Shortfinals – aviation and more!

By: shortfinals

Feb 14 2009

Tags: 4th of July, aircraft, ARDEM 4CO2 engine, Aviation, bay window, Berkshire, blown canopy, Dart Kitten II, fuselage, G-APRT, Great Vintage Flying Weekend, GVFWE, homebuilt aircraft, Hullavington, J.A.P. 99 engine, John Taylor, living room, Portugal, spinner, Taylor JT-1 Monoplane, VW, White Waltham, Wiltshire, wings

Category: aircraft, airshow, Aviation, England, Great Vintage Flying Weekend

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Very occasionally, someone does something quite startling. In this case it was John Taylor, who decided to design and BUILD this pretty little monoplane in his first-floor living room! It just so happened to be the first post-WW2 British home built design to fly. Mrs Taylor must have had a heart of gold, is all I can say, particularly when it came to her husband removing the bay window to get the fuselage and wings out (I have seen the photographs of the event). The aircraft first flew on the 4th of July, 1959, at White Waltham, Berkshire, powered by a J.A.P 99 engine (putting out about 37hp, and similar to the one in the Dart Kitten II), but it was subsequently fitted with a VW conversion, a more powerful ARDEM 4CO2, producing 45hp. John owned it from 1959 to 1961, then moved on; 4 owners later, it ended up on the Portuguese register (1985 to 1989) but it has, fortunately, ended up back in the UK. There have been some alterations to the original colour scheme, as well as the full-blown canopy being dispensed with, and a spinner added to the propeller. The prototype Taylor JT-1 Monoplane is an absolute gem, and it is seen here at GVFWE, Hullavington. It has been followed into the air by more than 110 others, over the years, and can truly be said to have been one of the home built aircraft which helped launch the Light Aircraft Association.

bit.ly/TPMShop

http://peoplesmosquito.org.uk

https://www.picfair.com/shortfinals