Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 11-Mar-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 16-Dec-23.
G-APWA was the 1st production Dart Herald and, as it was used as a demonstrator, it has a long history. Delivered new on lease to Jersey Airlines in May-61, it was returned to Handley Page at the end of the summer season in Oct-61.
It was leased, short-term, to BEA British European Airways in Jan-62, returning to Handley Page in Apr-62. It was leased to Autair International (Apr/Aug-63), the Royal Malaysian Air Force (Aug-63/Jan-64), SADIA, Brazil as PP-ASV (Feb-64/Oct-65), returning to Handley Page as G-APWA.
Then to British Midland Airways (Apr/Sep-66) before being sold to SADIA Brazil in Nov-66, this time as PP-SDM. SADIA was renamed Transbrasil in Jun-72. It was leased to TABA in 1975 returning to Transbrasil in 1976.
It returned to the UK as G-APWA in Aug-76 when it was bought by British Air Ferries. A lot of wet-leasing to TAT Touraine Air Transport followed, Apr-79, Jun/Jul-79, Sep/Oct-79 and Jan/Feb-80. It was wet-leased to Nile Valley Aviation (Jun/Nov-80), AGIP Oil (Nov-80/Jan-81) and Air Ecosse (1981/82).
It was retired at Southend, UK, in late 1982. It was sold to Panavia Air Cargo in Jan-85, they were renamed General Aviation Spares in Feb-86, the aircraft remained stored at Southend until it was preserved at Woodley, Berks, in Mar-93.... Phew!
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