The Swift was wooden construction covered with plywood and fabric. The wings could be folded to reduce hangar space. The engine on the production models was a 75 hp Pobjoy R seven cylinder geared radial, noted for its reliability and minimal vibration, driving a large fixed pitch wooden propeller. Comper Swifts made their mark in British air racing in the 1930s, and Comper produced three specialised racer model Gipsy Swifts redesigned with the much more powerful 120hp DeHavilland Gipsy III engine. VH-ACG was from this trio.
A total of 45 Swifts were built between 1930-1934, production moving to Heston Aerodrome, Middlesex in January 1933. Many Pobjoy R engined Swifts were to be fitted with the similar later model Pobjoy Niagara engine which developed 84 hp.
The first Comper seen in Australia was G-ABRE in which a young Arthur Butler made a record-breaking solo flight from England in October-November 1931. Butler was an Australian engineer and pilot who had sailed to England to find employment in the aviation industry. When he was ready to return to Australia, Nicholas Comper loaned him G-ABRE to hopefully gain publicity for the Swift design. Butler repaid his generosity with feverish press coverage of the successful flight and his subsequent 8 week publicity tour from Sydney to Perth, at which he was mobbed by public at each stop. Newspapers delighted in reporting that Butler wore carpet slippers while flying the small aircraft and that on his way to Sydney had landed at the small town of Tooraweenah NSW to propose marriage to his young lady. After Butler's sales tour of southern Australia, with no sales forthcoming, G-ABRE was quietly shipped back to England.
A new company Swift Aircraft (Australia), 74 Pitt Street, Sydney was formed as sole sales agent for Comper Aircraft. Managing Director was Esmond B. Wilshire.
Arthur Butler subsequently established Butler Air Transport Co, which grew into a significant passenger airline with DC-3s, Herons, Ambassadors and Viscounts before Ansett Airways gained control in 1958, after which it was renamed Airlines of NSW.
Two other Swifts were to attempt the flight from England to Australia, in 1935 and 1981. Both pilots hoped to beat Arthur Butler’s record but each was forced to abandon their flights after several days due to weather and forced landings. Details are at the end of the main listing
Bob Burnett-Read of Adelaide, President of the Vintage Aircraft Club of Australia and then owner of VH-ACG wrote in 1964:
"She is a delightful aeroplane to fly - after the first initiation! Visibility forward is not the best but it constitutes no real problem. Taxying can be tricky on hard surfaces, but in the air she handles like a dream. I have landed in all sorts of paddocks and surfaces and it performed perfectly. It can be looped from level flight by simply opening the throttle and pulling back on the stick."
After the visit by Butler's Comper Swift, three Swifts were imported to Australia. Two survive, with the same owner in Sydney:
| 10.31 | Built at Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire by Comper Aircraft Co Ltd as a C.L.A.7 Swift. 75hp Pobjoy R |
| Fitted at the factory with additional fuel tanks and oil tanks for extra range at the factory, Also a tank for fresh water. Maximum AUW increased from standard 985 lbs to 1160 lbs. | |
| 10.31 | Agreement
between Nicholas Comper of Comper Aircraft Co Ltd and Australian C. A.
Butler who had earlier travelled to England seeking aviation
employment, but now wanted to return to Australia: G-ABRE would be
loaned to Butler for an attempt on the England-Australia record to
promote the capabilities of the Comper Swift. (Butler's log book records he flew Swift G-AAZF at Hooton Park on 9.10.31) |
| 7.10.31 | Registered G-ABRE The Comper Aircraft Co Ltd, Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire |
| 27.10.31 | CofA issued |
| Loaned to C. Arthur Butler, Sydney NSW for an attempt on the England-Australia record. Sponsored by Mobil, carried "Mobiloil" inscription and the name Gargoyle The following flight details are extracted from C. A. Butler’s pilot logbook: | |
| 28.10.31 | G-ABRE Hooton Park-Heston-Lympne |
| 29.10.31 | Lympne: local flight, and again the following day |
| 31.10.31 | Butler departed Lympne at 5.10am local time on solo flight to Australia. Refuelled Marseilles (flying time 5hr 5 mins, overnight Naples (6 hrs 10 mins) |
| 1.11.31 | Naples-Brindisi (2hrs 30 mins)-Athens (3 hrs 45 mins) |
| 2.11.31 | Athens-Aleppo (7 hrs 30 mins)-Baghdad (4 hrs 20 mins) |
| 3.11.31 | Baghdad-Basra (3 hrs 20 mins)-Jask (7 hrs 15 mins) |
| 4.11.31 | Jaska-Karachi (6 hrs 00 mins)-Jhansi (7hrs 5 mins) |
| 5.11.31 | Jhansi-Calcutta (6 hrs 55 mins)-Akyab (3hrs 35 min) |
| 6.11.31 | Akyab-Rangoon (3 hrs 45 mins-Victoria Point (7 hrs 00 mins) |
| 7.11.31 | Victoria Point-Singapore (6 hrs 50 mins)-Batavia (6 hrs 5 mins) |
| 8.11.31 | Batavia-Sourabaya (4 hrs 5 mins)-Bima (5 hrs 5 mins) |
| 9.11.31 | Bima-Koepang (4 hrs 55 mins)-Darwin 4 hrs 55 mins) |
| 9.11.31 | Butler landed at Darwin at 4.23pm local time. His record-breaking time from England: 9 days 2 hours 20 minutes. |
| 10.11.31 | Darwin-Newcastle Waters Station (4 hrs 30 mins)-Brunette Downs Station (2 hrs 25 mins)- Camooweal (2 hrs 00mins) |
| 11.11.31 | Camooweal-Longreach (6 hrs 00mins). Starboard undercarriage was damaged when it struck a mound on takeoff at Camooweal, and collapsed on landing at Longreach. Repairs carried out at Longreach. |
