Movieland's Bleriot XI replica
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:24 am
Greetings,
I noticed your list of airplanes from the Movieland museum. The Bleriot XI replica you note as being possibly built in 1967 originally belonged to my late grandfather - Franz McTavish of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The airplane was built as a project for aircraft maintenance students at the local technical college during the 1952/53 school year. My grandfather was a strong supporter of education, and very good friends with the head of the aeronautics programs at the local technical college.
This man, Stan Green, was interested in pioneering airplanes, and thought a Bleriot would make an excellent training tool for his students. My grandfather purchased the materials and promised to do all the test flying. I have no idea if much thought was given to its eventual use or its practicality in a city where 30-40mph winds are common.
It first flew in November 1953, registered CF-HDG-X and flown locally for a brief period. It was one of the first 'homebuilt' airplanes in Canada and because there wasn't a category to certify it as such, it retained its experimental status, hense the -X at the end of the registration.
It was really only about 80% authentic. There were material substitutions, the original horizontal stabilizer and elevators were changed after the first flight for a conventional set-up, and the original 20hp engine and prop were changed for a Continental A40 (from a Taylor J-2). That was changed for a C65 (from an Aeronca Champ) because the 40hp engine wasn’t powerful enough for Calgary’s 3,500 foot elevation.
Since it wasn’t very useful as a private plane (it couldn’t go anywhere, or carry anything) it didn't do too much flying. Some of the more experienced local pilots managed to log flights, although they were usually less than 15 minutes in duration.
At one point a descendant of Louis Bleriot approached Stan Green about using this plane for a commemorative flight across the English Channel. Stan was excited by the idea, and although my grandfather couldn't afford to write off his investment, Stan's friendship and his excitement at the prospect of visiting his home in England made him turn over his half of the plane. Of course the cost of shipping the plane to England was countered by signing the plane over to Bleriot's descendant, who we later learned was a failed actor.
Once in France it was discovered that none of the paperwork permitting the flight had been approved. I believe it was the British who didn't approve the Bleriot landing on their soil. Instead, the pilot flew across the English Channel, turned around and went back to France because the Continental engine’s reliability could permit this. As soon as he landed the authorities impounded the plane and fined the pilot. Having done what
he’d set out to do, the pilot abandoned the airplane. Stan Green wasn't in a financial position to reclaim the plane, so it stayed with the French government.
Apparently it went to the national museum in Paris, where it was displayed, complete with a painted over Canadian registration. Anyone who has seen paint on fabric will know this isn’t a very convincing means at omitting a black registration. Eventually a real Bleriot was located and the offensive foreign replica sold.
We understand it was supposed to be used in the movie "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines." Which means it would have been sold about 1964. A real Bleriot was used in the movie, so 'HDG-X was never on the screen.
According to your website neither Frank Tallman, nor Paul Mantz were involved in that movie.
But Tallman purchased 'HDG-X and put it in the Movieland of the Air. When my grandmother and her second husband visited the museum on their honeymoon (she married her company's chief pilot and mechanic after my grandfather's death), they discovered the Bleriot. All the signage called the plane an authentic 1909 Bleriot XI. It was not. They asked to talk to a museum official and Frank Tallman came out personally. When he asked why they claimed his Bleriot wasn't authentic they told him simply, "Because it was built by Stan Green and Franz McTavish." They went further, when Gerry Stauffer (second husband) showed Tallman his initials (GVS) stamped into
the fuel tank. Rather than being upset Tallman promised to have the signage changed to reflect that it was a replica, built by aircraft maintenance students in Canada.
We understood the Bleriot was destroyed, along with a major part of the Movieland collection, when kids set fire to the museum. Could you by chance confirm this?
All the best,
Trevor McTavish
I noticed your list of airplanes from the Movieland museum. The Bleriot XI replica you note as being possibly built in 1967 originally belonged to my late grandfather - Franz McTavish of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The airplane was built as a project for aircraft maintenance students at the local technical college during the 1952/53 school year. My grandfather was a strong supporter of education, and very good friends with the head of the aeronautics programs at the local technical college.
This man, Stan Green, was interested in pioneering airplanes, and thought a Bleriot would make an excellent training tool for his students. My grandfather purchased the materials and promised to do all the test flying. I have no idea if much thought was given to its eventual use or its practicality in a city where 30-40mph winds are common.
It first flew in November 1953, registered CF-HDG-X and flown locally for a brief period. It was one of the first 'homebuilt' airplanes in Canada and because there wasn't a category to certify it as such, it retained its experimental status, hense the -X at the end of the registration.
It was really only about 80% authentic. There were material substitutions, the original horizontal stabilizer and elevators were changed after the first flight for a conventional set-up, and the original 20hp engine and prop were changed for a Continental A40 (from a Taylor J-2). That was changed for a C65 (from an Aeronca Champ) because the 40hp engine wasn’t powerful enough for Calgary’s 3,500 foot elevation.
Since it wasn’t very useful as a private plane (it couldn’t go anywhere, or carry anything) it didn't do too much flying. Some of the more experienced local pilots managed to log flights, although they were usually less than 15 minutes in duration.
At one point a descendant of Louis Bleriot approached Stan Green about using this plane for a commemorative flight across the English Channel. Stan was excited by the idea, and although my grandfather couldn't afford to write off his investment, Stan's friendship and his excitement at the prospect of visiting his home in England made him turn over his half of the plane. Of course the cost of shipping the plane to England was countered by signing the plane over to Bleriot's descendant, who we later learned was a failed actor.
Once in France it was discovered that none of the paperwork permitting the flight had been approved. I believe it was the British who didn't approve the Bleriot landing on their soil. Instead, the pilot flew across the English Channel, turned around and went back to France because the Continental engine’s reliability could permit this. As soon as he landed the authorities impounded the plane and fined the pilot. Having done what
he’d set out to do, the pilot abandoned the airplane. Stan Green wasn't in a financial position to reclaim the plane, so it stayed with the French government.
Apparently it went to the national museum in Paris, where it was displayed, complete with a painted over Canadian registration. Anyone who has seen paint on fabric will know this isn’t a very convincing means at omitting a black registration. Eventually a real Bleriot was located and the offensive foreign replica sold.
We understand it was supposed to be used in the movie "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines." Which means it would have been sold about 1964. A real Bleriot was used in the movie, so 'HDG-X was never on the screen.
According to your website neither Frank Tallman, nor Paul Mantz were involved in that movie.
But Tallman purchased 'HDG-X and put it in the Movieland of the Air. When my grandmother and her second husband visited the museum on their honeymoon (she married her company's chief pilot and mechanic after my grandfather's death), they discovered the Bleriot. All the signage called the plane an authentic 1909 Bleriot XI. It was not. They asked to talk to a museum official and Frank Tallman came out personally. When he asked why they claimed his Bleriot wasn't authentic they told him simply, "Because it was built by Stan Green and Franz McTavish." They went further, when Gerry Stauffer (second husband) showed Tallman his initials (GVS) stamped into
the fuel tank. Rather than being upset Tallman promised to have the signage changed to reflect that it was a replica, built by aircraft maintenance students in Canada.
We understood the Bleriot was destroyed, along with a major part of the Movieland collection, when kids set fire to the museum. Could you by chance confirm this?
All the best,
Trevor McTavish
