Airspeed AS.4 Ferry

I flew in a ferry with my father in about1935 when I was three, at weston s mare. I didnt see the takeoff as I was watching the centre propeller whizz round. We sat on Lloyd Loom chairs, flew out to Steepholm and back - it looked like a big stone dumped in a muddy sea.All very uneventful,even the landing,but of course I have always had a very soft spot for Airspeed's lovely Ferry. On the same day saw an autogyro,

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Span 55'0" Length 39'8" Height 14'3" Wing area 610.5 sq ft Empty Weight 3,300 lb Max Take off Weight 5,400 lb
Max Speed 112 mph Cruise speed 100 mph Range 340 miles
Service Ceiling 15,500 ft

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a pal and I went to see the airspeed faerry and as sir allan cobham was offering flights for 5 shillings i asked him if he would take us. at first he said no but changed his mind and so we went up with him. I had to ask my dad for the 5 shillings but we were lucky Couldn beleive the pictures of the plane I was only 6 at the tome.

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I am now 90 but do any of your readers remember the Autogyro being flown at the Air Circus? My father Capt. Frederic C.R. Jaques was the pilot who demonstrated the ability of the Autogyro.

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My father took me on one of Cobham.s air display joy-rides in 1932 o3 thereabouts. Cobham's circus landed in the county show field in Kendal and stayed for two days of displays. I flerw in the Airspeed Ferry, which took off from the bumpy grass, circled Kendal castle at around, I guess, 1,000 ft. then landed back at the field. About eight minutes in the air. Flifhts every 45 minutes or so. Cost per person, 2s.6d. For, I think, a small extra fee Cobham signed the tickets after the flight. I do not think he piloted the aircraft on my & my father's flight. My father won a second flight a little later in the (summer)evening, by guessing the height of an over-flying Comper Swift monoplane which released coloured smoke at the point where its altitude had to be guessed at.

Jack Smith.

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what is that irregular looking "patch"? below the cockpit window ?

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Observant readers of the Company Profile may note the discepancy between the stated start-date of the Company (1934) and the origin of this aircraft in 1932. In fact, Airspeed Ltd. had been operating out of rather cramped premises in York from around 1930, building the Ferries and some gliders (British record holders in their day. They moved to Portsmouth in 1934 following an adavantageous agreement for new, free premises in that town's airport. All info from "Slide Rule" by renowned novelist Neville Shute who, under his real name of Neville Shute Norway, was CEO of the original Airspeed.

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