The caption on this dated photo from the IWM says it was shipped to Canada for the RCAF. Other aircraft in this block of serials were delivered to Canada two years before the photo but EB490 is not listed at CASPIR as one of them. Further evidence that it remained in the UK is an air-to-air photo that was taken by Flight magazine. Oxford Vs for Canada were usually built without their P&W Wasp Junior engines, which were fitted on arrival. EB490 may have remained with Airspeed at Portsmouth, which is where this photo was taken. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

Original slide carries date 'About 1934'. First registered 11 March 1932 to Westland Aircraft, then on -5 April 1932 to Portsmouth, Southsea & Isle of Wight Aviation and depicted here operating their service from Portsmouth to Ryde, Isle of Wight, which it had inaugurated on 27 June 1932 and became widely known as 'The Spithead Ferry'. On -8 June 1936, it stalled on approach to Ryde and went through the boundary fence, which removed the undercarriage. It was DBR in the ensuing ground slide but of the six occupants, only the pilot sustained minor injuries. Cancelled August 1936.

Converted from V3679, a 1941 Oxford Mk IV, this was the Consul prototype, first flown on 2 February 1946 by Ron Clear according to text on back of the print. Painted royal blue and gold. To British Bata Shoe Co, Tilbury in 1946. To Airlinks, Gatwick in 1947. To Air Enterprises, Croydon in 1948. Operated for United Nations. Crashed in Lebanon on a flight from Beirut to Amman on 11 February 1949.

Ex VR-OAF. Registered G-APHY -2 October 1957, Cancelled -1 November 1962 on transfer to Kuwait as 9K-ACC. Restored as G-APHY -5 May 1969. Registered to JF Airlines 29 March 1971 to 14 February 1973. Cancelled 16 August 1974 on transfer to Canada as C-FSTX.

The Courier was one of the first British aircraft with retractable landing gear and one example was delivered to the RAF for trials in February 1934. It is probably seen here back at Airspeed's factory at Portsmouth for modifications later in the year. Later used as a communications aircraft, it was written off after a bad landing at Farnborough on 14 July 1943.

Ex PH-NAD, PH-NEG, G-AKOW, TJ569. Preserved since 1981 at the Museum of Army Flying, Middle Wallop, and displayed from around 1986 in Army camouflage as TJ569. Registration cancelled on 5 August 1987 as permanently withdrawn from use.

Demonstration tour of UK?

Taxying for takeoff on this grass airfield, long closed

JF Airlines, also called Jersey Ferry Airlines, were flying Portsmouth to Jersey as one of their routes. Although a STOL airliner the Twin Pioneer was slower than many helicopters. The Yak-40 had been demonstrated at Portsmouth a few days before this photo. There had been a couple of non fatal grass runway over-run incidents with, I believe HS-748s and the airport was closed in the 70s.

The less common Coupe version of the Moth Minor

The sole Hants & Sussex Aviation Herald single-seat ultralight aircraft derelict at Portsmouth in 1955. Fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage and powered by a 40 h.p. J.A.P. J-99 engine, it made a few hops in 1953.