picture 181800

This Miles M.3A Falcon Major (c/n181) was first registered in the UK as G-ADHH, on 16 May 1935, while owned by D. W. Gumbley, and was based at Lydda, in Palestine. In March 1940, it was sold to the Aviron Palestine Aviation Co., and re-registered as VQ-PAO. Shortly after the end of the Second World War, it was re-registered in Egypt as SU-ADA. Throughout this time, it retained its overall aluminium silver dope. While receiving a green and white Egyptian flag on the rudder, it lost the usual Miles Falcon insignia applied in front of the cockpit: instead, the name AL AMIRA was applied below the windscreen, both in English and Arabic. (Artwork by Peter Penev)