ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 247081
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 17 July 1930 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Avro 548A |
| Owner/operator: | Anthony Graham Head (reg. owner) |
| Registration: | G-EBKN |
| MSN: | E449 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | SW of Shoreham Airport, Shoreham, West Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Shoreham Airport, Shoreham, West Sussex (EGKA) |
| Shoreham Airport, Shoreham, West Sussex (EGKA) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Avro 548A G-EBKN: First registered (C of R 2419; C of A 849) on 6.2.30 to Anthony Graham Head, Hove, Sussex. The Avro 548 was a post-war development of the Avro 504K, in which the rotary engine was replaced with a more modern in-line engine. G-EBKN was such a beast, powered by a 120hp V8 Airdisco engine. This engine did not, it seems, perform well.
G-EBKN used the former RAF serial E449 on Air Ministry documentation in lieu of any official c/no. History 1918-1971 was, per the RAF Museum Records, as follows:
31.1.18: Ordered from Harland and Wolff, Belfast as Avro 504K E449, part of a batch of 300 aircraft, serials E301-E600, built to contract AS.4291.
22.3.19: Delivered to RAF by this date.
1920 To Aircraft Disposal Co Ltd, at Croydon by this date. Sold off for civilian use, using former RAF serial as c/no.
11.12.24 Registered G-EBKN to Aircraft Disposal Co Ltd, Croydon.
In 1925, Major F B Halford of the Aircraft Disposal Co, modernised the air-cooled 80hp Renault V8 engine by fitting redesigned cylinder heads and valve gear which raised the power output to 120hp. This engine - the `Airdisco' was fitted into a surplus 504K airframe - the former E449 - and fitted with a 4-blade prop, creating the prototype Avro 548A, nicknamed ‘Slummicky Anne’. Three other 548As were built/converted, the Airdisco engine giving greatly improved all-round performance over a standard 504K.
17.4.25 Granted C of A 849
3.7.25 Entered in Kings' Cup Air Race by Lt Col J Barrett Lennard, and piloted by Mr H H Perry, Aircraft Disposal Co Director and test pilot respectively; retired at Luton - the race being held in poor weather conditions, having started at Croydon.
29.6.28 Withdrawn from use, still owned by Air Disposals Company and stored at Croydon.
1929 Purchased by F.G. Miles
6.2.30 Sold to Anthony Graham (Graham) Head, Shoreham for £100 - hangared and maintained on his behalf by the Miles Company. It is recorded that the occupant of the front cockpit could stand up, lean forward and make in-flight adjustments to the carburettors of the uncowled engine. When purchased the aircraft was fitted with the only Mk.II Airdisco V8engine (160 hp) built
22.4.30 Typical day of joy-riding at Roedean School, Sussex. Flown by Head for 30 minutes and took about £2 in fares
17.7.30 Force-landed by Graham Head in field SW of Shoreham aerodrome with engine running badly. Last recorded flight. There is no record of any damage to the Avro or injury to its pilot. He managed to get it back to the aerodrome, where unsuccessful attempts were made to diagnose and cure the engine problem. The Avro was dismantled and never re-assembled.
6.11.30 Graham Head requested F.G. Miles to de-rig the aircraft.
Dec 32 Registration G-EBKN cancelled by Air Ministry due to "destruction or permanent withdrawl from use of aircraft". At some point in time, the wings of G-EBKN became stored with the fuselage and engine of G-EBJE, on a small farm, before being rescued in the mid/late 1930s by Mr Richard Grainger Jeune Nash, becoming part of his vintage aircraft collection.
In March 63 Fuselage of G-EBJE and wings of G-EBKN loaned to the newly formed RAF Museum and sent to RAF Abingdon for 'reassembly' into a single aircraft, although in a poor state, as extensive corrosion had been caused to G-EBJE by discharge of a fire extinguisher behind the engine, and the whole structure was riddled with dry rot and woodworm. So, with an Air Historical Branch budget of £50, RAF Abingdon rebuilt the aircraft with new materials using originals as patterns or re-using the original parts where still sound. Ash longerons, bracing wires and some spars replaced with new wood acquired from Elliots of Newbury. The Le Rhone engine of G-EBJE was in a poor condition so a 130hp Clerget 9B was substituted, s/n 2622/39946. An original tail skid and carburettor came from Maurice Gardner, a former Avro 504 owner/pilot; Much of the restoration was done on a voluntary basis from August 1963 by three RAF Technicians, W/O C.A.L. Williams BEM and C/T A.L. Walters restoring the airframe and C/T Waitzer the engine. Restoration completed in June 1966
In November 1971, delivered to the RAF Museum at Hendon (prior to formal opening) where the composite airframe of G-EBKN/G-EJBE had remained ever since, displayed in RAF Markings as E449
Sources:
1. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-EBKN.pdf
2. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=k4vndu7gvfltceo0nku7felf00&topic=18176.0
3. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/74-A-26-Avro-504K-E449.pdf
4. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/15-aeroplanes/82-register-gb-g-eb
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_G-E3.html .
Images:
Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, UK - 18th September 2010
Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, UK - 18th September 2010
Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, UK - 18th September 2010
Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, UK - 18th September 2010
Media:
Composite airframe of Avro 504K/Avro 548A G-EBJE/G-EBKN at the RAF Museum, Hendon 14.3.2013
_(8574956371).jpg)
_(16899985929).jpg)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Jan-2021 21:33 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 25-Jan-2021 21:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 27-Jan-2021 02:30 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Nov-2021 15:14 | Peter Clarke | Updated [Photo] |
| 16-Nov-2021 15:16 | Peter Clarke | Updated [Photo] |
| 16-Nov-2021 15:17 | Peter Clarke | Updated [Photo] |
| 16-Nov-2021 15:19 | Peter Clarke | Updated [Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation