G-AGTL Caprice

History:

Although it is policy to include on this site only aeroplanes which took up an Australian identity, an exception has been made in the case of this aeroplane as it was owned and made famous by an Australian identity, Sidney Cotton.

This history was researched and written by Vic Smith except where shown otherwise.

09JUN41		Completed by Lockheed
26AUG41		Delivered to Sky Kraft Corp., Mobile, Alabama as NC33615
23AUG41		To the U.S. Navy as type R3O-2 Bu Aer 02947. Used by NAS Quonset Point until NOV43.
NOV43		To U.S. Naval Attache, London. Later used by a UK based USN patrol bomber unit.
30NOV44		Stricken by USN
early 45		At Dunkeswell with HQ Sqn, Fleet Air Wing 7
29JUL45		Possibly the Lockheed damaged in a forced-landing at Rehins, County Mayo, Eire
AUG45		Leased to RAF as "D2947" (this serial is suspect)
19SEP45		Registered G-AGTL to F. Sidney Cotton
15FEB46		Contract C/acft/5678 issued by Shorts Bros, Belfast for rebuild at a cost of £13,000. Flying time to date 1,030 hours.
19NOV46		Validated U.S. Export CofA E.10601 issued
26NOV46		Delivered to F.S. Cotton (Source: "The Lockheed Twins" by P.J. Marson)
05DEC46		CofV No. V.245 issued to Aeronautical & Industrial Research Corp. The aircraft was named "Caprice". It was used for radio aid development and was fitted with long-range tanks in the cabin.
06SEP50		CofV expired
20AUG53		Noted at Croydon
20SEP55		Noted at Croydon
c.JUN56		Tested by Bristol Aircraft Ltd as a possible replacement for Airspeed Oxford G-AHGU but deemed unsuitable
07SEP56		Arrived at Rochester, reportedly bought by Short Bros for use by the Chairman, Sir Matthew Slattery. Left for Belfast and later returned to Rochester for disposal.
24APR57		To K. McAlpine, Fairoaks
byAPR58		Based at Luton with Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd.
27AUG60		Noted at Luton, apparently retired
22DEC60		UK registration cancelled
		Registered F-BJJY to Jean Chapeau
21JAN61		Noted at Luton marked as F-BJJY
		Flown via Le Bourget to Nice for rebuild
15MAR63		To Escadrille Mercure S.A. (a J. Chapeau company). CofA issued same month.
28APR64		At 11.58GMT damaged while taxying at Bierset, Liege on arrival from Paris. Pilot Tanguy plus 2 crew and 2 passengers were not seriously injured.
68		Operational at Nice
10AUG75		Landing accident at Ajaccio, Corsica
76		To Jean-Marie Chapeau, t/a Riviera A/S, Nice
08JUN81		Last flight by J. Chapeau. Aircraft stored at Nice.
JUN81		French CofA expired
APR82		To Paul Boucher and Phillipe Denis, Romans. Ferried to St. Tropez/La Mole for overhaul.
13JUN82		Noted at La Castellet
87		At Valance, grounded for major inspection
JUL89		CofA expired
90		Registered to P. Denis
93		Registered to P. Denis
26AUG96		Registration cancelled by Bureau Veritas
MAR97		Phillippe Denis died
31JAN99		Ferried to Caen
02APR99		Re-registered F-AZLL to Jean-Luc Langeard, Caen.
11AUG99		To Le Gros Biplan Rouge Sarl (Ste Lyonnaise de Credit Bail Slibail), Bordeaux/Merignac
by DEC00		Airworthy
27JUN02		Noted at Le Bourget for Lindbergh 75th Anniversary celebrations
10JUL04		Noted at "Flying Legends" display at Duxford, UK

Sources: "Aviator Extraordinary" by Ralph Barker Federal Aviation Authority (USA) archives Civil Aviation Authority (UK) archives RAF Museum archives Public Record Office files

Sidney Cotton owned several Lockheed 12As and one his lesser-known aircraft did come to Australia. See VH-FMS.

See also Sidney Cotton's Kolossal Lockheeds

 

Issue	Date	Remarks
2	03APR16	Refreshed page layout and added owner's name.
1	21JAN05	Original issue. Researched and written by Vic Smith. Thanks Vic! Thanks also to Dean Barnes for the image of F-AZLL.

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