A special connection to the Avro 504K
Shuttleworth was delighted to have been visited by sisters Ehsan Roudiani and Tara Hawker, who have a special connection to one of our Collection aircraft – the Avro 504K.
A few years ago, the sisters discovered a treasure trove of photographs and logbooks of their grandfather’s time as a pilot and came across the exact serial numbers of aircraft which their grandfather, James Watson, had flown. One of which was an Avro 504K with the serial number H5199 – the exact Avro 504K in the Shuttleworth Collection. The sisters began to research around their grandfather’s career, inspiring visits to aerodromes and museums across the UK home to aircraft which their grandfather had flown, including Shuttleworth.
This was the first time that the sisters had seen the exact Avro 504K which their grandfather had flown in real life, and it was a special and emotional moment as they connected with part of their family’s history here at Shuttleworth.
James Watson flew aerobatics in the Avro 504K in 1931 aged just 22, as well as in a Gladiator, and was a flying instructor in the 1930s. He was also a RAF pilot from 1930-1955, and served in the Anglo-Iraqi War, in which he also flew in Gladiators.
He flew many models of aircraft across his career, including the Avro Tutor, Gloster Gladiator, Miles Magister, and Tiger Moth, which the sisters also enjoyed seeing at Shuttleworth.
It was a pleasure to have Ehsan and Tara visit us and for us to learn about their grandfather and his unique connection with our Avro 504K.
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