JOHAN VISSCHEDIJK COLLECTION
No. 6704. Avro 641 Commodore (SU-AAS c/n 700)
Photograph from MAP, taken in Egypt, February 1937

Avro 641 Commodore

08/31/2007. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The aircraft was registered in the UK as G-ACRX before it was sold to Egypt, registered as SU-AAS. The photowas taken during "The Circuit of the Oases", the pilot was A. Nagi.

The Circuit (Cairo - Assiut - Kharga - Dakhla - Farafra - Bahariya - Cairo) was an air race initiated by the founder of the Egyptian Aero Club, HRH Prince Mohamed Taher Pasha. First event took place in December 1933 and has at least been held in December 1934 and February 1937 as well.

The 41 entrants in the 1937 Circuit came from ten countries. First place was taken by Freiher Speck von Sternburg, second came Otto R. Thomsen and third was Guy Hansez.

Austria
Otto Mendl (Messerschmitt Bf 108 B-1 Taifun - OE-DIX, No. 20)

Belgium
J.M. Provost (de Havilland D.H.85 Leopard Moth - OO-APS, No. 39)

Czechoslovakia
Mr. Kutloch (Praga E.114M Air Baby - OK-IPN)
Major Ján Ambruš & Lieutenant Milos Provaznik, Zlínská letecká a.s. (Zlín XII - OK-TBG, No. 47)
Captain Vaclav Fuksa & Ing. Smela, Zlínská letecká a.s. (Zlín XII)
Beneš Mráz Aero Club (Beneš Mráz Be 51 - OK-BEY)

Egypt
Ahmed Salem (de Havilland D.H.85 Leopard Moth - SU-ABM)
Loutfia el Nadi (de Havilland D.H.87B Hornet Moth - SU-ABT, No. 49)
Prince Omar Halim (Miles M.2F Hawk Major - SU-AAP)
Prince Abbas Halim (Waco YKC - SU-AAN, No. 22)
A. Nagi (Avro 641 Commodore - SU-AAS, No. 41) (pictured above)

England
F.C.J. Butler (de Havilland D.H.87B Hornet Moth - G-ADKW, No. 50)
E.D. Spratt (Miles M.3A Falcon Major - G-ADFH, No. 36)
J.C. Hargreaves (British Aircraft Manufacturing Eagle II - G-ADJO)
V.A.P. Budge (Miles M.2H Hawk Major - G-ADIT, No. 24)
J.K. Mathew (Miles M.2H Hawk Major - G-ADLA)
J. Heber-Percy (de Havilland D.H.80A Puss Moth - G-ABOC, No. 51)
P.G. Aldrich-Blake (Percival P.10 Vega Gull - G-AEPS)
Mabel & Sheila Glass (de Havilland D.H.60 Moth - G-ABOE)
Lillie Dillon (British Klemm L.25C-1 Swallow - G-ACZK)

France
Henri Lumiére (Caudron C.635 Simoun - F-ANXJ, No. 12)
Georges Morizot (Caudron C.600 Aiglon - F-ANVH, No. 32)
Henri Engernich (de Havilland D.H.85 Leopard Moth - F-AOHS)
E. Wattine (Caudron C.635 Simoun - F-ANRU, No. 11)
Andre Masset (Caudron C.600 Aiglon - F-ANSP)
G. le Pelley du Manoir (Caudron C.600 Aiglon - F-ANSH, No. 31)
Barbara Countess de Chateaubrun (Percival P.10 Vega Gull - G-AETD, No. 15)
Marquis de Saurez D'Aulun (Caudron C.600 Aiglon - F-ANVK)
Hirsch Ollendorf (Percival P.10 Vega Gull - F-APIG, No. 14)
Guy Hansez (Caudron C.634 Simoun - F-ANXB, No. 4)
Andre Boulenger (Farman 403 - F-AOHR)

Germany
Wolfgang von Gronau (Messerschmitt Bf 108 B Taifun - D-IGNY, No. 19)
Otto R. Thomsen (Messerschmitt Bf 108 B-1 Taifun - D-IBMY, No. 18)
Freiherr Speck von Sternburg (Junkers Ju 86 B-0 - D-AKOP, No. 3)
Karl Schwabe (Klemm Kl 32 - D-EXEK, No. 44)

Italy
Vincenzo Biani (Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli II - I-BITB)
Felice Santini (Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli II - I-BITA, No. 30)
Giovanni Zapetta (Nardi FN.305D - I-BUDA, No. 28)

Poland
Jerzy Drzewiecki (DWL RWD 13 - SP-BFK, No. 45)

Rumania
Prince George Valentin Bibescu (Potez 561 - YR-FAI, No. 21)

Syria
B. Gagey (Farman 402)

In parallel with the Circuit, there was also a "Speed Race". There were seven participants, only four finished. Winner was Giovanni Zapetta, second came Guy Hansez, third Henri Lumiére and Otto R. Thomsen ended last."


Created August 31, 2007