| 13.11.31 | Longreach-Charleville-Bourke-Nyngan-Tooraweenah (total 7 hrs 00 mins) Landed at Tooraweenah NSW at 3.40pm local time, to visit friends in the small town. Taxied up the main street and parked the Comper in front of the town store, which was operated by a family he knew well. He proposed marriage to their daughter and she accepted. (Post-war Butler was to make the small town of Tooraweenah a hub for his Butler Air Transport airline services to north western NSW. DC-3s and Herons brought passengers from Sydney to Tooraweenah, where they transferred to Dragons and Rapides to fly to more distant towns) |
| 14.11.31 | Tooraweenah-Narromine (50 mins) |
| 15.11.31 | Narromine-Lithgow-Hargrave Air Park-Mascot Aerodrome A Sydney arrival celebration was held at Hargrave Air Park, near Liverpool, before a crowd of 15,000 people. Flying displays were given by aero club aircraft and five aircraft escorted G-ABREvas Butler flew over the city. On arrival at Hargrave Air Park, Butler gave an aerobatic display before landing for a formal welcome from a large official party. Late in the afternoon Butler flew G-ABRE to Mascot Aerodrome (10 mins flying time) |
| As
part of his agreement with Nicholas Comper, Butler commenced an 8 week
publicity tour of Australia, covering 22,967 miles. Butler promoted the
merits of the Comper Swift at each stop. | |
| 16.11.31 | Mascot-Richmond RAAF Station-Mascot |
| 17.11.31 | Mascot-Goulburn-Cootamundra-Benalla-Essendon Aerodrome, Melbourne |
| 21.11.31 | Essendon-Seymour-Cootamundra (Cootamundra NSW was Arthur Butler’s home at that time, and in 1934 it became the base of his newly formed airline Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd, when he won the Empire Air Mail contract for the Cootamundra-Charleville sector, using two newly-imported DH.84 Dragons) |
| 22.11.31 | Cootamundra-Narromine-Gilgandra-Tooraweenah |
| 26.11.31 | Tooraweenah-Mascot |
| 30.11.31 | Mascot-Newcastle-Taree-Kempsey-Grafton-Lismore |
| 1.12.31 | Lismore-Newcastle-Mudgee-Dubbo-Tooraweenah |
| 2.12.31 | Tooraweenah-Parkes-Young-Cootamundra |
| 3.12.31 | Cootamundra-Canberra-Temora-Junee-Wagga Wagga |
| 4.12.31 | Wagga Wagga-Gundagai-Albury-Narrandera-Hay (Butler had been previously based at Hay NSW while employed by Australian Aerial Services as a mechanic for their aircraft on the pioneer airline route between Adelaide and Sydney) |
| 5.12.31 | Hay-Hillston-Broken Hill |
| 6.12.31 | Broken Hill-Adelaide |
| 9.12.31 | Adelaide-Ceduna-Forrest |
| 10.12.31 | Forrest-Kalgoorlie-Maylands Aerodrome, Perth |
| 13.12.31 | Two return flights between Maylands and West Subiaco Aerodrome in the Perth suburbs |
| 14.12.31 | Perth-Kalgoorlie |
| 15.12.31 | Kalgoorlie-Forrest-Ceduna-Adelaide |
| 16.12.31 | Adelaide-Mount Gambier-Nhill-Ballarat |
| 17.12.31 | Ballarat-Bendigo-Tooraweenah |
| 18.12.31 | Tooraweenah-Brisbane, landed at Archerfield Aerodrome |
| 19.12.31 | Brisbane-Maryborough-Bundaberg-Rockhampton |
| 20.12.31 | Rockhampton-Mackay-Townsville |
| 21.12.31 | Townsville-Ayr-Rockhampton |
| 11.12.31 | Rockhampton-Brisbane-Toowoomba |
| 23.12.31 | Toowoomba-Wee Waa |
| 24.12.31 | Wee Waa-Tooraweenah |
| 28.12.31 | Tooraweenah-Mascot |
| 10.1.32 | Mascot-Newcastle |
| 11.1.32 | Newcastle-Mascot. G-ABRE's last flight in Australia. Stored. |
| 6.32 | G-ABRE shipped from Sydney to England on return to Comper Aircraft Co Ltd |
| 12.12.32 | Change of ownership: Victor Smith, Cape Town, South Africa c/- The Comper Aircraft Co Ltd, Hooton Park, Cheshire Victor Smith was a South African sporting pilot who mounted a series of flights between Britain and Cape Town attempting to break the Britain to Cape Record |
| 15.12.32 | Victor Smith departed London-Croydon Aerodrome in G-ABRE on a flight to Cape Town, attempting to beat Amy Mollison's Cape record |
| 15.12.32 |
Damaged in forced landing near St. Malo, France and the record attempt abandoned. Returned to England for repair |
| 7.2.33 |
Victor Smith departed Atlantic Park, Southampton on second attempt on the Cape Town record |
| 8.2.33 | Crashed in night landing at Oran, Algeria, badly damaged, Smith injured G-ABRE returned to England for repair |
| 9.3.33 | Victor Smith departed Lympne on his third attempt on the Cape Town record |
| 13.3.33 | Force landing at night due
fuel expiry, at Vanrhynsdorp 160 miles north of Cape Town. Smith used
his emergency parachute flare gun to locate a clear landing area.
No damage to the aircraft but he was unable to obtain fuel locally in time to reach Cape Town to break the record |
| 26.7.34 | Victor Smith departed Cape Town for England |
| 31.7.34 | Forced landing at La Aguera, Spanish Sahara, 50 miles north of Port Etienne, Mauritania. Smith set off to walk to Port Etienne. With the help of a native tribe he eventually reached there on a camel |
| .34 | Smith continued the flight back to England |
| .34 | Forced landing in a farm field just after crossing the English Channel on the last leg back to London |
| Withdrawn from service | |
| 15.8.45 |
Struck-off British Register by the Ministry during a post-war review |
| G-ABRE’s original port undercarriage leg is held in storage by the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, probably left over from the repair at Longreach in November 1931 |
Plume was the Australian associate of Mobiloil, which sponsored his record flight from England
Photos: Civil Aviation Historical Society of SA, via SA Aviation Museum
WAA Chief Pilot Jimmy Woods, who was then based at Forrest for the Perth-Adelaide service.
A WAA DH.66 Hercules is in the hangar. Photo by Captain James Woods
and on the fuselage "Australasian Agents and Licences: Swift Aircraft (Aust), 96 Pitt Street, Sydney".
