Post retirement, and at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Gerald ‘Gerry’ Smith decided to take his passion of all thing’s aircraft and his admiration for the early days of pioneering aviation in Great Britain and fulfil a lifetimes dream.
With a full military career as an aircraft engineer, initially in the Royal Air Force, and later in the British Army, Gerry retired from the armed forces and moved into the civil aviation market, from here he has built a reputation for delivering major aircraft maintenance and delivering bespoke one-of-a-kind aircraft in support of the UK Government.
With the experience and expertise gained over a lifetime, his dream to restore a once beautiful aircraft will now become a reality.
Along with his brother Andrew, Gerry worked tirelessly to acquire a 1938 Percival Vega Gull (build number K98), that will soon be restored to its former glory.
K98 started its life in in the hands of a famous owner, Lord Casey, who became 16th Governor-General of Australia, and indeed the first Australian born to hold the post. Following the aircraft being ordered directly from Mr Edgar Percival himself, Lord Casey spent the first of its years enjoying the aircrafts luxuries and flying it personally around his constituency of Corio, in the south of Australia.
In 1939 the Australian Airforce acquired K98 in service to the Second World War, K98 undertook various missions as a communications aircraft during this time in support of the Allied front.
In 1959 K98 was badly damaged in a ground loop, there it remained for a number of years at Mudgee Airfield, wrecked and open to the weather, a small forward section of cockpit, engine, engine mounts, undercarriage and centre wing section remained until it was finally purchased and stored in Brisbane.
Prior to Gerry purchasing the aircraft he had seen a Mew Gull and read about Alec Henshaw’s Cape Challenge race, this led him to Percival aircraft and on to wooden aircraft. Having spent a lifetime on metal military aircraft, it was a time for change, Gerry wanted to start looking at something new to develop, but it had to be British and undertaken in Britain.
The Mew Gull was from the ‘golden age’, a great era for British aviation. Once exposed to Percival aircraft he was taken by the pre-war models, in particular the Vega Gull. This was practical, fast and capable, even by modern standards. It had a record-breaking history, a nostalgic elegant look and the ability to carry multiple passengers. Having spoken to various enthusiasts Gerry was put in touch with John Tregilgas who was rebuilding a wooden Percival in Essex, having gone to see him and the aircraft, he was hooked. John advised of a possible project in Australia and put him in touch with Leigh Giles.
After few emails and various phone calls later, both Gerry and Andrew where on a plane bound for Australia.
Gerry and Andrew spent three weeks in Australia cataloguing and cleaning every part, they contracted a container, and loaded the Vega Gull into it, after boarding a ship, she returned to UK for the first time in 74 years, she was home. K98 arrived in UK on 19th October 2012 and has since been stored at Gerry’s home in East Grinstead, just south of London.