Calamity Jane
Active Member
Ya know, 30-odd years ago I got all enthused about the DeHavilland Gipsy Moth, DH-60, circa 1928. I REALLY wanted to find one and restore it or to build a replica. The trouble, back then, was that there was no complete set of drawings for the aircraft known to exist anywhere.
After awhile, it occurred to me that the Gipsy Moth had been type approved in Canada so, on a wild guess, I contacted Transport Canada to see if they had any of the original drawings. They DID! They had nearly 400 microfiche, although the original paper drawings had been destroyed years earlier.
I contacted DeHavilland Canada and got permission to have the full set of microfiche duplicated and I had a local microfilm company make TWO sets of copies, one for me and the other to put in a safe place. I dare say that the copying cost me a GREAT deal of money at the time.
After talking to the Moth Club in the U.K. I decided to send them the duplicate prints. Well, years went by before I finally got around to sending off the 400 microfiche. I sent them off on 24 February by “Express Post” thru the Canadian Post Office ($50 postage!) so they would go by air and so the shipment would be traceable.
Two and a half weeks have gone by and the package had not yet been received in England so today I called Canada Post to trace the shipment. You know what? Not only can they NOT tell me where the package is, they have absolutely NO record of the shipment having ever existed! #$%!@#$ %$^@#$@
Somewhere out there, lost in the postal system, is over 1700 drawings for a 1928 DeHavilland Gipsy Moth and the good old postal system doesn’t have a CLUE!
There’s one more set in private hands, MINE!, and I ain’t lettin go of ‘em until the second set turns up!
So if ya see a package, an 8” cube wrapped in brown paper layin on the side of the road or falling out of a airplane, check the label. If it’s from Manitoba and headed to England, SEND IT BACK TO ME!
Why couldn’t they have lost grandma’s birthday present or somebody’s get-well card? WHY did they have to loose 400 microfiche cards of historic aircraft drawings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After awhile, it occurred to me that the Gipsy Moth had been type approved in Canada so, on a wild guess, I contacted Transport Canada to see if they had any of the original drawings. They DID! They had nearly 400 microfiche, although the original paper drawings had been destroyed years earlier.
I contacted DeHavilland Canada and got permission to have the full set of microfiche duplicated and I had a local microfilm company make TWO sets of copies, one for me and the other to put in a safe place. I dare say that the copying cost me a GREAT deal of money at the time.
After talking to the Moth Club in the U.K. I decided to send them the duplicate prints. Well, years went by before I finally got around to sending off the 400 microfiche. I sent them off on 24 February by “Express Post” thru the Canadian Post Office ($50 postage!) so they would go by air and so the shipment would be traceable.
Two and a half weeks have gone by and the package had not yet been received in England so today I called Canada Post to trace the shipment. You know what? Not only can they NOT tell me where the package is, they have absolutely NO record of the shipment having ever existed! #$%!@#$ %$^@#$@
Somewhere out there, lost in the postal system, is over 1700 drawings for a 1928 DeHavilland Gipsy Moth and the good old postal system doesn’t have a CLUE!
There’s one more set in private hands, MINE!, and I ain’t lettin go of ‘em until the second set turns up!
So if ya see a package, an 8” cube wrapped in brown paper layin on the side of the road or falling out of a airplane, check the label. If it’s from Manitoba and headed to England, SEND IT BACK TO ME!
Why couldn’t they have lost grandma’s birthday present or somebody’s get-well card? WHY did they have to loose 400 microfiche cards of historic aircraft drawings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
