Magee's Harvard

Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:40 pm

We are looking for the following photos showing the markings of a Harvard which was flown by John Gillespie Magee (the author of the poem High Flight) while he trained at No. 2 SFTS, Uplands.
Harvard numbers 2691 (in which Magee did his 'Wings" test) and
2658 (in which Magee did his final instrument test).
Harvards numbers: 2635, 2645, 2650, 2652, 2658 , 2691, 2699,
2831, 2866, 2887, 3040, 3038, 3042 (all of which Magee flew).
Any other photos of No. 2 Service Flying Training School (SFTS)
Uplands, that were taken from April, 1941 to June, 1941 (while Magee was there).

Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:21 am

A good deal of "Captains of the Clouds" was shot at Uplands. Have you squinted at the DVD closely? You might get lucky and find some color video of one or more of those birds.

August

Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:28 am

Hey there,

I'm just looking into things for you... I know the National Air Museum has a large photo database that's available online. You can search the images and might have some luck. I'm doing so right now and it brings up 12 pages of images.

What mark is the Harvard you're looking for?

Cheers,

David

Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:30 am

They are all probably MK IIs
The one Magee got his wings on:
2691 North American Harvard Mk.II NA-66 66-2424
Category C damage on 14 December 1940 while with No. 2 Service Flying Training School at Uplands, Ontario.
first date: 28 November 1940
last date: 19 February 1945
Struck off, reduced to spares.
Checked that site too, did pull off some of the images but none of the aircraft he flew yet.
Kent B's Harvard II is 3039 Magee flew 3038 so close .....
We actually did go through the DVD of Captain of Clouds but none of his planes, Magee was stationed there when the movie was being shot.