CAFU aircraft 1944–96
CAFU had 49 aircraft in total registered to them, the last two assigned in 1982.
There were 13 different types from seven separate manufacturers, six British & one American. There were four single engine types, and nine twin, six piston engine, two turboprop and one turbojet.
MANUFACTURERS
Airspeed
Avro
DH / DHC
HS / BAE
Miles
Piper
Taylorcraft
AIRCRAFT Tasks
Single engine aircraft Eight.
02 Taylorcraft Auster Refresher Flying & Communications
02 Percival Proctor Refresher Flying & Communications
02 de Havilland Tiger Moth General Flying Tests / Instructor Ratings / Refresher
02 de Havilland Chipmunk General Flying Tests / Instructor Ratings / Refresher
Twin engine aircraft 41, Nine Types
13 Avro Anson Tels Flight Inspection /Communications/ Refresher/ GCA/ Ordnance Survey
03 Miles Gemini Refresher Flying & Communications
05 Airspeed Oxford I/R/Com/GCA
09 DH104 Dove Tels FI/OS, IR/Com/Ref/VIP/GCA/OS
03 Percival Prince Tels FI
01 Percival President Tels FI
03 DH125 / HS/BAe VIP/Com/Ref/Radar
03 HS748 / BAe Tels Flight Inspection / Communication /Refresher / Euro MPs / Educational Flts / Middle East Flight InspectionI
01 Piper PA31 Refresher Flying & Communications
(See aircraft registration dates below the last photograph).
PHOTOGRAPHS: Aircraft types flown by CAFU 1946 - 1996
Airspeed
Avro
DH / DHC
HS / BAE
Miles
Piper
Taylorcraft
AIRCRAFT Tasks
Single engine aircraft Eight.
02 Taylorcraft Auster Refresher Flying & Communications
02 Percival Proctor Refresher Flying & Communications
02 de Havilland Tiger Moth General Flying Tests / Instructor Ratings / Refresher
02 de Havilland Chipmunk General Flying Tests / Instructor Ratings / Refresher
Twin engine aircraft 41, Nine Types
13 Avro Anson Tels Flight Inspection /Communications/ Refresher/ GCA/ Ordnance Survey
03 Miles Gemini Refresher Flying & Communications
05 Airspeed Oxford I/R/Com/GCA
09 DH104 Dove Tels FI/OS, IR/Com/Ref/VIP/GCA/OS
03 Percival Prince Tels FI
01 Percival President Tels FI
03 DH125 / HS/BAe VIP/Com/Ref/Radar
03 HS748 / BAe Tels Flight Inspection / Communication /Refresher / Euro MPs / Educational Flts / Middle East Flight InspectionI
01 Piper PA31 Refresher Flying & Communications
(See aircraft registration dates below the last photograph).
PHOTOGRAPHS: Aircraft types flown by CAFU 1946 - 1996
A 1 of A25
One of three aircraft put on to the Civil Register by the Air Ministry in June 1944.
Photo: Eddy harris
Photo: Eddy harris
A 2
Two Austers G-AGLLand GLK were both civil registered in August 1944 by the Air Ministry for use by the Air Ministry Civil Operations fleet.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 3
Two de Havilland Tiger Moths were registerd to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for use by their Operations Fleet in June and August 1945.
Photo: eddy Harris
Photo: eddy Harris
A 4
Not the first Anson assigned to the MCA, this one registered in July 1948 before the move from Croydon to Gatwick.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 5
One of two Gemini believed to be used by the Unit for communication purposes, particularly by HQ staff.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 6
G-AJLV was the first Dove to be registered to the MCA in April 1947. LFT wasn't registered until Dec 1948. Both these aircraft were used for Flight Inspection.
A 7
One of the five Airspeed Consuls registered to the MCA in June 1947. They would not be needed for the Instrument Rating tests until the airways came into being toward the end of the decade and the early 50's.