Photo: Geoff Goodall collection
He is chatting to local charter pilot Sid Coleman. Photo: Sid Coleman, via Dana Jenings
| .31 | Built Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire by Comper Aircraft Co Ltd as a production C.L.A.7 Swift. 75hp Pobjoy R |
| 9.31 | Registered G-ABPY The Honorable Brian Lewis t/a Brian Lewis & Co Ltd, Heston |
| 10.11.31 | CofA issued |
| 32 | Flew with Alan Cobham's Cobham National Aviation Day displays, giving displays across Britain. G-ABPY was fitted with a radio so that spectators' requests for special maneuvers could be passed to the pilot Flt Lt Turner Hughes |
| 1.33 | Loaned to Richard Shuttleworth, Biggleswade |
| 25.1.33 | Shuttleworth
departed Old Warden on a flight to India in company with Swift G-ACBY
flown by George Stead. Both planned to compete in the Viceroy Trophy
Race in India. G-ABPY was painted silver and blue |
| 7.2.33 | Both Swifts arrived at Delhi |
| 10.2.33 | Shuttleworth was forced to retire from race due failure of an engine oil feed pipe |
| Shipped from India back to England | |
| 7.33 | Struck-off British Register |
| 8.11.35 | British CofA renewed |
| 4.11.36 Restored to Register G-ABPY: Harry S.Griffiths, Walshall | |
| 17.8.37 Change of ownership: Laurence Lipton, Gravesend. Based at Hatfield | |
| 5.11.37 Change of ownership: John Wilfred Waldron Hurndall, Zeals, Wiltshire | |
| .38 | Sold to Flt. Lt. Archibold R. Tindal, Australia |
| 16.12.38 | Struck-off British Register as exported to Australia |
| Shipped to Melbourne | |
| 25.3.39 | Registered VH-UZB Flt. Lt. Archibold R. Tindal, No.1 Flying Training School, RAAF Point Cook Victoria Flt Lt A.R.Tindal was appointed CO of No.1 Armament Training School at Cressy Vic in July 1939. The Comper was based at the airfield, and it is reported that it was on occasions seen in formation with the resident RAAF Hawker Demons. Promoted to Wing Commander, Tindal was killed during a Japanese air attack on Darwin RAAF Station on 19.2.42, while firing a hand-held machine gun from a slit trench. A wartime airfield built near Katherine NT was named in his honour and Tindal airfield is still in civil and RAAF use. |
| 28.2.40 | Change of ownership: Heaths Motors Pty Ltd, Malop Street, Geelong Vic |
| 10.40 | Heaths Motors Pty Ltd, Malop St, Geelong advertise the Comper Swift for sale: Total hrs 400, 48 hrs since overhaul, first class condition throughout |
| 2.42 | Heaths Motors advised DCA
they would not be renewing the annual CofA for VH-UZB, which will be
stored for the duration of the war |
| .45 | Sold by auction to Fred Betts, Geelong Vic |
| 14.4.45 | Civil Register Change of ownership: Fred L. Betts, Geelong Vic (back-dated) (Fred Betts was a Geelong pilot who acquired several aircraft around that time but did not complete DCA ownership transfer paperwork) |
| 28.5.45 | Struck-off Register by DCA due non-notification of ownership change |
| 14.12.47 | Parked with static display aircraft at an airshow at Fishermans Bend Aerodrome, Melbourne. Appeared airworthy |
| 26.10.50 | Change of ownership: William McMullen, Melbourne Vic |
| 10.50 | DCA memo: VH-UZB is at Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne |
| 1.12.50 | Restored to Register VH-UZB: William McMullen, Melbourne Vic |
| 1.12.50 | CofA renewed at Moorabbin |
| 17.12.50 | Crashed at Lakes Entrance Vic. Newspaper report: Engine failed after takeoff from a golf course at Lakes Entrance, pilot attempted a forced landing on a fairway of the golf course. Struck a tree, crashed through a fence and wrecked. Engine was thrown clear, and broken fuel lines sprayed the wreck and pilot with petrol, but it did not ignite. Pilot Eric A. Sarau received only minor injuries |
| 8.2.51 | Struck-off Register due crash 17.12.50 |
| The true circumstances of
the accident are revealed in a letter from veteran pilot and aircraft
engineer Jim Darbyshire, published in the August 2009 edition of Flypast magazine: "In the late 1940s I worked as an engineer with Arthur Schutt at Moorabbin Airport. One of Arthur's clients was a well known Melbourne gangster who owned a Tiger Moth. He was into all sorts of rackets including standover men, sly grog, brothels, gambling and stealing. He purchased Comper Swift VH-UZB powered by a Pobjoy Niagara. The machine needed a lot of TLC and George Bennett and I were given the task of restoring it to its former glory. In due course the job was completed and both George and I were permitted to fly it. The owner was delighted with the restoration and invited either George or myself to Lakes Entrance where he and his friends were to have a wild weekend. We both declined, being not very keen on associating with the rather dubious crowd who constituted his friends. However there was a fellow who hung about the airport who leapt at the chance of a few free flying hours and he flew the aircraft to Lakes Entrance, landing in a paddock near the golf course. Our lad arrived with his male and female friends and a great time was had by all. He flew the aircraft several times and on Sunday morning the ferry pilot was dropped back at the paddock with instructions to return to Moorabbin. The entourage then set off by car for Melbourne. The Comper had no brakes and only a tail skid, and of course no starter motor. Our brave airman then proceeded to prop start the engine. He swung and swung with no luck, but was progressively advancing the throttle each try. By this time the throttle was well advanced, and with a deafening roar as the pilot ducked out of the way, the Comper became airborne on its own. It proceeded to climb and began to circle the golf course. The Comper was a very unstable aircraft and after several circuits it dived into the ground smashing to pieces right in front of our now horrified pilot. The proud owner was reputed to be a handy man with a gun and all sorts of terrible thoughts flooded through our hapless airman's mind. But quick as a flash, he smeared himself with oil and pulled the aircraft wreckage around him and lay groaning. Some golfers pulled him from the wreck and next day the newspapers headlines described his miraculous escape." |
| .32 | Built Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire by Comper Aircraft Co Ltd as a production C.L.A.7 Swift. 75hp Pobjoy R |
| 1.11.32 | Registered G-ACAG The Comper Aircraft Co Ltd, Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire |
| 14.11.32 | Log book: first flight, pilot Nicholas Comper |
| 16.11.32 | CofA issued |
| 33-34 | Extensive sales tour of European countries by Nicholas Comoper |
| 34 | Sold to Australian Aero Club (Victorian Section) |
| 24.9.34 | Arrived Port Melbourne as cargo on SS Ormonde |
| 2.10.34 | Testflown at Essendon after assembly, pilot H.A. Rigby |
| 9.10.34 | Registered VH-UVC Australian Aero Club (Victorian Section), Essendon Aerodrome Melbourne Vic |
| 9.10.34 | Australian CofA issued |
| 3.35 | Change of owner name: Royal Victorian Aero Club, Essendon Aerodrome |
