can't see that she was sold in the auction when that was wound up.

The registration was cancelled in 2000, and she is now resident in the Malta aircraft museum, awaiting a new set of wings:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=G-ANFW&u=reg

Did she fly again after being sold out of the ownership of the Gliding Club? The FAA archive site http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/aircraft/Preserved/TigerMoth.html
lists G-ANFW as being resident at Duxford, but I suppose that is no longer the case.

Obliged for any more background - particularly what ever happened to her wings?

SoG

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20 years 2 months

Posts: 2,508

I photographed G-ANFW at the Malta Aviation Museum last year, still minus wings!

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20 years

Posts: 3,902

Oh yes, I know ALL about Fox Whisky !

For the last 15 years or so, she was in the ownership of Michael Fraser, who was an airline pilot, latterly living in Switzerland. It lived at Booker for a while, I think, but since about 1985 was at White Waltham, still in a basic silver scheme with green trim. Mike also owned the Anson G-BFIR, which was being flown by Tony Smallwood at Andrewsfield, when the U/C failed in 1978. Tony often flew FW, and as a keen vintage glider pilot, and Gull owner, used to take it to tug at vintage glider meets.

The Tiger was operated by a small group of pilots, whom I joined in 1994. I flew about 50 hours on it, and in company with Dennis Gliddon, took it to Switzerland and back in June 95, where we almost lost it on a hard runway in a croswwind, but Dennis saved the day by jumping out at 10 knots and hauling it back from the edge of a step bank!

In August 95 Mike taught his daughter (17) to fly on it and she soloed in 12 hours. Soon after, whilst taxiing with an instrument hood up, it struck a pile of fences left over from the previous day's airshow.

The prop was shredded and front U/c strut partially collapsed. In due course she was taken to ARCO at Duxford for a rebuild, but ended up losing her wings for a static rebuild of a museum Tiger. The fuselage was bought by the Malta museum, where restoration to flying condition continues.

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 169

Propstrike, that's made me very happy to hear. I never flew in her, the Club didn't allow passengers while aerotowing, but she was part of a very happy teenage at Perranporth with some very fine people. George Collins would be pleased to know that she did some excellent work in good hands before being safely tucked up in a museum.

I'm still intrigued to know why she gave up her wings like she did, but it doesn't seem a bad ending to me. I was particularly pleased to hear that she took a trainee to solo and beyond, possibly one of very few in civilian ownership?

Best wishes to you

SoG

Member for

17 years 9 months

Posts: 66

G-ANFW

G-ANFW spent the first 21 years in Cornwall untill 1976 when moved to Booker, then to White Waltham in 1977. Rebuilt at Denham in 1986, returning to White Waltham. In 1992 it went shortly to Enstone then to Bishops Waltham for overhaul by Cliff Lovell,returning to White Waltham -10-93. damaged 8-8-95 at White Waltham after striking a post taxing. To Duxford for repairs -8-95, repaired and still at Duxford 2000 until going to Malta

hope this is of help

dh83

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 169

Many thanks DH83, a very active post-service life and again, good to know that she was well looked after both during and after Cornish Gliding Club. Funny thing about civilisations, how we are long out-lived by our own icons.

SoG

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,902

Here is a photo of her being run-up quite recently. Go the the Malta aviation Museum website for a video.

She still has the crease in the plywood decking that was there 10 years ago!

It will be great to see her flying again, and I hope they can find a bit of grass to operate off.

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Member for

11 years 9 months

Posts: 2

G-anfw

In August 95 Mike taught his daughter (17) to fly on it and she soloed in 12 hours. Soon after, whilst taxiing with an instrument hood up, it struck a pile of fences left over from the previous day's airshow.

That's me! ... Just came across this forum and thought I would say hello. Did we meet? You seem to know my flying history better than me...

Sophia

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13 years 8 months

Posts: 131

Wrong, Propstrike.

ARCo bought the aeroplane, the wings went on their Tiger (Reg defeats me), and the fuse was sold to Malta.

I owned the wings...:)

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,902

Hi Sophia,

Great to hear from you, hope your flying is going well ! You did very well to solo in so few hours

I remember summer of 95 very well, perhaps the best of my life :) Come back to White Waltham and have a go in the Cub !

here is FW flying again in Malta.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA6Q2tiI3pE

Oily rag, I confess some confusion as to what went where, and why, as it was all reported 3td hand. This piece suggests that bits of FW went into a DX Tiger. If you owned it, I suppose I have to concede you may know more than I do.

''Painted as 'DE998', the Moth is a composite rebuild from spares, including parts released during overhauls of G-ANFW, G-APAO and G-APAP (the latter two both ex-RAF R4922 & R5136 respectively). The serial number 'DE998' is false, albeit a genuine Tiger Moth one''

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2002/marshall/marshall.htm

Andy Smith

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Member for

11 years 9 months

Posts: 2

Happy memories!

I must confess to finding it hard to see fox whisky inher new guise but suppose it is great that she is flying again.

I have magical memories of that summer. I'd love to take you up on that offer sometime... Thanks!

Member for

11 years 11 months

Posts: 641

G-ANFW = Garage? - Awkward No Folding Wings

Member for

12 years 10 months

Posts: 462

OK here's something for the DH experts. If you want a folding wing Tiger (DH82a version) how do you do that? Criteria - Must be able to be unfolded/folded by one person in a max of Two minutes.

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 1,433

OK here's something for the DH experts. If you want a folding wing Tiger (DH82a version) how do you do that? Criteria - Must be able to be unfolded/folded by one person in a max of Two minutes.

Folding wing Tiger Moth - no problem......

Unfolding I must admit, does take a little longer!

Member for

12 years 10 months

Posts: 462

WHOA there horse!! WHOA!!!
From perfectly serviceable to completely unseviceable in a coupla secs.
Steve, if you are at Belvoir I will explain. There is a reason I asked the question as it concerns a very rare (possibly 2) DH type and was the forunner of the 82a.

Member for

19 years

Posts: 2,106

WHOA there horse!! WHOA!!!
From perfectly serviceable to completely unseviceable in a coupla secs.
Steve, if you are at Belvoir I will explain. There is a reason I asked the question as it concerns a very rare (possibly 2) DH type and was the forunner of the 82a.

Best get a DH60G III Moth Major then:D

Or you could just do this:eek:

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Member for

16 years

Posts: 3

Delighted to hear 'FW is restored. I had time on her with Tony Smallwood when she was at North Hill in Devon, tugging for Competition Enterprise in June 1980.

Member for

14 years 5 months

Posts: 5

Hi just come across this thread, FW was based at Plymouth for quite a long time in the late 60's to mid 70's I had quite a few trips in her,with the then owner Keith Norman who was then the airport manager, Bill Lucas who was the CFI of the club who also did aero towing with her and with my father who was the CFI of the Naval flight based at Roborough then using Chipmunks, I must say I don't recall it being based in Cornwall but it may have come to Plymouth from there, I did see her again many years later at Duxford in one of the hangers, as the resident hanger rat I was put to work doping the wings with red dope,lovely smell, during its rebuild at Plymouth

gordon pugh

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 9,780

I supplied the fuselage frame of 'DE998' hanging in AirSpace. She was an anonymous fuse which formed the basis of the Tiger Moth replica that was built at Holme on Spalding Moor.