Harvard Cathy Aviodrome

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Withnail
Scramble Die-Hard
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Location: The Netherlands

Harvard Cathy Aviodrome

Post by Withnail »

I visited the Aviodrome this morning and noticed there was a Harvard without a registration. There was only the name 'Cathy' on the fuselage. Does anyone know the history of this bird?
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Alpha Kilo One
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Re: Harvard Cathy Aviodrome

Post by Alpha Kilo One »

Don't know if it is all true, but most makes sense to me, took it from http://www.ruudleeuw.com/aviodrome-2014.htm:
Answer in short: B-73/FT228

After WW2 the Royal Netherlands Air Force acquired from the RAF 150 Harvard IIB and another 20 for spares; they would serve training facilities (VVO- Voortgezette Vlieg Opleiding) for the 'Leger Luchtmacht Nederland', as the 'Koninklijke Luchtmacht' was known then.
These Harvards replaced the deHavilland Tiger Moth.
Compare the above yellow Harvard with the blue 'FY' previously: note the wheel covers missing on the Dutch Harvard here.
This particular Harvard, FT228, started service with the VVO in july 1947 and based at Woensdrecht, registered B-73. This tailnumber was not found on the aircraft, but after removal of the yellow paint the original war serial FT228 was discovered.
In 1951 it was transferred to the Luchtmacht Electronische School (LETS) in Deelden, for educational purposes. In 1952 it was handed over to the TU Delft, for gravity tests and for this it remained whole and complete.
In 1983 the TU Delft handed this Harvard as a gift to the Aviodome at Schiphol IAP, where the name 'Cathy' was applied, in honour of Catherine O' Brien; she was a female aviation engineer as well as an aviator, who tragically got killed in an aircrash in England.
In 2003 it was part of the move to Lelystad and newly named Aviodrome and has again joined the exhibition.
"Nix bliev wie it es"
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