Wings and Pixels

Percival Mew Gull

Originally registered as ZS-AHM 'The Golden City’, ZS-AHM was one of three Mew Gulls intended to take part in the Schlesinger Race from Portsmouth to Johannesburg in 1936. However, fuel problems forced it to retire near Belgrade and return to England.

In 1937, ZS-AHM was sold to Alex Henshaw and was re-registered as G-AEXF. In the same year Henshaw won the Folkestone Trophy but suffered an engine failure and a forced landed during the King’s Cup Air Race.

In 1938 G-AEXF was modified by Essex Aero at Gravesend by fitting a Gipsy Six R engine and a Ratier variable pitch propeller. The Ratier was subsequently replaced with a de Havilland constant speed propeller and the fuselage was modified to give a lower profile which resulted with the pilot having to sit on the floor. Henshaw won the 1938 King’s Cup at 236.25 mph.

G-AEXF returned to Gravesend where it was fitted with a Gipsy Six II engine, long-range fuel tanks and a radio in preparation for Henshaw’s Cape record attempt. He took off on February 5th 1939 and returned to England from Cape Town 4 days 10 hours 16 minutes later.

After spending the next few years in France, G-AEXF returned to England and was overhauled in time to win the 1955 King’s Cup.

In 1985, G-AEXF was bought by Desmond Penrose who returned to its original 1939 configuration and was based at Old Warden.

In 1991, G-AEXF again suffered a forced landing and was badly damaged. It was restored once more and in 2002 was sold to the Real Aeroplane Company.

It was then purchased by the Shuttleworth Collection, arriving at Old Warden on 6th October 2013. G-AEXF can be regularly seen flying at Shuttleworth airshows.