Register Review

Quite a few interesting aircraft are shown in the New Allocations this issue. A new Challenger, BLM, and Global Express, IQR, for Execujet the former having seen service in the US and Argentina, and the latter previously operated in South Africa, the US and Qatar. A Beaver, DHQ, from Canada originally built for the US Army and a North American Trojan from the US Navy. Two new PC-12s for the RFDS in Perth and four new Boeing 737s for Qantas. However, all these are overshadowed by Scott Snibson’s Miles Gemini, BMN, and Peter Smythe’s two Spitfire Mk Vs, BZR and DQU.

The prototype Gemini flew on October 26 1945 and when production started the following year it became an immediate sales success. Single-engine performance left a little to be desired but the same could be said of several contemporary twins. In all, 149 Geminis were eventually built including an ambulance version and 13 examples with 145hp (108kW) Gipsy Major engines.