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RF4D c/n 4084 G-AWGN printer friendly version
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Bob Grimstead
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Posted Tuesday, August 2, 2011 @ 05:34 AM  

G-AWGN’s history (so far – August 2011) G-AWGN, c/n 4084 was built in early 1968 and first registered in Britain on 9th April 1968
It was the second RF4D owned and operated by Sportair, the British importer.
They bought it second-hand from doctor and aviation medicine expert, Lt Cdr Keith E. E. Read in the early summer of 1970.

It was the first RF4 I ever flew, on 6th November 1970 (for an hour) at Biggin Hill, after being checked out for 1:10 on an RF5 by Sportair’s Texan CFI Robby Dorsey, followed by a quick ten-minute solo circuit. I flew G-AWGN again a few days later, and then not for 38 years.

Here it is back then, with Sportair Director Neil Jensen flying

Here it is also at about that time, in company with the rest of the Sportair fleet

I researched pretty thoroughly, but although G-AWGN has been flying ever since then, until I got it, it doesn't ever seem to have done anything famous – which is a bit of a surprise, because almost all the other Sportair aeroplanes either won one or two races, or had a spectacular crash, or flew a famous display, or appeared in a film, or even more than one of those things! However, as you can see above, for a while at least, it did sport racing number 37 on its tail, so it must have participated in some races.

I gather it did suffer a forced landing late one afternoon in August 1971. Sportair’s Newsletter No 16, dated 26th August said it had met its demise ‘through what I can only describe as some diabolical airmanship’ (NCJ). Neil later told me that Brian Stephens was called out of the bar to fly it back to Biggin Hill (and not necessarily in a straight line), but it was seriously damaged, needing a replacement fuselage.

Here is a photo I took of it soon after that fuselage replacement, probably in 1972. As you can see, when they re-painted it, they got the curvature of that front red portion completely wrong -- and to my shame it's still wrong to this day. A project for next winter...

There is a Stampe in the background of this photo too, and that definitely is Sportair's G-AZSA, masquerading as the famous wartime escape Stampe painted in RAF camouflage MX457. Sportair swapped a new RF4D, G-AYHY with the Tiger Club for this recently-rebuilt aeroplane, to their mutual advantage.

G-AWGN's wing was probably last re-covered in about 1982, although until 2010 its rudder still carried the original, highly-flammable factory fabric & paint.

On 24th May 1997 its main wheel fork snapped on landing at Staverton, but with no further damage.

On 5th September 2005 it was landed wheel-up at Husbands Bosworth by Mike Fox. The propeller was replaced.

I bought it on 2nd January 2008, and immediately painted its upper surfaces in the same sunburst scheme as my Australian Fournier (but red).

Since then it has flown in numerous displays, including the Red Bull Air Race, London 2008, Flygfesten 2009 in Dala-Jarna, Sweden, Norway’s centenary air show at Rygge in 2009 and at Gap-Tallard, Southern France for the 2010 CFI Fournier 50th anniversary celebrations.
Current airframe hours (Aug 2011) 3,600+, of which 350+ were mine.

From 2009 for three years it was one of a pair of RF4s displaying as the RedHawks with Matthew Hill in G-AWEK.

See also video clips on YouTube, search for FournierBob and click on any blue FournierBob subscript.

Yours, Bob

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Friday, January 6, 2017 @ 10:56 AM]

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 @ 00:07 AM]

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Monday, August 8, 2011 @ 10:35 AM  

Hi Guys,

Like Donald, I am missing all log books for G-AWGN from before August 1992 (when it had already amassed 2,125 hours).
I would dearly love to have some (any) earlier information -- like, when were the wing and tail feathers last re-covered, and by whom?

At that time the aeroplane was owned and operated by the Gloster Aero Group at Staverton.

The trustee then was Ron Ashforth, 'Oasis', Elmstone, Hardwicke, Cheltenham, Glos, but I think he has since died.
He was also the registered owner in 1986.

If anybody out there in Fournier-land has any earlier information, or even better, any early logbooks for 'WGN, I would be very grateful for any information.

Yours, Bob

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Ron Smith
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Posted Wednesday, August 24, 2011 @ 09:17 AM  

For what it is worth, the side-on photo (said to be probably 1972) was actually taken at the 1972 Biggin Hill Air Fair - I was there (May 1972) and photographed the Stampe next door to it.
Bob Grimstead
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Posted Friday, December 27, 2013 @ 10:35 AM  

Thank you Ron, that confirms my suspicion. At that Air Fair I had the privelidge of cleaning the oil off that Stampe's belly after each of David Perrin's wonderful aerobatic displays in it. I still have film footage of them somewhere.

I am glad to say that G-AWGN is currently being re-covered, and will finally be re-painted with that fuselage curve properly shaped. Unfortunately, by law the registrations now have to be bigger, and of course it will have sunbursts on its upper surfaces, but otherwise I hope its scheme will be a close as we can make it to the original.

