Tango Mike joined us in 1999 and has been a firm favourite with pilots and passengers ever since. She's good-tempered and rarely exploits her star status with the cold-starting tantrums sometimes associated with 70 year old technology. As a result she's flown more passengers and made more friends than any of our Rapides.
Outside her fuselage is a deep blue that contrasts nicely with her silver wings. There's a pleasant patina that shows that she's a lady of a certain age - we've always felt that over-restoration is like Botox, destroying a plane's character.
She was built in 1944 at Loughborough by Brush Coach Works and delivered to the RAF as serial number NF87. Tango Mike was issued to 18 MU Dumfries and remained registered here until she was transferred at the end of the war to Airwork General Trading Limited for pre-sale modification.
The aircraft was purchased in 1945 by Iraq Petroleum Transport and began a career in the Middle East. where she remained in service until 1964 when she returned to the UK as a parachute trainer.
She was overhauled and repainted in Navy colours in 1977 before moving to Duxford as an air taxi. It was here that she was re-christened G-AGTM and so became Tango Mike. The plane was damaged in a minor landing incident in 1987 and taken to Audley End for repair.
In need by now of some care and attention, she was bought in 1994 by Dave Geddes and fully restored. Tango Mike returned to the skies in 1996.
