Location of Rapide G-AFOI

I was wondering if anyone could recognise where this picture was taken? I do not think it is Renfrew and Witney has been suggested but so far I cannot conclusively state where it is. The Clue seems to be the word "Joinery" on the hangar door.
Has anyone got any ideas?

Attached files [IMG]/community/71750=4403-Rapide G-AFOI.jpg[/img]

A few references to this aircraft via Google, including:

Regd G-AFOI 28.7.39 to Scottish Airways Ltd, Renfrew. CofA 6720 issued 28.8.39. Regd
1.2.47 to British European Airways Corporation, Northolt. Cld 7.6.48 and regd 20.1.49 to
Gibraltar Airways Ltd. Regd 18.5.50 to James Henry Hoggart-Hill t/a Airmotive, Taunton [based
Speke]. Regd 28.6.50 to Airmotive (Liverpool) Ltd, Speke. Regd 5.6.52 to Handley Page Ltd,
Radlett. CofA lapsed 20.9.57 and open storage [11.57] Tollerton. Sold early .58 to Luton
Airways Ltd, Luton for spares (for G-ALBC). Regn cld 20.3.59 as pwfu. Remains extant at
Luton 3.60.

KeMac;71750 wrote:

I was wondering if anyone could recognise where this picture was taken? I do not think it is Renfrew and Witney has been suggested but so far I cannot conclusively state where it is. The Clue seems to be the word "Joinery" on the hangar door.
Has anyone got any ideas?

The three smallest hangars at Witney were "Robin" hangars; they measured approximately 75 ft by 61 ft at ground level - does the hangar in the picture look anything like a Robin hangar? (They had sloping sides).

Euryalus;134273 wrote:

The three smallest hangars at Witney were "Robin" hangars; they measured approximately 75 ft by 61 ft at ground level - does the hangar in the picture look anything like a Robin hangar? (They had sloping sides).

It's far too big to be a Robins Hangar, definitely a B1 Hangar.

Still can't place where it is though

I agree with REF, it's a B1 hangar. G-AFOI was stored at Luton for a while, is that a posibility?

REF;134337 wrote:

It's far too big to be a Robins Hangar, definitely a B1 Hangar.

Still can't place where it is though

This is a poor picture of the "Robin Style" hangars at Witney - are they Robins?

Attached files

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Robins have angled sides, I think they could be Super Robins though which were a bit larger and had straight sides.

Thinking on with the picture, going from the tail motif and lack of apparent airline lettering, I wonder if the Dragon Rapide is shown in its Aeromotive Liverpool days?

Been watching this thread develop as I have had a 'mind itch' that I have seen photos of this very same aircraft quite recently.

As the answer has not ben readily forthcoming, I've had a search to see if I can rule out suggestions rather than provide an answer.

Merseyside based group 'Friends of Liverpool Airport' in their quarterly magazine for Spring 2013 published a charming postcard of this aircraft with the Liverpool Terminal behind. The name 'Airmotive Ltd - Liverpool Airport' is clearly in small print under the cockpit windows, on the starboard side at least. The tail is hidden, so don't know if any logo was applied there. As there is no fuselage inscription on the OP photo, this rather rules out the Airmotive, Speke based period 1.50 to 6.52 - unless the airline was named on one side only!

This was followed up in the Summer 2013 issue with a letter from Don Stephens recalling his first flight, flying in G-AFOI on a 'hop' from Speke to Stretton, along with a photo of it 'dying' at Tollerton winter 1957, forlorn and tail-less. By that time it had two thin cheat-lines from nose to tail running under the registration. So rules out at least the later part of service with Handley Page. In both photos it is in the same silver dope with large fuselage side G-AFOI registration lettering as shown on the OP photo.

The logo on the tail could be clue as to the date. However when I enlarge it, it quickly pixilates. Looks similar to the early 50s B.E.A. 'winged helmet' logo, but appears to be too angular. So ruling out Airmotive, at least the later period with Handley Page and probably BEA/Gibraltar, that just leaves its earliest owner Scottish Aviation, however I'm not familiar with their 40s logo.

No help really, a neat little challenge though.

I'm pretty sure the aircraft is in very early BEA livery, say 1946 or 7. I have a picture of a Rapide G-AGUV with the same stylised key symbol on the fin and British European Airways in very small lettering, immediately below the window line, extending from the cockpit to the second window in the passenger cabin. Not surprising if the company name not discernable on the picture of G-AFOI.

My picture was taken at Weston Super Mare, the aircraft having just arrived from Cardiff (Pengam). At that time, BEA was operating all sorts of domestic routes. That might be a clue to the requested location

Euryalus;134347 wrote:

This is a poor picture of the "Robin Style" hangars at Witney - are they Robins?

Not sure what type of hangars they are, they might be the Super Robins but I am not sure.