Yours, Bob

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Wednesday, August 5, 2015 @ 05:12 PM  

Here is 'WGN today, after re-cover etc

I still don't think I've quite got that curve right in the side stripe, but that can be rectified.

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 @ 00:10 AM]

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Markku
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Posted Thursday, August 6, 2015 @ 02:03 AM  

Looks great, have you already scheduled the first flight?
Markku
Bob Grimstead
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Posted Thursday, August 6, 2015 @ 04:57 AM  

I am still waiting for the Permit to Test to come from the LAA Markku.

I have incorporated a couple of new modifications plus applied fror approval of several modifications that were already on the aeroplane when I bought it, so I guess they are working their way through all those submissions.

Soon I hope, soon.

Yours, Bob

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

John Olsson
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Posted Thursday, August 6, 2015 @ 10:04 AM  

Many congrads on what looks like a great job even if you did beat us to the take-off!!!
Long week-end in RSA ahead so yes, we will be working on UEZ.
Hoping to refit the upgraded undercarriage this weekend now that we have a new back plate.
Safe flying to all
Yours
Ollie

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RF4D flying in the Afican Sky!

Collin
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Posted Thursday, August 6, 2015 @ 08:26 PM  

Hi Bob,

You have been busy! Looks Great! See a TT decal.

Take care

Collin

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Sunday, August 9, 2015 @ 10:36 AM  

Oh yes Collin, definitely TT decals on both sides of the canopy, wth very grateful thanks for my new mainwheel door springs.

I shall post pics of all the decals etc once it has flown.

Yours, Bob

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Tuesday, October 27, 2015 @ 11:42 PM  

Now she's back flying again, going like a train, and I've been able to fly four displays in the 2015 season (so far).

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Saturday, January 9, 2016 @ 11:41 PM  

In my original post I said G-AWGN (Wagon) had not done 'anything famous' in the nineteen seventies, but I have recently been contacted by the late, great David Perrin's cousin Nigel.
He has been going through the family records, which include David's logbooks.

It turns out that David flew his first solo in Wagon, followed by eight displays.

Then he swapped to G-AWEK in late July '71, presumably after Wagon's big accident that neccessitated a fuselage replacement.

Here are those log book entries:

G-AWGN 26-Feb-1971 First solo, at Biggin 30m
G-AWGN 30-May-1971 Fairoaks display 1715-1725
G-AWGN 31-May-1971 Blackbushe display 1620-1630
G-AWGN 5-Jun-1971 Lympne display 1450-1510
G-AWGN 11-Jun-1971 Biggin Air Fair display 1415-1435
G-AWGN 12-Jun-1971 Biggin Air Fair display 1350-1425
G-AWGN 13-Jun-1971 Biggin Air Fair display 1455-1515
G-AWGN 11-Jul-1971 Rochester display 1750-1805
G-AWGN 15-Sep-1973 Battle of Britain display, Biggin 25m

G-AWEK 25-Jul-1971 Shobdon display
G-AWEK 13-May-1972 Blackpool display
G-AWEK 14-May-1972 Edinburgh display
G-AWEK 19-May-1972 Biggin Air Fair display
G-AWEK 20-May-1972 Biggin Air Fair display
G-AWEK 28-May-1972 Blackbushe display
G-AWEK 29-May-1972 Blackbushe display
G-AWEK 10-Jun-1972 Denham display
G-AWEK 16-Sep-1972 Battle of Britain display, Biggin

Just shows Wagon has been famous for years!

Yours, Bob

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Friday, January 22, 2016 @ 08:37 PM  

More information, gleaned from Paul Fiddian's excellent recent book 'The History of the Biggin Hill International Air Fair':

At the 1973 Air Fair the Stampe/Fournier duo was flown by David Perrin in G-AZSA and Gordon Franks in G-AWGN.

I should have known Wagon took part in that show, because over that weekend I had the self-appointed job of cleaning the oil off David's Stampe afterwards. Indeed, I have snippets of their display redorded on Super Eight movie footage, although Wagon is too distant to be recognised as such.

So Wagon did more nineteen seventies display flying than I had previously realised.

Yours, Bob

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Saturday, December 17, 2016 @ 04:20 AM  

I only recently realised that this history of G-AWGN is way out of date

After I re-assembled all her gratuitously dissassembled component parts and re-covered her in Oratex during the winter of 2014-2015 she has been to every possible venue in Britain, displaying the Fournier's particular brand of graceful, balletic aerobatics as RedHawk. These displays are now solo since Matthew Hill quit at the end of 2012.

She now has her full sunburst colour scheme again...

...and is going very well with her 1,776cc engine and Hercules propeller. This means I can easily maintain height for four minutes of intermediate aerobatics, so in 2017 I shall try displaying her with her open-cockpit canopy.