| Club member Edwin Brown later wrote: "During 1935-36 I started flying with Victoria Flying School at Essendon and at that time Comper Swift VH-UVC was owned by the Royal Victorian Aero Club. I have fond memories of watching the club instructor Roy Goon doing aerobatics in the Swift." | |
| 11.12.37 | Forced
landing at Keilor near Essendon due engine trouble, no damage. Pilot
Hubert Boss-Walker was CFI and Manager of the aero club. Flown out the
same day |
| 22.10.38 | Forced landing near Seymour Vic. No damage. Pilot Fred Watkins’ report to DCA stated: “The forced landing was due to an excessive amount of oil being thrown off the engine rocker arms into the pilot’s face. After landing, the aircraft was swung to the right to avoid hitting a tree.” |
| 10.6.39 | Propeller struck ground during landing, pilot G. Cohen. No airframe damage |
| 4.41 | Advertised for sale in Aircraft magazine: “Thoroughly reconditioned, just received CofA. Total flying hours of airframe 349 hours, total engine hours 445. The aircraft may be inspected at Ansett Airways, Commonwealth Aerodrome, Essendon.” |
| 9.12.41 | Application
to DCA under wartime civil aviation regulations by Royal Victorian Aero
Club for approval to sell VH-UVC. It is not being flown
because the war situation has reduced civilian pilot demand. The Club
wishes to sell VH-UVC for £150 to Douglas C. Muir, c/- Stephens Aviation Ltd, Wau, New Guinea. DCA refused the application on the grounds that shipping a single-seat civil aircraft to New Guinea at that time could reduce shipping and transport facilities essential to the military build-up in New Guinea since the declaration of War with Japan on 7.12.41 Doug Muir was Stephens Aviation chief engineer at Wau. During the desperate civilian evacution of New Guina in January 1942 ahead of Japanese air attacks and invasion, Muir maintained the Stephens Avro 10 VH-UXX for 12 flights carrying civilians to Port Moresby, flying as copilot to Eric Stephens. Postwarhe had a long career in Australian commercial aviation |
| 9.10.43 | Change of ownership: Mervyn C. Boutcher, Hamilton Vic, later Melbourne Vic |
| 10.43 | Boutcher advised DCA that he planned to replace the Pobjoy engine with a 90 hp DH Gipsy Minor. De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Sydney investigated the change and prepared the drawings. However the engine change was not carried out. |
| 19.12.47 | Struck-off Register in 1947 DCA Census of non-airworthy aircraft |
| 10.7.51 | Purchased by H. Keith Torr, Melbourne Vic |
| 7.51 | Torr advised DCA that the aircraft would requite a major rebuild, during which he planned to install a DH Gipsy Minor engine. The lengthy rebuild was completed at Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne in 1957, using the original Pobjoy radial engine |
| 54 | Fuselage of UVC was stored on the roof of an office inside a hangar at Moorabbin |
| 26.4.57 | Restored to Register VH-UVC: H. Keith Torr, Melbourne Vic |
| 26.4.57 | CofA renewed. Based at Moorabbin Airport |
| 15.6.57 | noted Moorabbin, flying. Owner Keith Torr, a maintenance engineer with Trans Australia Airlines at Essendon Airport, allowed a group of fellow TAA colleagues to fly the Swift at Moorabbin |
| 9.58 | noted at Moorabbin, flying. Also 10.5.59, 12.5.59 |
| 14.11.59 | Overturned during forced landing in ploughed field of a market garden adjacent to Moorabbin Airport. Owner-pilot Keith Torr was unhurt |
| 8.10.60 |
noted at Moorabbin under repair in Brain & Brown hangar |
| 9.12.61 | noted at Moorabbin under repair in Civil Flying Service hangar |
| 27.1.62 | Change of ownership: William J. Kelman, "Bonnie Doon", Yamala Qld |
| 24.2.62 | noted at Moorabbin outside CFS hangar, complete, repainted all silver. Also 26.2.62 |
| c3.62 | Ferried from Moorabbin to Queensland |
| 27.7.62 | Damaged when port undercarriage collapsed on landing at Bundaberg Qld |
| Stored damaged in Queensland Airplanters hangar at Bundaberg | |
| 64-68 | repair at Bundaberg by Don Adams, owner of Queensland Airplanters. He advertised seeking parts for the Pobjoy Niagara engine |
| 1.8.68 | Change of ownership: Leslie A.R. Barnes, Sydney NSW Captain Les Barnes was at that time flying Airlines of NSW Fokker F.27s. He owned Ryan STM VH-AGR in which he gave flying displays at country airshows. Les Barnes was to loose his life on 7.5.75 when in command of Air Express Bristol Freighter VH-SJQ forced to ditch at night in Bass Strait en route Melbourne-Launceston |
| 1.8.68 | Struck-off Register at new owner's request |
| 3.69 | VH-UVC arrived Bankstown dismantled on a truck, for rebuild by Marshall Airways |
| - | Ownership transferred to Sidney Marshall, Bankstown Airport, Sydney |
| 69-75 | Rebuild not commenced. Stored in Marshall Airways hangar, Bankstown. By 1974 the Comper was dismanted in a wooden crate inside the hangar |
| .75 | Ownership transferred to Jack Davidson, Sydney in settlement of Sid Marshall's estate after his death on 7.5.75 at age 72. Sid bequeathed his aircraft collection to Davidson who had been Marshall Airways Chief Engineer and Sid's partner since 1950 |
| 75-80 | Remained stored dismantled in Marshall Airways hangar at Bankstown |
| 3.80 | Davidson's
unairworthy aircraft stored in the former Marshall Airways hangar at
Bankstown were moved to The Oaks aerodrome (near Camden NSW) by a truck
driven by Doug Jeffery who owned DH.82 VH-PCG based at The Oaks. Eight loads in all, one aircraft per trip: included Avro Cadet VH-AGH, Westland Widgeon VH-UGI, DH.60M VH-UQV and Comper Swift VH-UVC |
| 80-97 | UVC stored dismantled in Jack Davidson's hangar at The Oaks Airfield, near Camden NSW |
| .97 | VH-UVC purchased from Jack Davidson by Dr. Robert (Roy) Fox, Kellyville, Sydney NSW. The sale included the incomplete damaged airframe plus 7 Pobjoy radial engines. (Roy Fox was acquiring a collection of vintage aircraft: Comper Swift VH-ACG, Klemm L-25 VH-UUR, Klemm Eagle VH-UTI, DH.83 Fox MothVH-UVL, DH.89 Rapide VH-UTV. Some are flown from his property The Missions near Wisemans Ferry NSW. Two long-term restoration projects Short Scion VH-UTV and Comper VH-UVC were stored in a shed at his home at Kellyville |
| 1.14 | The VH-UVC parts collection was shipped from Sydney to New Zealand for airworthy restoration by JEM Aviation at Omaka Airport, Blenheim for Roy Fox |
| Inspection
by found that all woodwork, including the wing spars, would need
replacing but that metal fittings were in good condition. Work was also
under way stripping down the Pobjoy engine collection, and new pistons
being manufactured | |
| 7.11.16 | Registered ZK-UVC JEM Aviation, Omaka. Registered for test flying on completion of rebuild |
| 4.17 | Completed, painted blue and white as VH-UVC. Awaiting approval for test flights |
| 20.11.17 | First test flight at Omaka, pilot Ryan Southam |
| After test flights were completed, the Swift was shipped to Sydney to owner Roy Fox | |
| 2021 |
Undergoing final preparation at Luskintyre NSW by Matt Webber/ Luskintyre Aircraft Restorations |
Photo courtesy Civil Aviation Historical Society
Essendon
1930s, repainted with a Mickey Mouse cartoon on
fuselage.
