Repainted for Portuguese service ACSP at Mildenhall
Left, ACSP in its later incarnation as CS-AAJ in Portuguese service;
right, ACSP being wheeled out to the start at Mildenhall

The return of G-ACSP
The remains of G-ACSP - the Black Magic Comet flown by Jim and Amy Mollison - have come to light and are under restoration to fly.

ACSP's history is obscure after about 1937. Its remains were found in a Portuguese peasant's outbuilding in 1979 and brought to the UK in 1980. The bits were stored in various places pending restoration, but now there are plans for a joint project between Ken Fern Aircraft Restorations and Airspeed Aviation.

Though there isn't much of the original aeroplane left, there's enough for the CAA to recognise the work as a restoration rather than a replica.

The project is in its early stages, and the building team is looking for any sponsorship to help. There has been a donation from transport insurance company March (UK) Ltd, from Birmingham,

Rebuilding work is planned to take place at Derby, where a semi-permanent display about the aircraft is planned for before work gets under way.

For more information on where to send sponsorship cheques, contact Ken Fern.

Can you help?

The group rebuilding G-ACSP is looking for additional information and some help with bits and pieces towards getting the aeroplane back in the air.

  1. Why did the Mollisons call their Comet Black Magic? There have been suggestions it was in some way connected with a chocolate company, but there's no firm evidence.
  2. It is generally believed the trim colour on Black Magic was gold - can anyone provide confirmatory evidence of this?
  3. Parts: The group needs elevator/rudder hinges from a DH Rapide, plus the trim wheel and engine controls from the cockpit of the same aeroplane.
  4. The plan is to try to duplicate the original style of Comet instrument panel instead of the modern one used by the restored G-ACSS - the group has some old-style instruments but needs more, especially engine ones (rev counters, oil pressure etc), plus other flight instruments.
  5. If there's any engineering companies willing to make some fittings, even just one would be a great help.
  6. Keep up with the restoration effort at the ACSP website - www.blackmagic.abelgratis.com or find out more about Ken Fern's aircraft restoration at www.kenfern.com.
If you can help with any of the above, please contact the group organiser, Ken Fern.