Welcome to Eastern Taildraggers

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Owners of a 1957 “A” model, built by Scintex of France

Currently under construction – please be patient.

Claude Piel apparently modelled the wing of his early creations on his recollections of the Spitfires and Thunderbolts that wheeled and fought above the skies of Northern France in the summer of ’44. Be it anecdotal or not, his choice of wing plan form makes for a very aesthetic design.

G-BIJU was originally registered F-BIJU on December 24^th 1957. First flight was February 20^th 1958 in France. Sharing many features of period cars of the time, they were made by a number of manufacturers in the then cottage industry of aviation in France. S/n 221 turned out to be a real gem.

F-BIJU flew regularly until 1970, when she was stored in France. A group who subsequently came to be known as Eastern Taildraggers was formed and G-BIJU was anglicised. In 1981, our then Chief Emerauder, Keith Pogmore, who had lovingly overseen the restoration, took her up once more for a test flight.

G-BIJU, or BIJU, the Haemorrhoid, or even “TippyToes” as she is occasionally known, lives in a hangar at Stapleford Airfield in Essex.

To find out more about our aeroplane, group and some of the things we do, please peruse the links at left, when eventually they work. . .

Webmaster (!) – Please contact me if you feel like it . . .