G-AFKR

Type: L-12A Electra Junior
MSN: 1267
Previous Identities: Nil
Subsequent Identities: F-ARQA

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.

10NOV38
Registered G-AFKR to British Airways Ltd., Heston
16JAN39
Delivered by Lockheed to Aeronautical Research and Sales Corp. Shipped to Southampton.
18JAN39
U. S. Export CofA E.4665 issued (Source: "The Lockheed Twins" by P.J. Marson)
13FEB39
To F. Sidney Cotton, Heston
15FEB39
CofV No. V.166 issued. Local flight at Southampton by Milo Burcham and R.H. Niven
16FEB39
Flown to Heston by Burcham and Niven.
At Heston the aircraft was modified by Airwork Ltd. An aperture was cut in the cabin floor and an RAF type F-24 camera was installed. (Source: "The Lockheed Twins" by P.J. Marson)
17FEB39
Local flight at Heston by F.S. Cotton and R.H. Niven
18FEB39
Local flight at Heston by F.S. Cotton and R.H. Niven
19FEB39
Local flight at Heston by F.S. Cotton and R.H. Niven
22FEB39
Local flight at Heston by F.S. Cotton and R.H. Niven
23FEB39
Local flight at Heston by F.S. Cotton and R.H. Niven
26FEB39
Local flight at Heston by F.S. Cotton and R.H. Niven
(All later flights to 27APR39 by Cotton and Niven unless shown otherwise)
28FEB39
Wireless test at Heston
01MAR39
Heston-Le Bourget
02MAR39
Le Bourget-Heston
04MAR39
Local flight at Heston
05MAR39
Heston-Yeovil-Honnington-Heston
07MAR39
Heston-Le Bourget
09MAR39
Le Bourget-Heston
14MAR39
Local flight at Heston
17MAR39
Heston-Le Bourget
18MAR39
Le Bourget-Buc-Le Bourget
19MAR39
Local flight at Le Bourget
20MAR39
Le Bourget-Buc
22MAR39
Buc-Le Bourget-Heston
24MAR39
Heston-Yeovil-Heston
25MAR39
Heston-Buc-Toussus le Noble plus local flight
27MAR39
Local flight at Toussus le Noble
28MAR39
Local flight at Toussus, also local with M. Villet and Niven
30MAR39
Toussus-Nancy-Toussus, photographed Krefeld, Hamm, Munster and Dutch frontier
31MAR39
Local flight at Toussus
01APR39
Second photo sortie from Toussus, then Toussus-Le Bourget-White Waltham.
02APR39
White Waltham-Heston
05APR39
Heston-Le Bourget
07APR39
Third photo sortie (from where not logged)
08APR39
Heston- Le Touquet-Toussus
09APR39
Fourth photo sortie, from Toussus
10APR39
Toussus-Le Touquet-Heston
18APR39
Toussus-Orange-Bastia, delayed by bad weather
20APR39
Bastia-Tunis
21APR39
Local flight at Tunis
22APR39
Local flight at Tunis
25APR39
Photo sortie over Tunisia
27APR39
Tunis-Bastia-Toussus
29APR39
U.K. registration cancelled as "Sold"
15MAY39
Re-registered F-ARQA. (Cotton writes "transferred to France after Tunisian flight, became F-AAHT" not a possible French registration). Ostensibly owned by Roger Henrard, a professional aerial photographer, operated by Ets Richard-Labrely. Actually to Deuxieme Bureau.
17JUL39
Last known mission over Germany flown by Henrard
Fate unknown. (Source: "The Lockheed Twins" by P.J. Marson)

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.

 

Issue Date Remarks
2 03APR16
Page layout refreshed with no change to data.
1 21JAN05
Original issue. Researched and written by Vic Smith. Thanks Vic!




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