22 THE AVIATION HISTORIAN Issue No 21
West African government asked the relevant
Vichy representative to make representations to
the Air and Settlements ministries to allow future
shipments, which were granted.
The Ensign was initially flown from Dakar to
Algiers, Algeria, where it had arrived by early
October. It was then to be flown to Marignane,
near Marseille, but the issue of crossing the
Mediterranean would have to be resolved;
should the flight be made by day or by night? The
former ran the risk of getting embroiled in action
by Allied and Axis forces and the latter carried
the inherent risks of night flying. A decision was
made to take off from Algiers about an hour before
daybreak, so that the Ensign could transit the area
between the Balearic Islands and Marignane with
minimum risk of encountering other aircraft.
The Ensign finally arrived at Marignane in The Ensign finally arrived at Marignane in
mid-October, with 1,127lb (510kg) of food for the mid-October, with 1,127lb (510kg) of food for the
Air France co-operative (set up by the company
to help provide food for Air France employees
and their families) and a substantial load of
unregistered parcels. Once back in France, it
was necessary to notify the Secrétariat d’État àunregistered parcels. Once back in France, it
Secrétariat d’État àunregistered parcels. Once back in France, itl’Aviation of the aircraft’s arrival, and have the
aircraft undergo the tests required to obtain its
Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A).PUT TO THE TORCH
The next question to arise was what to do with
the aircraft after its C of A had been obtained.
Air France’s management proposed that it should
be used as much as possible, notwithstanding the
absence of spare parts. Empty, the Ensign weighed
in at 32,050lb (14,535kg), plus 1,283gal (5,832lit)
contained in its six wing tanks, and it undertook
a 1hr 50min C of A test flight at the Centre d’Étudescontained in its six wing tanks, and it undertook
Centre d’Étudescontained in its six wing tanks, and it undertooken Vol (CEV) at Marignane on November 4, 1942, (CEV) at Marignane on November 4, 1942,
after which it was awarded a C of A and returned after which it was awarded a C of A and returned
to Air France. However, owing to the German
invasion of the zone libre in southern France in
November 1942, Air France decided to withdrawThe Ensign beside the modest terminal building at Agadir. Although the type was
remarkably aerodynamically clean for its day, it was heavy on the controls, with
a poor rate of climb, and pilots found it extremely tiring to fly for long periods.
Indeed, wartime BOAC Ensign pilots frequently lobbied their superiors to have
the type replaced in service as soon as possible.
ABOVE A hive of activity, the Ensign is seen here at Agadir in 1942. Back in the UK, the inquiry into the Ensign’s
loss concluded that, lacking any accurate measuring equipment, the crew had pumped too much oil into the
engines from the auxiliary oil tanks fitted for the flight, resulting in the extensive oil leaks off the African coast.