Some thought that they were not around until the 1950's but two of them were seen at Gatwick in 1947.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Some thought that they were not around until the 1950's but two of them were seen at Gatwick in 1947.
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 8
G-ALVS was the first Instrument Rating Dove registered to the CAA in October 1949. But this one, G-ANUW was not registered until May 1955, when the testing of candidates was increasing and the Consuls were about to be replaced.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 9
One of the three Percival Prince aircraft, G-AMKW, MKX & MKY, registered to the MCA in August 1951 to be used for flight Inspection of navigational aids throughout the UK. MKY seen here in the Calibration Bay at Stansted in the 1950's.
That's CAFU, the Nissan Hut behind the open nose on the left. Very cold and draughty in the winter.
Photo: Eddy harris
That's CAFU, the Nissan Hut behind the open nose on the left. Very cold and draughty in the winter.
Photo: Eddy harris
A 10
The President G-APMO was not registered until 1958. It completed the set of Telecommunication aircraft of four Doves and three Princes, plus this one in an early paint scheme at Stansted.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 11
The first HS125 delivered to CAFU in 1966, it was one of the first batch of ten, note the six passenger windows. The other nine aircraft went to the U.S.
Nice early shot of the Air Traffic Control Tower at Stansted Airport.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Nice early shot of the Air Traffic Control Tower at Stansted Airport.
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 12
G-AVXI & VXJ were registered in November 1967, delivered in 1969 and became operational for flight inspection duties later in the same year.
Photo: Eddy Harris
Photo: Eddy Harris
A 13
By the 1980's the 748 aircraft were put into corporate colours of the CAA.
The colour scheme was not approved by those at Stansted who had to crew the flight inspection aircraft, or by those who had to man the telecroscope equipment on the ground.
Photo: Derek Ferguson www.abpic.co.uk
The colour scheme was not approved by those at Stansted who had to crew the flight inspection aircraft, or by those who had to man the telecroscope equipment on the ground.
Photo: Derek Ferguson www.abpic.co.uk
A 14
This 748, G-ATMJ was a 44 seat aircraft which gave CAA crews a more up-to -date environment in which to fly. It was also used for Educational flight by Essex Schools, Carried Members of the European Parliament to Luxembourg and Strasbourg as well as being leased to Dan Air at weekends.
Airway reported that it had carried 42,000 passengers (4,000 of them children).
Airway reported that it had carried 42,000 passengers (4,000 of them children).
A 15
G-BFBH PA31 registered in 1982 and never put into CAA colours. A replacement for the twin-engine Doves and used for refresher flying by CAAFU and Flight Ops Inspectors.
Photo: Jan Jenkins
Photo: Jan Jenkins
David Lacy sent this in May 2021. It is one of the few photos you will see of G-AVDX in CAA corporate colours, most of its life it was in the old White and Red with the Black cheat-line.
Thanks David.
Thanks David.
A 16
The last aircraft to be registered to the CAA, G-CCAA in December 1982. Not in corporate colours - but nearly.
Photo: Peter Moore www.abpic.co.uk
Photo: Peter Moore www.abpic.co.uk
During 2018, Gary Morton and his younger brother, Ian, bought the cockpit of G-ANAP. It was in a dreadful state, but they are in the process of restoring it. Much work has been completed so far and in the meantime he has also obtained CofA paperwork.
One question he would like confirmed is: Did G-ANAP ever have Decca installed? Anyone with any knowledge on this please Email me at j3rivers@gmail.com. or garysmorton@gmail.com
Photo: Garry Morton A17
Well, its Home.
A18
G-ANAP at its new home with Garry & Ian Morton.
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Ian making a nice job of it.
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A19
Wow! These boys mean what they say.
A20
A20
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g-ANAP NOSE
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Pictures A21 – A25
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Photo's A26-A29
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No: 30
Gary Morton and his brother Ian, Have excelled themselves in the work done on G-ANAP cockpit, Displaying their work at a summer Cockpit Fayre in 2021. Photo: Gary Morton. |
