Scouting Owned Aircraft
The idea for this page came from a thread that appeared on the Escouts Forum in May 2012 tiltled “Scout Owned Air-Craft”. This got me thinking what a fantastic idea for the “Interesting Facts” section of “The Scouting Pages Web Site” and also the fact that I am a Leader in an Air Scout Group so please sit back and enjoy reading about one more of those interesting facts about Scouting that you probably didn’t know about.
I must thank the guys on the Escouts Forum that gave rise to this page occurring for providing some of the information which has gone into the development of this page and to the owners of the photographs who have kindly given me permission to use the photos of the various aircraft, I apologise if I failed to contact anyone for permission
At the moment this list is for aircraft that have been owned by Scouts in the United Kingdom, if anyone has details of any more owned in the UK or details of any aircraft owned by Scouts outside the UK. I will try and include them in the next update to this page.
Further to my comment above I have now found information on some aircraft that are currently owned by the Australian Scout Association and seem to operate out of the New South Wales Branch Air Activities Centre.This will become my next project for this page to find some information out about these and include them in an update
Information on previous owners can be found by going to the Civil Aviation Authority website
De Havilland Airco DH.6
The Airco was to my knowledge the first aircraft that was owned by the Scout. This aircraft type was as a British military trainer biplane built by De Havilland and used by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. Known by various nicknames, including the “Skyhook”. At the time of writing the orginal article sources indicated that one of these was owned by 3rd Hampton Scout Troop, Middlesex in 1921 who had the aircraft donated to them by Aircraft Disposal Co. Ltd complete with propeller and 90bhp engine and was the first powered aircraft owned by the Scouts
De Havilland Comet DH106, G-APDK
First owned by BOAC. The aircraft was later sold to Dan Air and became the first Comet in their fleet,
Dan Air then donated the Comet to the Scouts in 1973, where it was based at Lasham Airfield, Hampshire and used as a Bunk House at the Air Activity Centre that was once based there,
The aircraft remained at Lasham until September 1980 when it was scrapped, coincidentally Dan Air also had an aircraft maintenance depot at the airfield.
Thou used by the Scouts it stayed registered to Dan Air so technically not truly owned by the Scouts
De Havilland Comet DH106 , C2 XK697 (G-AMXJ)
Formally owned by the RAF and later donated to the Wyton Air Scouts in 1973 until it was broken up in 1987, more information will be added when it comes to light
Avro York C1, G-ANTK
A former RAF aircraft that came into service in 1946 and took part in the Berlin Airlift in May 1947.
In 1954 it became a freight part of the Dan Air fleet and was used for freight work until its retirement in 1964 when it was donated to the Scouts to be used as a bunk house at their activity centre at Lasham until 1974.
The aircraft is now at the Imperial War Museum – Duxford where it has under gone restoration and is now on display.
Like the Dan Air Comet this aircraft was used by the Scouts, but stayed registered to Dan Air so technically again not truly owned by the Scouts.
Vickers Valetta C2, VX580
Built in 1950. The Valetta was built as a replacement for the Douglas Dakota, the C2 variant were used as VIP Transporters. VX580 was donated to the Norfolk Scout County in 1968 it is now at the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. Unfortunately I have not been able to find out any more information about the history of this aircraft
Auster J-1N Alpha - G-AGYH
First registered in February 1946. The Scottish Scout Association became the 6th owners, owning it from July 1969 until September 1971 G-AGYH, the aircraft was used as part of the “Flying Circus” an initiative set up as a means of providing a range of Air Activities to Scouts in Scotland including giving Scouts a “powered” flight experience as well as providing a powered means to launch gliders.
From information provided on the thread on the Escouts Forum it looks like this aircraft was lucky to make it into the hands of the Scouts as it is reported to have had a number of mishaps in 1962 & 1963 as listed below
23-06-62 G-AGYH Auster,snapped off starboard undercarriage leg in landing at Baginton.
25-06-62 G-AGYH Auster,aircraft wethercocked and caught tailskid on a broken runway light.
01-02-63 G-AGYH Auster,ran off the runway at Baginton.
09-05-63 G-AGYH Auster,lost over the city of Coventry.
07-07-63 G-AGYH Auster,struck and damaged a runway light at Baginton.
20-09-63 G-AGYH Auster,forced landed one mile North of Larkhill, lost propeller in flight and holed top of wing.
13-10-63 G-AGYH Auster, flown by J. Hill forced landed with engine trouble at Lower Farm, Brandon
According to The Civil Aviation Authority G-AGYH as of 2005 changed ownership again suggesting the aircraft is flying today as there is also no record of cancellation of its registration.
Slingsby motor glider G-AYKK
The Slingsby Falke was a licensed build of the Schreiber SF25B Motor Glider, G-AYKK was a as the Type 61A Falke, a side-by-side two-seat dual training monoplane it was acquired by the Scouts in August 1971 and was based at Lasham Air Field.
The Slingsby remained at Lasham with the Scouts until April 1975 when ownership changed
Slingsby T21 Glider G-ALKF
The Slingsby Sedburgh T.21 Glider, registration believed to be G-ALKF and affectionally known as “Daisy”, thouprobably not owned by the Scouts, but by the air Cadets was based out at the Air Activities Training Centre at Lasham
The T.21’s had a 54 foot wingspan and unusually, they had a side-by-side configuration, compared to most gliders that are tandem, with one person sitting behind the other. But the major difference is that they had open cockpit.
Scheibe SF-25C-2000 Falke G-BODU
The Scheibe SF-25C-2000 Falke is a German touring Motor Glider. G-BODU is currently owned since December 2006 by Hertfordshire Count Scouts and based at the Cambridge Gliding Centre where it is used for the Gliding Experience Days
G-CFFN Pegasus Quik GT450
Kent Scout Microlight Club formed in 1989. Their current aircraft a Pegasus Quik GT450 is a powered micro lights. A total of five aircraft have been used usually changed every five years to ensure the latest equipment is available.
The current aircraft is a P&M Quik GT 450 912s – 100hp . Aircraft is fitted with a BRS total recovery system, ballistic parachute
G-BCAS Thunder Ax77-77 Hot Air Balloon
Constructed by Thunder Balloons Limited and first registered as G-BCAS on 5 March 1974. It was used by The Scout Association between March 1975 and December 1981 at Lasham and Gilwell Park for air experience flights. The Civil Aviation Website’s Registration Database shows that G-BCAS transferred into private ownership, with it being deregistered on 30 November 2001
A post on the UK Air Scouting Facebook Page in December 2020 seems to indicate that the balloon is still in existence, but is no longer airworthy
G-STAV Cameron O-84 Hot Air Balloon
G-STAV Cameron O-84 Hot Air Balloon built in 1992 Cameron Balloons started its life in private ownership and was first registered to Blenheim Scout Group from Bristol in September 2009 and according to the Civil Aviation Websites Registration Database it stayed registered to them until 20th February 2013, when it transferred into private ownereship.
