Log in
New user? Sign up for free
|
G-EBTS
|
1927 Fokker F-VIIA C/N 4953Discuss this aircraft in forum |
by Sallie
| Manufacturer: | Fokker |
| Model: | F-VIIA Search all Fokker F-VIIA |
| Year built: | 1927 |
| Construction Number (C/N): | 4953 |
| Aircraft Type: | Fixed wing single engine |
| Number of Seats: | 14 |
| Number of Engines: | 1 |
| Engine Type: | None |
| Registration Number: | G-EBTS |
| Current Status: | Broken up 1937 |
| Address: | , United Kingdom |
| Anthony Willis, 2011-03-22 02:57:24 | |
| The aircraft is a Fokker F.VIIA built in The Netherlands in 1926 and started out life as KLM H-NADK. In 1927 it was sold to a Mr McIntosh who renamed it “Princess Xenia” and it was re-registered as G-EBTS. On 16th September 1927 he flew Princess Xenia with an Irish airman, Mr James Fitzmaurice and a Mr Maurice Piercey, from Baldonnel Airfield in Dublin in an attempt at the first East to West transatlantic flight, but they were forced to return and landed on a County Kerry beach. There is a photo of the Spider on Ballybunion beach in Limerick museum. (Fitzmaurice later took part in the first successful East West flight on board the Bremen on April 12 1928) McIntosh then made several attempts to fly from London to Karachi, crashing on the first trip on the return flight and on the second attempt failed, but a third was successful. A Capt Charles Barnard, a famous pilot of the time, bought the aircraft and flew to Karachi with a Mr Alliot and the Duchess of Bedford. This trip took several months due to an emergency landing in the desert and an engine change. Following this the Duchess of Bedford bought the aircraft in 1928 and renamed it “The Spider”. The name was, according to Lettice Curtin in her book “Winged Odyssey”, after the famous spider that inspired Robert the Bruce to “try, try and try again”. The Duchess of Bedford, also known as the “Flying Duchess”, was already in her later years at this stage and over 60. With the Spider and Capt C Barnard as pilot she flew again to Karachi. In 1929 they set the then record of seven and a half days to India and back to England. In 1930 She and Barnard flew with The Spider to Capetown and back, setting a then record of 20 days. In 1930, the Spider was re-registered to Capt Charles Barnard. In 1931, The Spider toured England giving joy rides at more than 134 stops, then on to India for a similar trip. In 1934 The Spider was sold to Sir Bossabhor Bumwandwallah in Bombay. This aircraft was finally broken up in 1937. | |
| Anthony Willis, 2012-10-12 12:27:52 | |
| Original KLM registration was H-NADK and named "Princess Xenia" then changed to G-EBTS and renamed "The Spider" | |
| Alan Cook, 2013-03-07 11:36:16 | |
| I have an original photo of this aircraft, which bears the G-EBTS number and the inscription 'Princess Xenia'. It flew to Karachi from Croydon in four and a half days in August 1928 | |
| Michael Alliott, 2015-01-19 04:05:10 | |
| My father was Eric Alliott (not Elliott) the co-pilot on the trip to Karachi with Duchess of Bedford and Capt Barnard from Lympne on 10/06/1928 I have his log books and other documentation including the forced landing at Bushire (engine failure on take off) and the emergency landing in the Syrian desert due to a sandstorm. | |