Neil Follett collection
by owner Keith Torr, a TAA engineer at Essendon. At that time TAA was using Dayglo on its airline fleet.
Photo thanks to Barrie Colledge, who is seen strapped in tightly, ready for a local flight
It is parked at the pine trees next to the CFS hangar, waiting to be delivered to a new owner in Queensland
VH-UVC's centre-section under rebuild at Omaka NZ in December 2014, showing the excellent craftsmanship.
Photo by Graham Orphan
Photo by Dave Eyre
| .32 | Built Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire by Comper Aircraft Co Ltd as C.L.A.7 Gipsy Swift. 120hp deHavilland Gipsy III |
| 6.32 | Registered G-ABWH British Air Navigation Co Ltd, Heston |
| 22.6.32 | First flight Hooton Park |
| 28.6.32 | CofA issued |
| Two of the more powerful special racing model Gipsy Swifts were ordered from Comper Aircraft during 1932, the second being G-ABWH for British Air Navigation Co Ltd and flown by their Chief Pilot A. J. Styran. Both Gipsy Swifts were entered in the 1932 King's Cup Air Race and were revealed just prior to the event. The two G-ABWH & G-ABWW commenced the race but both failed to cross the finish line correctly. G-ABWW re-crossed the line and was placed second at a speed of 155.74 mph, while G-ABWH was eliminated. A total of Six Comper Swifts took part in the race. | |
| 8-9.7.32 | King's Cup Air Race, Brooklands, pilot A. J. Styran. Forced to land during the race when a locker came open, but still placed 11th at average speed 147mph |
| 25.8.32 | Won the Felixstowe Aero Trophy Race, pilot A. J. Styran, average speed 141 mph |
| 13.5.33 |
Change of ownership: Captain Walter Lawrence Hope, Teddington, Middlesex. Hope was a well-known racing pilot. Aircdaft base Croydon Aerodrome, London |
| .33 | Hope modified the Comper by installing a Fox Moth sliding canopy and having the the rear fuselage decking raised behind the cockpit |
| 8.7.33 | Flown in 1933 King's Cup Air Race by Walter Hope, fitted with the Fox Moth sliding canopy. Eliminated in the second heat, average speed 158 mph. |
| .33 | Shipped to USA on SS American Merchant to participate in the 1934 Cleveland air races |
| 12.33 |
Registered NC27K Roger Wolfe Kahne, New York NY Kahne was a big band leader who was an official of the Cleveland Air Races and became a Grumman test pilot. |
| .34 | competed in Roosevelt Field Air Races, New York |
| .34 | competed at National Air Races at Cleveland Municiple Airport, did not win a place |
| 8.4.35 | Cancelled from US Civil Register |
| 7.35 | shipped back to Britain |
| 35 | photo of NC27K in a hangar at Croydon Aerodrome, London. Fitted with canopy and wheel spats |
| 18.7.35 |
Restored as G-ABWH Captain Walter Lawrence Hope, Teddington, Middlesex |
| 3.9.35 | British CofA renewed. Doped in scarlet. |
| 6-7.9.35 | Entered in 1935 King's Cup Air Race, Hatfield but scratched by Walter Hope because of the handicap applied. Hope flew DH.85 Leopard Moth G-ACHC instead. |
| 10-11.7.36 | Flew in 1936 King's Cup Air Race, Hatfield, pilot H. J. Wilson. Placed 11th average speed 151 mph |
| 10-11.9.37 | Flew in 1937 King's Cup Air Race, Hatfield, pilot Sqn Ldr David F.W.Atcherley. Forced landing on the sands at St Bees Head |
| 2.7.38 | Flew in 1938 King's Cup Air Race, Hatfield, pilot H. J. Wilson. Placed 16th, average speed 149 mph |
| 20.8.38 | CofA lapsed |
| Sold to Australia, shipped to Sydney | |
| 27.12.38 | Australian Registration Application: Light Aircraft Pty Ltd c/- Denzil Macarthur-Onslow, Camden Aerodrome, Camden NSW |
| 31.12.38 | Struck-off British Register |
| 18.7.39 | Registered VH-ACG Light Aircraft Pty Ltd, Sydney NSW. Retained the sliding canopy and raised rear fuselage decking. Based at Camden Aerodrome which was owned by the Mac-Onslow family. Pre-war the airfield was a popular sport flying venue |
| 10.2.40 | CofA lapsed, not renewed. Stored for duration of the war. |
| 8.45 | DCA memo: VH-ACG is still dismantled in storage and will remain so until the release of Brigadier D. Macarthur-Onslow from the Australian Army |
| 16.10.47 | Registration application: Aubrey John Raymond Oates, Sydney NSW |
| 24.10.47 | CofA renewed |
| 48 | Aircraft Logbook: based Camden, flown regularly by "Titus" Oates, mainly to Bankstown, Mascot and nearby country towns, particularly Bathurst where he acquired a hotel |
| 31.10.50 | Change of ownership: Eric A. Morris, Sydney NSW |
| 50 | Based at Bankstown where owner's father Howard Morris operated Morris Air Service. VH-ACG was painted allover red with white trim and registration, name Marco Polo and "H.K.Morris" painted beneath the cockpit, "Morris Air Service" on tail |
| 26.11.53 | Change of ownership: F. M. Morris, Sydney NSW |
| 12.4.54 | Change of ownership: Frank Lawler, Batemans Bay NSW |
| 30.8.54 | Change of ownership: Don Nichol, Melbourne Vic |
| 9.54 | noted at Essendon Vic, still with name Marco Polo |
| 24.11.54 | Struck-off Register |
| 28.3.58 | Restored to Register: Don Nichol, Melbourne Vic |
| 10.12.59 | Change of ownership: William Winch, White Rose Cafe, Maitland NSW Bill Winch fitted fibreglass wheel spats. Paint scheme was red with yellow fuselage flash and vertical registration on the tail. |
| 15.10.60 | visited airshow at Tamworth NSW |
| 25.7.61 | noted at West Maitland-Rutherford NSW |
| 19.1.62 | Change of ownership: Alex R. Mackie, Sydney NSW |
| 16.3.62 | visited airshow at Cootamundra NSW |
| 13.11.62 | Change of ownership: E. Robert Burnett-Read, Adelaide SA |
| 11.1.63 | noted at Camden NSW in hangar. Also 15.1.63, 20.1.63 |
| 26.2.63 | CofA renewed at Camden NSW |
| 9.3.63 | first noted at Parafield, just arrived on ferry flight by owner Bob Burnett-Read. Based in the Royal Aero Club of SA hangar at Parafield. Allover red with black trim |
| 28.9.63 | noted at Parafield, with red and black paint being stripped by the owner for a repaint |
