Topic: Hawker Tomtit....Project

I've just bought a part built Veron Tomtit today.....from what I can make out nearly all of them were in silver and with a military reg ...I understand only a few were civilian....

Does anybody know of an interesting colour scheme for it , also has anybody got any emailable  ( just made that word up I think) info with details of the cockpits  and any detail like logo's etc.

Your help would be appreciated.

I thought I would be best posting the request here as it was being produced  just after WW1.

Shaun

The one at Old Warden was raced and dsiplayed by Neville Duke when he was Hawker's Chief Test pilot years ago.  I think it was in a rather attractive midnight blue and silver scheme at the time. I will try and do some digging .....

Alan 

At least one was civilianised, flown by Alex Henshaw during the war as a hack, at some time it was fitted with a Spitfire windscreen. Now at Shuttleworth back in silver RAF scheme.

Also, just found this picture online...

I have an article & scale drawings from Aeromodeler(?). It has B&W pics of G-AFTA when it was owned by Neville Duke. The main colour was blue I thought the trim was gold but it might well have been silver. It also had a Spitfire windscreen that had been fitted by Alex Henshaw when he owned it. IIRC Henshaw crashed it some time during the war & it was rebuilt.

The article etc is in an unstarted Veron kit in my attic, I'll have a look for it if Pup Cam can't find the info.   

Thanks for the info chaps...


I thought they had one at OW but wasn't sure.....I can't see myself getting down this year though.

I'm going to electrify the Tomtit and use it as a well detailed sport scale chuckabout. It's only little at 52" Span so I should be able to keep it fully rigged as well.
It's well travelled....The guy I bought it from started building it when he was working in Ghana, 30 years ago and brought it back to the UK....Down side is every PVA'd joint needs re gluing ( thin cyno me thinks) as quite a few have started to detatch.....

The main colour was blue I thought the trim was gold

You may well be right.  Must get looking!

Alan

I think the one at OW is G-AFTA restored to RAF colours.
I have a few pics of it - also in the kit box.  

The article etc is in an unstarted Veron kit in my attic, I'll have a look for it if Pup Cam can't find the info.

What Veron kit is it??  Is it a Tomtit ?

I've always been a big fan of Phil Smiths work ..(just as well as we have been friends for over 20 years now)... He designed many great aircraft.

With my renewed interest in scale models, I intend to build up my other  Veron scale kits (Fokker DV111, Cherokee c180,) that I have.
 
But I'd like to get my hands on the Avro 504N they did. the 1 1/2 strutter also was a great kit.
In fact any Veron kits.

Cheers,

Shaun

The Old Warden Tomtit is G-AFTA.  I have found a (B+W :() photograph of it in flight in a civil scheme in the 1966 Shuttleworth Collection Guide.  All that can be gleened from this is that the fuselage and fin are dark (presummably blue )  and the wings tailplane, rudder, cabane and interplane stryts are a light colour.  I will keep digging and, when I've got my scanner going again, let you have copy.

Alan

What Veron kit is it??  Is it a Tomtit ?

Yes, I've had it donkeys. Had intended to put an original type OS 40 FS in it but will use electric power if & when I get around to it.
I actualy have a couple of Veron vintage models flying currently. A Robot with reduced dihedral & ailerons and a Deacon. Both are electrified.
I had a 1 1/2 Strutter many years ago. It was a great flyer with an OS 25 & a model I regret selling.   

Phil let me have the prototype Concord many years ago....
I've been hesitant to fly it, because if it crashed due to interference , I would have been gutted.... It will be getting Spektrumified later this year when I have some time, so no more worries.. It currently has an OS 60 goldhead in but I want to find a twin plug merco  60 for it.
I seem to remember Phil telling me it originally flew with a Merco 35 in but was sedate !

I've just electrified my Stentorian.....Used to fly with an OS K6 sparker in... This plane was designed about the same time as the KK Junior 60....as you can see ..light years ahead in comparison.

I beat the top engine cowl out of lithplate...Thought I'd better get some practice in for the Nieuport 17 metal bits I'll need soon

Phil let me have the prototype Concord many years ago....
I've been hesitant to fly it, because if it crashed due to interference , I would have been gutted.... It will be getting Spektrumified later this year when I have some time, so no more worries.. It currently has an OS 60 goldhead in but I want to find a twin plug merco  60 for it.
I seem to remember Phil telling me it originally flew with a Merco 35 in but was sedate !

Is that the one he demonstrated to the Shah of Iran many years ago ?

No that was the one Phil built  pre production, pre kitting ,in his loft as a proof of concept.
Mine is the one Phil built from the first pre production kit ( technically the second one) and a back up to the  other, to make sure there were no problems in  manufacturing  and to ensure everthing was correct hardware and instructions wise etc.
The  one I have also has a number of  slight changes as it went through a tuning process to improve its flying characteristics and visual appearance....

It was also the one that was used in the advertising photos.... It didn't have the underside of the wing painted as he was on a tight schedule to get it finished for the advertisers and also for static display a the major shows of the year. When I got it , Phil managed to find the original enamel paints ( 20 years old) and subsequently it was painted.

Another interesting ditty is he also took over some Robot's, pre built for the Shah for students to fly...... Basically Ali  Snr from Ali's models found one in a store room when he lived over there. You could get the exact story from him as my memory aint what it used to be but thats basically it....

Number one Concord was given to Phil's local flying club as a trainer until it met it's end

Had a look in the box but the scale drawings & pics I took at aren't in it.  :(
However there was a reprint from Radio Modeler that you might not have that I've copied in the attached pdf.

 Tomtit.pdf (212.65 kB - downloaded 98 times.)

BTW looks like Pup Cam was right the trim was silver.
If I come across the rest of the docs I'll post them.

Cheers,
Pat.

Thanks Pat,

this will be helpful

Rgds

Shaun

G-AFTA probably wasn't always in the same colours.

This view shows a light (silver?) rudder: http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Alfarrabista/4023L.jpg
while this one seems the same color all over:  http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/CollierMaurice/5414L.jpg

You will see the aft windscreens are different in each pic, suggesting different periods in G-AFTA's life.

Note also the spoked wheels and different trim in the photos.

The two pictures seem to confirm the drawings in the pdf with some detail changes but I guess it depends on time scale.
Fig 5 & description tie in with the first pic except for the silver nose panels but they may have been painted over when the pic was taken. The second pic almost corresponds to fig 6 but the windscreen & headrest, the racing number & "Hawker Tomtit" on the fin have been removed/painted over. One minor detail is the silver rocker covers in both pics & a major detail is that there's no sign of any wing registration in either pic.

Here is the photograph and information from "The Shuttleworth Collection"



Mind you, if you decide to purchase this book I wouldn't bid more than 4/6d (Nothing to do with me BTW)

Alan