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Date
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Owner
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Comments
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Between Feb & July 1939
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Manufactured by Slingsby's
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BGA Number 651. Works Number: 361Post War: G-ALPP.
3rd of three built.
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1939-1947
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No known history, possibly used in radar trials
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1947
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John Morris
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Flew around 6 hours for special tests for Ack Ack gunners. Moth aerotow from an RAF airfield. Included some 20 mile goal flights across wind.
Wing Commander Ken Wallis adapted a Riedel petrol engine ( 270cc starter motor for Junkers Jumo jet engine) to power the Petrel. 10 flights were carried out by Hugh Kendall at Redhill.
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19491
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Newcastle Soaring Syndicate
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1949 1st known Logbook
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1950
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R C Pick, Northallerton
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Flew at Newcastle Gliding Club.
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1st June 1952
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R C Pick and S C O'Grady
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29th Aug.1952
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Newcastle Gliding Club
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1953
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Competed in British Nationals at Great Hucklow (now Camphill). Photo taken by Mike Bishop shows competition no. 30 on tail, blown canopy, wheel built in to main skid and light coloured fuselage (black & white photo) with dark stripe.
Trailer in collision with trolley bus – slight damage to port wing & tailplane
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1954
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Dublin Soaring Syndicate
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Owners comprising M Harty, J Byrne and A Heinzl and moved to Dublin Gliding Club, where it held the Irish height and distance records.
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1955
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Work carried out by Aer Lingus, Engineering Dept., Dublin.
Glider completely sprayed with aluminium dope
M Harty died in England in a gliding accident
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1958
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Resprayed Red fuselage, Ivory wings and tailplane
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1960
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New perspex canopy fitted. Metal weight added to tailplane to compensate
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1961
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A. Heinzl climbed to15,500 ft in wave at Baldonnal
S. Dunne joined the group on 13/5/61
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1962
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Wings and tailplane recovered – clear doped, silver, then doped Ivory Fuselage & Rudder – re-finished Red dope
Pitot Static removed and converted to nose side Statics
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| 1963 |
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Soared to 15,100 ft in wave |
| 1964 |
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Dave Hoope joined the group on 4/7/64 |
| 1970 |
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5th april – last Irish flight.The Petrel lent to Aer Lingus Museum (no. 2 hangar, Dublin Airport) as a ‘permanent loan’. |
| Notable Petrel Flights whilst in Ireland:
5/3/61 – 5 hours 50 mins, 5,500ft from Baldonnal, Gold height. Pilot: A. Heinzl
6/8/62 – 1h 58m 25 miles cross-country
27/10/63 – 2 hours 42 mins, 15,100 ft from Baldonnal to Ashbourne Neath 20 miles. Pilot: S. Dunne
1/8/66 – 3h 15m cross-country 82 miles. Pilot: D Hooper (Read Here)
19/3/67 – 5h 24m Silver ‘C’ duration. Pilot: D Hooper
19/5/68 – 5h 10m cross-country 91 miles. Pilot: J. Byrne
5/4/70 – Last flight of Petrel before being lent to Aer Lingus Museum. Pilot: D Hooper
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| 1973 |
Mike Russell |
Brought back to England, Irish registration EI-101 removed and replaced by BGA651.
Repaired original canopy frame. Stripped paint from ‘open’ canopy frame.
New skid (old skid had Spitfire tail wheel) and droppable dolly built. |
| 1974 |
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Restored to flying condition at Husbands Bosworth.
May – reglaze and reconstruction of canopy.
Taken to Duxford – Cambridge University GC.
July – fuselage nose & underfloor painted grey. Leather pockets added. Cockpit varnished. Top fairing and external surface behind cockpit varnished. New padded seat made.
Competition number applied to rudder and below starboard wing. |
| 1976 |
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New instrument panel and tray. Radio fitted and whip aerial be hind pilot. |
| 1980 (July) |
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Last C of A in Mike Russell's ownership.
Fuselage stripped of paint and clear varnished. |
| 1982 |
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Full overhaul started but went into storage due to commitments with the ‘Russavia Collection’ at Duxford. |
| 1993 – to date |
Graham Saw
Booker Gliding Club |
Restored over a two year period, with it’s present colour scheme of red with clear fabric and a new canopy utilising some components of the originals to build up the ‘correct’ shape of frame and Perspex, as per the original Slingsby drawings. |
| 1995 |
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Won the ‘International Rally – Best Restoration Award’ by the Vintage Glider Club. |