| 5.10.63 | visited
airshow at Blyth SA, flown by owner. Freshly repainted all silver with
blue trim, polished metal engine cowlings and yellow registration
letters on the wing upper surface. Burnett-Read had installed a clamshell canopy which faired the wing neatly with the turtle deck and made entry into the cockpit easier |
| 3.64 | Burnett-Read flew ACG from Parafield to Brisbane to take part in the Ansett Air Race Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide |
| 31.3.64 | Arrived Parafield at the finish line of the race. Race Number 35. |
| 6.64 | Airframe Logbook: total airframe flying time recorded as only 230 hours |
| 25.6.64 | Change of ownership: William Conroy, Kalgoorlie WA |
| 26.6.64 | Bill Conroy departed Parafield on delivery flight to Kalgoorlie WA. Reached Kalgorlie 26.6.64 |
| 10.64 | Conroy has fitted an extended steerable tail skid, a new instrument panel and a new moulded perspex one-piece canopy |
| 25.10.64 | visited airshow at Laverton WA |
| 9.66 | Conroy advertised VH-ACG for sale: “Comper Swift, engine Gipsy Major III, total time engine and airframe 360 hours since new. Full panel, including CHT, fuel pressure and oil temp gauges. Cruise 100 knots at 2,000rpm. CofA carried out February 1966. Folding wings (save hangarage). This aircraft is very suitable for the sporting enthusiast, being aerobatic with a rate if climb in excess of 1,200 fpm.” |
| 1.11.66 | noted at Kalgoorlie, painted allover white with "Comper Swift" on the fuselage. |
| 5.3.67 | Conroy flew ACG from Kalgoorlie to Perth Airport for promotions for the just released movie Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines. |
| 11.3.67 | noted displayed at Floreat Forum Shopping Centre, Perth as promotion for the movie |
| 13.3.67 | During Conroy's return
flight from Perth to Kalgoorlie, engine trouble developed. On arrival
at Kalgoorlie the Gipsy III was removed and found to require major
overhaul and repair. He had difficulty in finding engine parts for the vintage engine and an experienced engineer to carry out the rebuild. |
| .68 | Conroy moved the Swift from a hangar at Kalgoorlie Airport to his house at 58 Oberarthur Street, Kalgoorlie where it was stored in a backyard shed. Conroy had flown only 40 hours in the Comper, including the delivery flight from Adelaide |
| 1.8.71 | noted at Kalgoorlie at
Bill Conroy's house in a shed in his backyard. Wings were folded and
engine removed, everything covered with red dust. Conroy, a gold prospector, said that he intended to import a new engine from England and get the Comper flying again. |
| .71 | Sold to Douglas C. Muir, Perth WA Doug Muir was semi-retired in Perth after a long career in Australian aviation as an engineer and pilot. He began with Stephens Aviation in New Guinea in 1937-42, crewed 12 civilian evacuation flights 1.42 in Avro 10 VH-UXX ahead of Japanese advance; flight engineer on Qantas Indian Ocean services on Catalinas, Liberators and Lancastrians; post-war engineer with New Guinea missions and airlines; in 1955 established charter business Muir Aviation at Darwin, later renamed Muir Airlines of NT, sold out to SAATAS in 1965, established Muir Aviation of WA, Perth with Barons and Queen Air, and a Beech 17 VH-UXP as his private aircraft. Sold out to CFS in 1967. |
| Doug Muir later wrote: "I
heard that the Comper was up for sale, so I went to Kalgoorlie and had
a look at it. It was in a derelict state, covered in a half inch
of dust. The motor had all its cylinders removed, and these were lying
upside-down, covered in dirt, next to the crankcase itself. The aircraft's fabric surfaces were also completely useless following its spell in storage. I paid Conroy $3,260 for the Swift, dismantled the airframe and split the load between my Falcon ute and the racing car trailer that I towed from Perth to Kalgoorlie specially for the task." | |
| 11.10.71 | Moved by road from
Kalgoorlie to Perth by Doug Muir. The next day unloaded at his home in
the suburb of Mount Pleasant, where placed in storage |
| 5.11.71 | Civil Register Change of Ownership date to Muir |
| Stored dismantled at Muir's house 267 The Esplanade, Mount Pleasant WA. Restoration work began | |
| Doug Muir: "When
I bought the Swift it had a canopy fitted and heavily modified turtle
decking behind the cockpit - it looked quite ugly. Once I had
broken the aircraft down into component parts, I found some of the modifications fitted in America to make it more suitable for pylon racing, including safety cables down inside the struts and a second solitary cable running down the struts through the fuselage itself. These were fitted in an effort to safeguard against the Swift having its wing over-stressed while racing." | |
| .77 | Moved to a workshop in Perth suburb of Myaree for restoration by retired aircraft engineer and woodwork specialist Don Cope |
| 6.78 | Letter from Don Cope: he is working on his Proctor and Auster VH-UEA, also Don Muir's Comper Swift VH-ACG. The Comper should be back in the air in 3 months. Currently his main priority is restoring Hornet Moth VH-UXO for owners Hockin Trust and Bernie Baldwin. |
| 6.80 | Now housed in Doug Muir's private owner hangar at Jandakot Airport, Perth. Restoration of fuselage is almost complete, but a suitable engine has not yet been located despite protracted negotiations in England |
| 27.2.87 | Airframe restoration
almost complete. Displayed on a truck at the Sport Aircraft Association
fly-in on the Perth Esplanade. Muir has modified the undercarriage to
make it taller with a wider track to raise the nose-high attitude to
increase the angle of attack for three-point landings. He enlarged the
rudder area to improve handling, also replaced the tailskid with a
