Lorna Siggins
One of the first and only surviving biplanes used by the Air Corps 75 years ago is to be purchased on the State's behalf by Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea.
The purchase of the Avro 631 cadet model, used in second World War patrols off the Irish coastline, is expected to cost more than $200,000 (ˆ152,000), with additional delivery costs.
There are "no plans" for the Minister to fly it back to Ireland from New Zealand, according to his department, but it may be shipped in time for the general election.
Confirming the bid yesterday, the Minister said that he was "very conscious of the Air Corp's proud past and of the desire of many aviation enthusiasts, military and civil alike to preserve as much of the Air Corps heritage as possible". The current owner was keen for it to be returned to its original aerodrome in Baldonnel, he said.
In March, 1932, the Air Corps took delivery of a number of Avro aircraft - the 631 Cadet model - at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel. The planes were painted in Air Corps colours of black and silver, with the national flag across the rudder and wingtips.
The C7 in New Zealand was a replacement for one of the Avros which crashed in 1932, and was used by the Air Corps from 1934. Later it was sold into private ownership, and was consigned to the rafters of a timber mill for more than 40 years before a well-known aircraft restorer in England, Ron Souch, located it.
By the time it arrived in New Zealand most of its fuselage structure had been restored. Rare aircraft collector Jim Schmidt continued the project, and also retains the plane's original log book.
It includes a letter from a former Air Corps pilot, Donald MacCarron, describing his experiences in the C7 on patrol during the second World War. "At one point he jokes about the boredom almost driving him to join the Luftwaffe!" Schmidt told The Irish Times when it reported on the discovery two years ago. One other Avro 631 exists but it is on display in a Portuguese museum. The C7 is the world's only "active example", still flying in the Irish colours.
