Luton Minor Piccies

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 650

As a change from warbirds. Anyone out there got any pictures of Luton Minors?

Some might call it a cry for help, but for the past few months, myself and fellow owners Arthur Mason and Barbara Schlussler have been compiling as many images as we can. Not too sure what we're going to do with them yet, but if we ever do anything like publishing, we'll ask all due permissions and credits.

Here are a few to whet appetites.

If anyone knows the story behind G-ASML getting her feet wet, I'd love to know (Thanks Dudley Patterson for the photo!)

Attachments
Original post

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 5,237

Nice pictures ;) Anna ;)

Member for

20 years

Posts: 4,561

it was just a matter of time... :D

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 1,106

Nice piccie's. I don't really no anything about these aircraft - fancy giving us a few details? :cool:

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 1,317

Just a couple from about 1970's

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,078

This one was at the recent Popham aerojumble. It was for sale or part ownership.

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 114

Taken at Sywell last Sept

Attachments

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 5,237

Lovely Pics ;) Anna ;)

Member for

19 years

Posts: 130

Like the one of G-AMAW with the Beverley in the background about to pile in! Any idea when and where?

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 650

Nice piccie's. I don't really no anything about these aircraft - fancy giving us a few details? :cool:

Oh god, don't set me off, I'll be here for hours! The Luton Minor was originally designed in the late 1930s as a post-Flea kit built design. three or four were built before the outbreak of WW2.

After the War, Arthur Ord-Hume "rebuilt" G-AFIR mainly as a way of getting round the Air Ministry who tried to block homebuilt aircraft. Arthur also redrew all the plans, promoted the design in Popular Mechanics magazine and around fifty were built around the world. In the UK it was one of the aircraft that led to the formation of the PFA.

Mine was built in the early 1960s, has an 1800cc VW engine on the nose, a significant boost from the original JAP two-cylinder. Cruise speed is about 60kts, it stalls at less than 30 - therefore its one of the few aircraft that risks getting birdstrikes from the rear! Ceiling - errr don't know, but it was jolly chilly at 3,000 feet last night!

Fancy a feature in Flypast (or Today's Pilot) Ken?

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 650

Thanks for all the pics. Please keep them coming.

As far as we know - the shot of G-AMAW was taken at RAF Benson, possibly the 'At Home' display in 1952. Certainly 'MAW flew a lot in the hands of RAF pilots, both sides of WW2.

It is rumoured that before the war it flew quite satisfactorily from RAF Wittering without the benefit of a registration or C of A !

Aircraft was last seen at Breighton without an engine, is it still there?

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 1,106

Cruise speed is about 60kts, it stalls at less than 30 - therefore its one of the few aircraft that risks getting birdstrikes from the rear!

LOL :D

Seems like a great little aircraft. What's it like to fly? I guess you would have to go out of your way to hurt yourself in an aircraft that still flies at 31 knots but is it particularly stable in turns etc? Seems a funny looking design but one that kind of grabs your attention. I think as you suggest an articule in Todays Pilot is due. :)

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 650

It's a very benign aeroplane, but like them all, it'll still try and make a fool of you once in a while.

It's naturally stable, but you need your feet on the rudder pedals all the time and being so light at 750lbs, it bobbles around in thermals and any wind gusts. Although it's got a short wingspan the aileron's are a little errr, slow, so you need to take that into account. (Ideal training for the BE-2 Matt?)

As a low-hours pilot, I'm very chary of flying it in any wind of more than 12kts. I tend to fly in the early morning or evening - they're ideal Luton flying conditions.

Sadly I work a lot of weekends, so haven't been able to get to many fly-ins or shows yet. Hope to fly in to Old Warden sometime this summer though.

John Allison's immaculate Luton was G-ASXJ (see attached picture). He now owns a gorgeous Miles Gemini a little further down the hangar from me at Bicester.

Have also attached a pic (thanks to Barbara Schlussler) of our furthest flung Minor yet. VH-HEP airborne over Australia!

Attachments

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 650

Hmmm. I guess we've discounted all the obvious ones like a Heath or Pietenpol and its not Latimer Needham's 'Halton Minus' design which predated the Luton.

It does have the look of Pietenpol struts and Bernie Pietenpol did build an earlier, smaller design before the Aircamper.

Could it be two enterprising chaps blowing their post-RFC demob money on a design inspired by either Pietenpol or Latimer Needham?

Maybe I should stop being so tight and spend £70 on Arthur Ord-Hume's book British Light Aircraft - but I can fly the Luton for a month for the same amount!

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,902

SS. Have you got Flight on Frail Wings ? Essential reading for Lutonites, I'll lend you mine if not.
You wafting over to Hullavington this weekend?

Member for

20 years 2 months

Posts: 2,508

G-ASML

Okay, here is my oldest shot of G-ASML taken nearly 30 years ago at Sywell PFA Rally in July 1976 just to show it was once black and white! :)

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 650

Thanks Propstrike, but yes I've got "Fright on Flailing Wings" thankyou -also "On Hume-Made Wings" too, if you want to borrow it.

Sadly work commitments prevent me from getting over to G-VFWE with the Luton, I've given my 'slot' back as I gather they're over-subscribed.

Thanks too, Albert. I think that's one of the earliest pictures I've seen of 'ML. It an interesting contrast to John DM's picture from Sywell last year!

Thanks to everyone for the piccies so far. Look forward to seeing any others you might dig out!

Member for

19 years

Posts: 2,106

It's a very benign aeroplane, but like them all, it'll still try and make a fool of you once in a while.

It's naturally stable, but you need your feet on the rudder pedals all the time and being so light at 750lbs, it bobbles around in thermals and any wind gusts. Although it's got a short wingspan the aileron's are a little errr, slow, so you need to take that into account. (Ideal training for the BE-2 Matt?)

As a low-hours pilot, I'm very chary of flying it in any wind of more than 12kts. I tend to fly in the early morning or evening - they're ideal Luton flying conditions.

Sadly I work a lot of weekends, so haven't been able to get to many fly-ins or shows yet. Hope to fly in to Old Warden sometime this summer though.

John Allison's immaculate Luton was G-ASXJ (see attached picture). He now owns a gorgeous Miles Gemini a little further down the hangar from me at Bicester.

Have also attached a pic (thanks to Barbara Schlussler) of our furthest flung Minor yet. VH-HEP airborne over Australia!


With that and the tiger you should be as prepared for the BE2 as you can be!!
Matt

Member for

19 years 10 months

Posts: 83

This is all I have I'm afraid - Chailey 2004 (Sun)

Maarvin

Attachments

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 650

Thanks Maarvin. Looks like 'CY gets about a bit!