lockable tailwheel. Doug Muir: "I have had the aircraft finished in the Prince of Wales' scheme as worn by his G-ABWW for participation in the 1932 King's Cup Air Race. My Swift also flew in this event painted in an irradescent silver/grey overall and trimmed with triangular tartan design (for the Hope family clan) behind the cockpit. When I removed the turtle decking I found traces of the original scheme still on the fabric. " |
| 4.87 | Restoration completed at Jandakot Airport with new engine installed. Painted red, white & blue with British registration G-ABWW on fuselage sides, but VH-ACG painted under the wing. Stated to be ready for test flying |
| 7.87 | noted at Jandakot, no fuselage registration, VH-ACG on tail |
| 10.87 | Static display at Jandakot in conjunction with the visit of Fokker trimotor Southern Cross flying replica VH-USU. Comper now has VH-ACG painted on the fuselage sides. |
| .88 | Testflown at Jandakot by Doug Muir, fitted with a DH Gipsy Major engine from a Tiger Moth. Then stored again waiting for the original Gipsy III engine to be reconditioned. Had not flown again by 1997 but maintained in airworthy condition. |
| 1.90 | noted at Aviation Heritage Museum, Bullcreek, Perth. On long-term loan to the museum from Muir, displayed in navy blue and red scheme. |
| Rebuild of the original Gipsy III engine continued, finally cracks in crankcase were repaired by a Sydney engine welding firm. Engine rebuilt and zero-timed by 1997. Muir planned to install the original engine and test fly late 1997 | |
| 9.01 | Advertised for sale, zero hours Gipsy III, airframe total time 390 hours |
| 10.2.06 | Change of ownership: Robert (Roy) Fox, Sydney NSW |
| Moved by road from Perth to Sydney | |
| Restored for Roy Fox by antique aircraft specialists John Gallagher & David Theiss, Sydney | |
| 19.9.08 | First fight Camden Airport NSW after restoration, test pilot was David Grieg, an experienced Pitts Special pilot |
| 26.4.09 | visited fly-in at Echuca Vic |
| 7.09 | Airfreighted to Oshkosh WI with Fox's Klemm VH-UUR, both flown at the EAA Airventure week. Comper was flown by David Greig |
| 2012 | VH-ACG stored at Bankstown awaiting repair from damage sustained during the return transport from USA. |
| 2021 | Under restoration at Luskintyre NSW by Matt Webber/ Luskintyre Aircraft Restorations, painted as G-ABWH |
| Note
a rare error in A. J. Jackson’s “British Civil Aircraft Since 1919”
(Volume II) 1973 edition under the Comper Swift chapter: VH-ACG is quoted as crashing on Great Lakes Golf Course, Sydney on 8.12.50, pilot E.A.Sarau. This is a misreporting of the crash of Comper VH-UZB on a golf course at Lakes Entrance Vic on 19.12.50 pilot Eric A. Sarau |
Photo by Dave Eyre
Photo by Geoff Goodall
Blythe SA in October 1963. Owner Bob Burnett-Read is about to conduct a power run on the Gipsy III engine,
with a youthful compiler ready to hold on to the tailplane - necessary because the aircraft has no brakes.
Photo by John M. Smith
with a youthful compiler ready to hold on to the tailplane - necessary because the aircraft has no brakes.
Photo by John M. Smith
Photo by John M. Smith, courtesy SA Aviation Museum
Geoff Goodall collection
Gipsy Major, the raised rear decking has been lowered and canopy removed. Photo by Geoff Goodall
along with Roy Fox's Klemm VH-UUR. Photo by Gordon Reid
| .30 | Built Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire by Comper Aircraft Co Ltd as a C.L.A.7 Swift, the fifth Swift built. Salmson AD9 engine |
| 6.30 | Registered G-AAZD Comper Aircraft Co Ltd |
| 23.2.31 | CofA issued: Arthur H. Youngman on behalf H. Gordon Selfridge Jnr, Heston |
| 9.31 | Operated as demonstrator by Brian Lewis & Co Ltd, Heston |
| 1.10.31 | Change of ownership: Lionel E. Bellairs, Shoreham |
| 2.32 | Change of ownership: Philip deW Avewry |
| 32 | Flown in 1932 Kings Cup Air Race by Flt Lt Nicholas Comper |
| 1.33 | Change of ownership: Pilot Officer Martin J. Parish, RAF Donibristle |
| 11.33 | Registered in Egypt as SU-AAJ Mohamed Hasek, Cairo |
| 34 | Entered in the Oasis Rally, flown by Mohamed Husack. Race No.19 painted on tail. Non-starter due to a forced landing in the desert |
| 31.7.35 | Restored to British Register as G-AAZD Pilot Officer Francis B. Chapman, RAF Gosport Pilot Officer Francis Chapman was an Australian serving in the RAF. He had a month’s Leave and planned to fly to Australia to visit his parents at Charleville Qld. He will attempt to break C.A. Butler’s record time. |
| 10.8.35 | British CofA renewed |
| 11.8.35 | Chapman departed Lympne at 11pm in G-AAZD bound for Australia |
| 15.8.35 |
Forced landing at Sasaram, near Bihar, India. Chapman abandoned the flight, and after reaching Calcutta by train, returned to England on an Empire Air Mail airliner |
| G-AAZD returned to England by ship | |
| 27.7.37 | Change of ownership: Algernon I. Sladen, Cambridge |
| 2.7.38 | Change of ownership: Michael N. Mavrogordato, Oxford. Based at Whitney |
| 31.7.38 | Crashed at Whitney. Engine failure after takeoff, crashed in nearby sewage farm |
| 1.1.39 | Struck-off Civil Register |
| 31 | Built Hooton Park Aerodrome, Cheshire by Comper Aircraft Co Ltd as a C.L.A.7 Swift. 75hp Pobjoy R. |
| 1.32 | Registered G-ABTC Ian C. Maxwell, Heston |
| 8.2.32 | CofA issued. Delivered to owner 13.2.32 |
| Numerous British owners 1932-1974 | |
| 11.2.74 | Change of ownership: Peter Channon, Kenley, later Camborne, Cornwall |
| 3.80 |
Peter Channon announced that he planned to fly G-ABTC to Australia to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Arthur Butler’s record flight to Australia in G-ABRE in 9 days. |
| 28.12.81 | Channon departed England in G-ABTC bound for Australia. The aircraft was painted blue, named Spirit of Butler, with sponsor name PENTAX painted in red |
| 3.82 | Forced landing at Jask, Iran due engine trouble. Iran was at war with Iraq and Channon was refused clearance to proceed to Pakistan. Flight to Australia abandoned and he flew the Comper back to Dubai. |
