Peter Bennett..Searching for lost relative, can you help?

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Member for

11 years 1 month

Posts: 3

Hi..

I previously placed this thread in "Historic" section which may have been the wrong place? It is probably more relevant to a general aviation audience, so I will take the liberty of reposting here...

Sally Berman has approached me for help in locating a Peter Bennett, her cousin, who was a regular private flyer in the UK..Hopefully the attached photos will jog someone's memory..if so please attach a reply to this thread, and I can pass on the info to Sally.

Many thanks, on behalf of Sally..

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz234/Peter707/Blackbushe%202/PeterBennett_zps125b664b.jpg

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz234/Peter707/Blackbushe%202/PeterBennettinChipmunk_zpse844f3a5.jpg

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz234/Peter707/Blackbushe%202/DeHavillandCanadaDHC-1ChipmunkWB-574_G-AOSN_zps03f33672.jpg

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz234/Peter707/Blackbushe%202/PielCP301AEmeraudeF-BIMG_G-ASCZ_zps1c33eba8.jpg

Regards
Peter B

Original post

Nice pictures, what year were they taken mate? Might jog someone's memory.

Member for

13 years 2 months

Posts: 274

The Chipmunk looks to be G-ARGH which was registered to the London School Of Flying at Elstree from 1966 and Air Britain have it as being written off in a crash landing at Skegness on 18 July 1966 and the remains going to another Chippy rebuild so 1966 for the Chippy photo . Does anyone recognise the buildings as being Elstree ?

How about F-B__C for the French aircraft ?

Member for

13 years 2 months

Posts: 274

How about F-BIMC for the French aircraft , a CP310A Emeraude ? If so , this was destroyed in an accident in October 1964 .

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 5

Emeraude FBIMG, Chipmunk GAOSN

How about F-BIMC for the French aircraft , a CP310A Emeraude ? If so , this was destroyed in an accident in October 1964 .

The Emeraude in the picture is F-BIMG and the picture taken around 1959 I think? It entered the UK after being built in early 1958 and appears in quite a few photographs, including at Croydon and at the Denham tea party fly-in. In 1959 it had an insignia added to both sides just above the wings. The insignia says D.F.C and is some sort of leaf with wings but difficult to make out? It was re-registered in 1962 as G-ASCZ and today is currently privately owned and lives at Goodwood. The Chipmunk is almost certainly G-AOSN, built in 1950 and RAF owned (as WB-574) until June 1956 when it was sold to Derby Aviation and re-registered. I say almost certainly because it could be G-AOSY. Very difficult to tell in the original photograph but certainly looks like either N or Y. Both these two aircraft were later purchased by the London School of Flying. You can see pictures of both on Flickr taken in June 1958 at White Waltham by Tony Clarke. They are both identical except for the last letter in the registration. Any info about these two aircraft between 1958 and 1961 would be greatly appreciated and particularly any information about Peter Bennett, no matter how trivial, would be greatly appreciated too. Kind regards, Paul.

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 5

Thanks Flying-A

Given his obvious fondness for Chipmunks and Austers, perhaps these can help:

http://www.dhc-1chipmunkclub.co.uk/

http://www.austerclub.org/

Thanks for your reply. I think the Auster is in fact a Leopard Moth reg: G-AIYS and the picture was taken at Biggin Hill in 1959. I have no idea why my father Peter Bennett was sat astride that plane except that he was a pilot, perhaps a club pilot for one or more of the southern flying clubs or schools. Very frustrating really. Denham Flying Club, Southend Flying School and Surrey Flying Club are all possibles. Any information, mo matter how trivial, will be greatly welcomed.

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 5

Hi David. The Emeraude is in fact F-BIMG (now G-ASCZ). The picture was almost certainly taken at Biggin Hill in 1959. But why is my father with it? He was definitely a pilot, possibly a club pilot for one of the southern clubs or schools, but other than that I don't know very much. Frustrating really as someone somewhere must recognise him. The other planes are Chipmunk G-AOSN and Leopard Moth G-AIYS. Most likely both taken at Biggin Hill in or around 1959.

Kind regards, Paul Bennett-Todd.