MM – The Golden Age – The Lightness of Flying the Mew

[MM]

G-AFAA is the 1937 E3H version of the Mew Gull—built to be Edgar Percival's own ride. The E3H was the fastest of the factory-built Mew Gulls—setting the non-handicap speed mark in the 1937 King's Cup (see photo below). However, Jack Cross engineered changes in Alex Henshaw's legendary Mew (G-AEXF) to enable it to win the 1938 Kings Cup and set the London-Cape Town record in 1939. Note the distinctive aerodynamic low-cut profile of G-AEXF. On the other hand, the stock G-AFAA allows for a taller pilot who wants to wear a suit, a tie, and a proper hat—as did Percival in his racing career (photo).

Percival himself was an interesting fellow. Born in Albury, Australia (later of Uiver fame), he served in the Royal Flying Corps, alongside Billy Bishop, during WWI. After the war, he flew professionally in Australia—both commercially and competitively—and then moved to England as an Air Ministry test pilot, notably for Schneider Trophy aircraft.

In 1934 he started his own aircraft company at Gravesend, Kent. His Gull, and then the Vega Gull, were much respected fast long-distance touring aircraft. Charles Kingsford Smith flew a Percival Gull in his record-setting England-Australia flight. And it was in Gulls that Percival, C.W.A. Scott, Amy Mollison, and Jean Batten set several long-distance-speed records. The military training version of the Gull, the Percival Proctor, proved a success.

The racing Mew Gull E1 was first flown in 1934 and it was much refined for the second version E2H in 1936. The new model was quickly recognized as England's fastest competition aircraft, setting the pace in any number of contests. Mew pilots dominated the Kings's Cup during both 1937 and 1938 and British light aircraft racing during those pre-war years. It has been said that only the Mew Gull compared with the Spitfire for harmony of controls and flying balance. Powered by a 205hp Gipsy six, it relied on aerodynamics and lightweight design, rather than brute power, for its speed.

It's going to be a cramped, bouncy, and thrilling ride to Melbourne.

[MM]

Leaving Mildenhall for Vienna (EGUN-LOWW) in the Percival Mew Gull (G-AFAA).

[MM]

Down safely at Vienna (LOWW).

Lots of strong and shifting winds low over Central Europe. (The Mew likes to breathe thick air.)

[jakegazzard]

Were can i get this aircraft?

[MM]

A quick pit stop for a 1930s Mountain Dew and off for Bucharest.

[MM]

Ah, crossing the Carpathians and a safe welcome to Bucharest. Now, where did I leave that those carrots and wooden crossbow?

[MM]

Hi Jake,

The Mew Gull is by Michel Migaud (here at SOH he's oldliner52). You can find his work here (look for Mew Gull):

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.ph...ame=oldliner52

(I've repainted G-AFAA to seemingly match the 1930s colors--not absolutely sure of the colors, of course.)

Hope this helps,
Mike

[MM]

And now, over the Black sea and Turkey into Aleppo. You all have me worried about the Taurus Mountains. The low-flying Mew will have to sneak through.

[MM]

Down for refueling at Aleppo (OSAP). Good flight over the Black Sea, the Anatolian Plain, through the Taurus Mountains, and now down into the Syrian desert.

Hmmm. Looking out the window, it seems that we're no longer in Europe.

(Wx is real--using Active Sky Advanced--to Duenna's consternation.)

[MM]

After a quick refueling and recycling stop, departing for Baghdad. Looks petty bleak country to the east...

[MM]

Down for a bite to eat (and maybe a movie) in Baghdad.

Sloppy approach--wasn't paying attention and the city sort of snuck up. Couple of "S" turns and finally had to wing around to Rwy 33. No style points today.

[MM]

Going to try to catch up with Austin in beautiful downtown Jask.

[Milton Shupe]

Wow MM; you are covering some serious ground there.

[MM]

Diverting to Bushehr (OIBB), happily a prepared airfield. Understand that the hotel here has a better chef than the one in Jask.

NB. FSX pilots might wish to check their NDBs in Iraq before flying.

[MM]

Let's see if we can get all the way to Karachi for a hot Hyderabadi Biryani.

[MM]

Long and largely uneventful flight from Bushehr to Karachi. (Did manage to hurridly avoid a granite-filled cloud at one point.) Light winds made for good time.

Now for that Biryani and a Kingfisher.

[bpfowler]

splendide! nice run. got to find this model and try her out. percival is a great designer.

[MM]

Yes, delightful little aircraft.

Now heading out from Karachi to Allahabad. Looking forward to the Indian desert and then the "tiger-infested" jungles (that so worried Roscoe Turner and Clyde Pangborn.)

[MM]

Straightforward leg into Allahabad (VIAL)...no desert, no tigers, no wind.

Second checkpoint reached.

[MM]

Heading past Calcutta and over the Bay of Bengal. Typhoons today...or tomorrow?

Aiming for a proper British colonial bar at Rangoon.

[salt_air]

Heading past Calcutta and over the Bay of Bengal. Typhoons today...or tomorrow?

Aiming for a proper British colonial bar at Rangoon.

Adivsed to stay clear of the airport bar after visits by myself and Bry,,,,not recommended.

May have left a bad taste in the mouth of the management there...

However,,,an ice cold Burmese beer awaits you at the Green Elephant in town.

Cheers,

[MM]

Ah, the genuine advantages of being the first pilots to reach one of our airports...will give the burly barkeeper the slip.

Thanks for the tip on the Green Elephant. Was aiming to visit the bar at the Strand, to follow in the footsteps of Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. "The place to go" in Rangoon [during the colonial era]. Similarly, will stay at Raffles when in Singapore.

[MM]

Safely down in Rangoon. Looking forward to a refreshing drink.

[MM]

Down the Malay Peninsula toward Alor Star.

[MM]

Ah phooey. FSX locked up solid 2 1/2 hours into the flight. Duenna shut down so nothing on record. Ouch.

Do-over.