FlyPast 06.2018

12 FLYPAST June 2018

NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE

Comper Swift VH-UVC arrived

at its home base in New South

Wales, Australia, on March 13 after

being restored in Blenheim, New

Zealand by Jay McIntyre’s JEM

Aviation.

The aircraft is one of several

vintage machines housed at an

airstrip and hangar run by the

owners of The Missions 1937 bed

and breakfast, Irish-born Roy and

Primrose Fox. Located alongside the

Hawkesbury River, approximately one

hour’s drive from Castle Hill, Sydney,

the establishment takes its name

from a Methodist chapel built in the

1800s, and because its collection of

nine aircraft hail from or before 1937.

The 1932-built Swift made its debut

fl ight (as G-ACAQ) on November 14 of

that year in the hands of Nick Comper.

It arrived in Australia in 1934 and fl ew

with the Royal Victorian Aero Club

before being sold and fl ying in private

hands until 1962. After many years of

preservation it has been restored to

fl y for Roy.

The Fox family’s impressive

collection also includes Comper

‘Gipsy’ Swift VH-ACG (currently being

restored at Bankstown), plus de

Havilland Dragon Rapide VH-UTV

(also usually at Bankstown due to

its size), DH.83 Fox Moth VH-UVL,

and Boeing Stearman VH-LSJ.

It is also in the fi nal stages of

returning Klemm L25 VH-UUR to

fl ight following repairs.

http://www.themissions1937.com.au

WITH THANKS TO ROY FOX

British classic joins Australian vintage collection

Klemm L25 VH-UUR is expected to fl y

again soon.

De Havilland Dragon Rapide VH-UTV.

Gipsy-powered Swift VH-ACG

during a visit to EAA AirVenture

at Oshkosh.

A view of The Missions 1937.

Comper Swift VH-UVC fl ying over New

South Wales in March. ALL VIA ROY FOX