Date:	Saturday 30 May 1936
Time:	day
Type:	Westland IV Wessex
Owner/operator:	Portsmouth Southsea & I.O.W Aviation Ltd
Registration:	G-ABVB
MSN:	WA.2156
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Ryde Aerodrome, Ryde, Isle of Wight -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Ryde Airport, Ryde, Isle of Wight
Destination airport:	Portsmouth Aerodrome, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
First registered (C of R 3659) 11.3.32 as G-ABVB to Westland Aircraft Ltd., Yeovil, Somerset. Sold on and re-registered (C of R 3761) 5.4.32 to Portsmouth Southsea & Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd. Customers for the Wessex were readily forthcoming and included Imperial Airways, Railway Air Services, the Belgian air line SABENA, Sir Alan Cobham's Air Circus and the Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Co., Ltd. The latter organisation had a specially re-designed Wessex, G-ABVB, for use on their Portsmouth-Ryde (I.o.W.) ferry route. This machine, which was flight-tested by Mr. Harold J. Penrose, had a complete metal fuselage structure and increased seating capacity to carry eight passengers and a crew of two; the pilot's cabin was also raised to give a view over the top of the wing.

On 27.6.32, Portsmouth Southsea & IOW Aviation inaugurated their Portsmouth-Ryde service with a specially modified Westland Wessex G-ABVB. This service became widely known as the “Spithead Ferry – the World’s Shortest Air Line!”

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 8.6.36 when crashed on takeoff at Ryde Aerodrome, Ryde, Isle of Wight, Hampshire. Pilot sustained minor injuries; No other injuries reported to the persons on board (crew of 1 plus 5 passengers). A contemporary newspaper report gives further details of the incident ("Portsmouth Evening News" - Monday 1 June 1936):

"RYDE AIRPORT THRILL
'PLANE CRASHES INTO HEDGE
Crowds of Whitsun holiday-makers at Ryde Airport had a thrill on Saturday evening when a machine in attempting to take off crashed into a hedge. The undercarriage of the 'plane was ripped off and the pilot was cut on the face, but the five passengers alighted unharmed. The injury to the pilot was not serious and he was able to fly back to the mainland in another machine. The damaged 'plane was taken to pieces and removed on a lorry."

Registration G-ABVB cancelled by the Air Ministry 2.8.36 due to destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft"

1. Portsmouth Evening News - Monday 1 June 1936
2. Coventry Evening Telegraph - Monday 1 June 1936
3. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php/component/content/article/15-aeroplanes/76-register-gb-g-ab
4. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ABVB.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-A3.html
6. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000376734.html
7. http://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Ryde-flying-sites
8. http://wight.hampshireairfields.co.uk/iowc.html
9. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac5/ROW%20Europe/G-ABVB.html
10. https://solentaviatrix.wordpress.com/amy-johnson/
11. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1932/1932%20-%200582.html
12. http://www.impdb.org/index.php?title=Beside_the_Seaside#Westland_Wessex
13. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=15832.0

Westland Wessex G-ABVB at Portsmouth Aerodrome 17.6.32

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Dec-2017 00:56	Dr. John Smith	Added
08-Mar-2020 22:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Total occupants, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
08-Mar-2020 23:01	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
03-Sep-2020 14:49	harro	Updated [Aircraft type]