Another great British classic aircraft is currently under construction in our hangar. It is the Thruxton Jackaroo four - seater gentlemans tourer.
This aircraft first took to the skies in 1957 ; a total of 18 being built by Jackaroo Aircraft Limited at Thruxton. Its uncanny likeness to the D.H. Tiger Moth is because they were modified from them by mainly rebuilding the fuselage to accomodate the wider cockpit.
Here's a 'first-light' preview of the beauty. Plenty of work left to do but don't forget to leave a space in your hangar.
Cheers
Dave M(oly)
Hmm...I can remember the Thruxton Velocette, and the Jackaroo was a GM-Holden attempt at a 4WD, so the old mind was a tad boggled at this machine!
But now I know what one is, and who is making it, I look forward to having one in my FS.
Like MikeW,
The only mechanical Jackaroo I'd come across was the FULLY IMPORTED "Holden" Jackaroo. Now that we are in the final couple of years before ALL large vehicle manufacturers leave our shores, everything will be fully imported. Tonight the PM said his government was "creating one million new jobs, and we're off to a good start". This followed an item where we were told that 60,000 jobs have been lost since they were elected.
But back to the programme:
I can see why they did it back in '57, it's an odd looking creation, but a great looking model, Dave M! Couldn't find one in my Encyclopedia of 928 pages...a rare subject indeed!
Not too surprising the aircraft isn't well known in Oz - of the 18 / 19 made I find no record of any of them being sold outside of the U.K.
At the time the Jackaroo was built. there were import restrictions on foreign aircraft so a new American aircraft would have been a rare sight. There was however a plentiful supply of surplus wartime aircraft so Austers, Proctors, Miles and of course Tiger Moths were a common sight in the skies at that period. There was a need for a cheap 4-seater - hence the idea of modifying Tiggies into Jackaroos. Most were used as trainers.
Back to work ... BTW I forgot to mention that this is an FS9 model which should be OK in FSX.
Cheers
Dave M(oly)
Looking good, Dave. Have located about sixteen schemes for the Jackaroo!
BTW one is currently airworthy in Canada (C-FPHX), one did go to Australia (VH-KRK) for a while before returning to the UK as G-APAJ, and one went to Nigeria.
Looking forward to this one.