| .82 | G-ABTC and owner flown from Dubai to Gatwick on board a Boeing 707 freighter |
| 18.7.84 | Permit to Fly expired. The Swift was stored at Lelant, Cornwall |
| 22.2.99 | Struck-off Register |
| 04 | The Swift is stored at Porthtowan, Cornwall near Peter Channon’s home. |
| The airframe woodwork is in good condition. The woodwork had been re-glued and varnished in the late 1950s by RAF at Tangmere using the latest waterproof product. G-ABTC was owned at that time by a famous ex Battle of Britain pilot Jonnie Kent (92 squadron) who was the station commander. | |
| 16 | Restoration
to fly commenced in a workshop near his airstrip. The Swift will retain the same paintwork as for the Butler commemoration flight |
| In December 2016 Peter Channon kindly wrote this account of his Australia flight: "The Swift entered my life in 1974 when it was offered to me by the previous owner, who had been rebuilding it for some time. He wanted the machine to be seen at airshows and that was something I was involved in at the Tiger Club at Redhill airfield back in the halcyon no-radio days with my VW powered Turbulent. Within six weeks of purchase I flew the Comper's first display at Biggin Hill and then got busy around the country. This upset the historic aircraft crowd as they considered airshows quite vulgar and thought the aircraft should have a quiet life not do very much. When I read about Arthur Butler's record Comper Swift flight to Australia, I thought it would be fun to try for a 50th anniversary re-run and set about raising funds. I modified G-ABTC myself with extra fuel and oil tanks and gave the engine an overhaul in my garage. An important part was installing the exhaust valves because I had had several failures over the years. I set off from Biggin in December 1981 and hoped for the best. The ‘voyage’ was quite eventful all the way including the low level ‘camel height’ dash across Syria including the zero height blast across the Bekaa valley to avoid the military radar. Upon arriving at Damascus I had to attend many sessions with the authorities to explain how it was I had not shown up on the screens. The trip across the desert to the Gulf States was something out of Biggles, but I was well received at Dhahran, Bahrain, and Dubai. My problem came on the leg to Pakistan when the 1930s brass rotor arm in the distributor failed, causing massive engine vibration over the Gulf of Oman. I had no choice but to head for the Iranian coast and make an emergency landing at Jask. I got out a "Pan" emergency call on the Airways frequency which was picked up by a Gulf Air jet and relayed to Bahrein Centre. I had no liferaft or real survival gear. The Iranians were most displeased with my unexpected arrival and I spent eleven days trying to extract myself from the situation as they were at war with Iraq at the time. In the end I was allowed to return to Dubai but not go on to Pakistan. This had to be done on a cobbled-up repaired 1930’s rotor arm and only one mag. They were pleased to see me back at Dubai and in fact I even had to give them an impromptu air display at the camel racing track whilst waiting to try and get back to the UK. Luck prevailed and I was offered an empty space in a 707 freighter which took me back to Gatwick. Even then the Customs and Excise types tried to be difficult and wanted to hold the machine in the bonded stores whilst they decided what to do about my return. I agreed to taxi the machine from the freight area to a parking spot whilst they fiddled with the paperwork. The Air Traffic duty supervisor was a Tiger Club member, who agreed to take me along the internal airport roads following behind his yellow land rover. Once out of the freight area he guided me to the access road to the Control Tower. After after clearing it with the tower, he gave me the magic thumbs up and I shot off down the road and took off to Redhill. ATC guys were on the balcony waving down at me. After a quick low level dash l Ianded at Redhill, folded the wings and popped the Swift in the back of the Tiger Club hangar under a large cover. I never heard any more about it. The Swift and I did a few more years of air shows before I became too busy with my commercial flying and opening up the wartime Perranporth Airfield which we licenced and where we operate an AOC. Anyway I have some time now to get the old girl up again. All the long range mods are still fitted, and I will keep her in the paint scheme in which she came back from Middle East." |
- DCA aircraft files, National Archives of Australia, Melbourne
- National Library of Australia - Trove newspaper archive website
- British Civil Aircraft Register: G-INFO website
- British Civil Aircraft Since 1919, A. J. Jackson, Putnam 1973
- Last of the Breed, Brian Creer 1964
- South Australian Air Journal, monthly journal 1963-65
- Australian Air Log, monthly journal 1965-68
- Aviation Historical Society of Australia Journal, monthly, various issues 1960-1970
- The Comper Lightplanes, Jack Meaden, Air Britain Archive, quarterly journal, 5 parts 2003-2004
- Comper Swift, The Aeroplane magazine, March 2003
- Antipodean Swift, Tony Holmes, Aeroplane Monthly magazine, November 1997
- Classic Wings Downunder quarterly magazine, renamed Classic Wings: various reports
- Arthur Butler personal collection, Power House Museum, Sydney: transcribed by Nigel Daw 6.09
- Flight – Memoirs 1912-1958, C.A.Butler, published by Anna Yeats nee Butler 2008
- Let There Be Flight, A history of flying in Western Victoria, Kenneth R. Riches, self-published 2009
- Butler’s Arrival, Flying magazine, Australia 1.12.31
- The Comper Swift in Australia, Neil Follett, Flightpath magazine, Vol 15 No 3 April 2004
- Roy Fox collection: http://www.themissions1937.com.au
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