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13 cards - 1 clear, 6 Silver Astrolux, 1 White Astrolux, 5 Ivorex, includes decals, etched metal, moulded wheels, vac-forms, rigging cable.
DH 89A Dominie - Constructors no 6968 RAF Serial TX 10 - G-AIDL.
Built under Royal Air Force Contract No. A/c 5072/C.20, a DH Dominie serial TX 310. It was rolled out from Brush Coachworks factory at Loughborough, Leicestershire on 7 May 1946 but due to the rapid run-down of the RAF in the post war years was immediately declared surplus to RAF requirements, flown to de Havilland's factory at Witney in Oxfordshire and converted to civilian use. The machine was purchased by Eric Leslie Gandar Dower and was registered G-AIDL on 23 August 1946 to his company Allied Airways Limited. 'IDL was kept at Eric's own personal aircraft, being used for trips abroad on official business as a Member of Parliament, so was christened "The Wanderer" to reflect this. Painted silver overall with orange lettering outlined in red, it was the only machine in the Allied Airways fleet to be carpeted, fitted with cabin heating and a toilet! "The Wanderer" roamed around Europe, taking Gandar Dower to Spain. Switzerland and Austria, but although it was used occasionally on scheduled services to Wick and the islands of Shetland and Orkney, the end of Allied Airways was in sight - it was about to be nationalised into the British European Airways Corporation. more commonly known as BEA. 'IDL is officially listed as being taken over by BEA on I February l947 and was placed in storage at Dyce Airfield, Aberdeen. During 1950 it was seized and auctioned to Goodhew Aviation Limited and was then allocated as a Company aircraft for the sweet company Fox's Glacier Mints. The registration documents then show operation transferred to A J Flatley of Poynton in Cheshire during early 1962, then the Midland Metal Spinning Company of Wolverhampton during the same year.
The aircraft stayed with them until early 1967, when it was off wandering again. The new owners were the Army Parachute Training Association, who operated the aircraft from Netheravon Airfield in Wiltshire exclusively for parachute dropping duties. Ten years of this type of hard work took it's toll on the cabin interior - parachutist's are not the kindest of people to aircraft cabins, with large packs on their backs and even bigger boots on their feet! The Parachute Association disposed of the reminder of its Rapide fleet in 1977 and G-AIDL was bought by Captain Mike Hood of Southern Joyrides Limited, then based at Biggin Hill Airport in Kent but with offices in nearby Redhill. The main passenger cabin was completely refurbished by Aviation Furnishings in the 1930's style. Southern Joyrides publicity stated that they offered the public "the opportunity of experiencing Airline Flying as it was between 1934 and the 1050's. No rush or fuss, this aeroplane, sometimes called 'a Gentleman's Aerial Carriage' enables you to see town and country in a manner forgotten since the jet age began ".
Southern Joyrides operated G-AIDL on pleasure flights until 1987, when the aircraft was sold yet again, this time to Snowdon Mountain Aviation Limited, a subsidiary of Snowdon Mountain Railway Ltd. This company evolved into Air Caernarfon on l April 1992, with the aircraft continuing to be based at Caernarfon Airport. G-AIDL is operated under control of the Civil Aviation Authority to the highest airline standard and is used to give pleasure flights around Mount Snowdon, the Snowdonia National Park and Caernarfon area. Further details about this aircraft (including its use for special functions) can be obtained from:
The Chief Pilot, Air Caernarfon
Caernarfon Airport,
Llandwrog, Caernarfon, Wales.