This is necessary because the British CAA now insists on our not only flying aerobatics a long way away from the crowd, but even our 'waving flypasts' have to be a long way away from the crowd. This means that the only hope the audience has of seeing me is by waving my outstretched arm up from the open cockpit. You tell me if the consequent increased drag is a safety improvement!

Yours, Bob

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 @ 00:15 AM]

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Tuesday, January 28, 2020 @ 00:21 AM  

Here are a couple of pics of G-AWGN RedHawk displaying last year:

and a clip... https://youtu.be/2vrVixXnqVo

Plus one of the pyrotechnics I shall be using in 2020

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Saturday, September 5, 2020 @ 10:35 PM]

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Friday, January 19, 2024 @ 11:06 AM  

....and this is what it looks like to the spectators...


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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

SteveBeaver
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Posted Friday, January 19, 2024 @ 02:43 PM    YIM

Those pyrotechnics look great Bob!

I last saw Rob Dorsey about four years ago. He lives quite close to me near Cincinnati. He had commissioned the restoration of a Zlin 526F and I did a couple of annual inspections on it (of course it needed an extensive test flight. ) The restoration was a work of art. I flew my RF4 down to see him. I think it brought back a lot of memories.

Unfortunately he developed a medical condition (loss of feeling in the hands and feet) which forced his retirement from UPS air freight and from flying in general. The Zlin moved on to a new owner and Rob became a professional luthier, a skill he had practiced for some time previously.

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Friday, January 19, 2024 @ 11:36 PM  

Hi Steve, Thank you very much for all that information on Rob Dorsey. I did know some of it because we are friends on Facebook.

With regard to Wagon's pyrotechnics: at the moment I can only fly one minute of pyrotechnics towards the end of my four minute routine, but I'm working on making it possible to fly a second minute of pyrotechnics. The difficulty of course is caused by the mass of stuff on my wingtips and the effect of that on the aeroplane's handling, so I have to proceed with caution while increasing that mass.

If you want to see what it looks like from my fin-cam, there is a clip here… https://youtu.be/B2iJL7fk6V0?si=tE7xwBNRp7IfO12_

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

SteveBeaver
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Posted Friday, January 19, 2024 @ 11:42 PM    YIM

Thanks Bob. I'm so pleased to hear that Rob is still active.
Bob Grimstead
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Posted Saturday, January 20, 2024 @ 09:07 AM  

Yes Steve, Like most of our generation, Rob has his health problems, but he's now mostly a writer of science fiction novels, plus he posts quite a lot of political stuff. I'd say he's very much alive and kicking.

Meanwhile, a little over a year ago my problems with Oratex adhesion to itself came to a head when the fabric started peeling off Wagon's left wing in flight. There were no handling problems, but it was flapping noisily and gradually worsening as I watched, so I hurled it on to the ground asap.

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Saturday, January 20, 2024 @ 09:36 AM  

I had long been concerned about what I regarded as sub-standard workmanship
in that wing, plus the trailing edges were a bit wavy, so I dismantled the airframe (single-handed)

stripped the wing of its fabric,

cleaned off all the glue and varnish and trailered it to Dave Bland in Malvern.

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Saturday, January 20, 2024 @ 09:47 AM  

Dave made several repairs with beautiful workmanship and completely replaced all trailing edges.

Then he covered it all in good old Polyfiber

and sprayed on a couple of coats of silver. This is the specified minimum amount, but Dave usually likes to add more coats for a really superb finish. Here he is crying because I wouldn't let him. Just like Sportavia in the sixties, I need to keep weight to a minimum.

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Saturday, January 20, 2024 @ 10:17 AM  

One light coat of UV resistant two-pack white paint and he's got that beautiful glossy smooth finish straight out of the gun!

Similarly shiny red trim (again, just one coat) and the job is done!

...and, I might add, Dave completed this job nearly a week ahead of schedule and under budget. What's more, after official weighing, Wagon is still lighter than any other British Fournier.

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
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Posted Saturday, January 20, 2024 @ 10:33 AM  

Finally I trailered the fuselage 120 miles from home and the wing fifty miles from Dave's workshop to reunite them at Staverton.

A week later I flew the Permit performance test flight and she goes better than ever before.

It seems that straightening the trailing edges, replacing a couple of 'sucked in ' upper panels and filling some leading edge depressions with Microballoons has restored the original proper aerofoil — thus the performance improvement, in climb rate, airspeed and roll rate. Not huge, but definitely noticeable.

Instead of the original three triangle sunburst I only had one this time, and it's a PVC sticker so that the next owner can easily remove it with a heat gun (or just as easily add more).

So here is RedHawk, excelling itself at the Midlands Air Festival 2023 a week later.

https://youtu.be/crKwDweNyJg?si=q2WRe9H91KCgmHg4

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Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

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