I'll have a good punt round for this particular aircraft later. Meanwhile, these might interest you.
http://coot-a.freeyellow.com/
http://www.seawindeurope.ision.co.uk/

Not German or open cockpit but this looks interesting. The Spencer Aircar. http://dougnlina.home.mindspring.com/Home.html
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PS. I did wonder if this could be your own site.
Doug's (New) Unofficial Spencer Air-Car Home Page

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I've seen similar flying boats before but goodness only knows where. Without a name to go on it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. You say the owners were German & they had it shipped to Canada. Did it definitely come from Germany or elsewhere in Europe? Volkswagen engines were always popular with home-builders all over the world.

OK, I'll keep looking but this might take a while. Shame about that fire but sounds like you lost everything. I also lost all my old photos & my flying/gliding logbooks but that was after a divorce & several moves.

Thanks Ivan that is one nice looking bird .

But the one I saw only had one VW engine and was open cockpit all wood (tongue and groove) I think.
Also the front deck lacked a top hatch and was not quite as convex.  The seating was also side by side.

Very nice aircraft Ivan what is the name of it?

Cheers....Happy Landings....Doug

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Too true. All this happened so long ago & I can no longer rely on my memory. I had a gliding licence (still have that as the only reminder of those days) but unfortunately never qualified for my PPL as I changed jobs which interrupted my training. By the time I was in a postion to do something about it things had changed. I lost interest & no longer had any desire to fly. There wasn't a lot in those logbooks but to me they were priceless. Dates, type of aircraft & achievements. I was taught by arguably the most experienced flying instructor in the world at that time, the legendary Cecil Pashley who was also my boss & a big influence on my life. I admired him tremendously & he treated me like a son. I loved the man & all he stood for. His signatures in my logbook meant a great deal to me & that alone made it special.

Ivan will give more details on the photo he posted. Knowing him it's a Russian design. This is confirmed by the lettering on the nose (I'm not familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet or Russian designations) & the URL of the actual photo.

In fact your description of the hull reminded me of a Sikorsky flying boat but that was much bigger.

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Hi Doug. Cecil Pashley instructed service pilots in both world wars. In WWI he was chief flying instructor at the Graham-White School at Hendon. He was involved in the WWII Commonwealth Training Scheme but this was in the then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on Harvards. He told me a few interesting tales of those times.

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It's not my age. I still enjoy the occasional flight & last year I had an advanced aerobatic lesson in the Extra 300 I use as my avatar. This was a very special 60th birthday gift from my daughter & brother. I enjoyed it so much that I seriously considered signing up for the complete course. That would mean starting from scratch & getting a PPL first. Things have changed so much since my day that I decided against it. I was used to taildraggers with open cockpits, no radio, cockpit heating or anything else. I prefer my memories of those carefree times. Apart from the expense, I couldn't handle all the rules & regulations or ATC & radio procedures in force these days. That's not for me & I'm now quite happy with my R/C modelling & the sims.

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I've lost touch with it all now. Things have changed a lot over the last 40 years. Don't forget this is a much smaller country than Canada & airspace is extremely overcrowded & getting worse by the day. Not many places you could enjoy the relatively unrestricted VFR flying we were used to even in the early 60s. There is a very active light aircraft community run by the Popular Flying Association & also the Microlight clubs. These organisations hold various fly-ins & similar events throughout the year. There are also small airfields like Popham & Headcorn that encourage these & other activities.

One event I never miss is the G-VFWE (Great Vintage Flying Weekend) which is the biggest gathering of vintage light aircraft in the UK, if not the whole of Europe. This is last years event where I finally met my schoolboy hero Neville Duke. http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com/news/news_archive/GVFW_2003/gvfw2003_gallery.htm
I must also try to visit the Moth Club rally at Woburn Abbey this year. http://www.dhmothclub.co.uk/woburn2002/

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You never know what the weather will be like in this country. This means that we never get bored. LOL

I've been to G-VFWE for the last 3 years running & last year was the worst for weather. This was strange as we had a fantastic summer - the hottest for many years. The previous 2 were really beautiful, like the middle of summer & I have the photos to prove it.

Here's something really weird. Last August the Red Arrows were due to display at my home town for the first time in many years. This used to be a regular event. One of the team lives here & it was going to be something really special. This was in the middle of the heatwave & I was looking forward to getting some great photos. Guess what.....? It poured hard with rain the whole weekend & visibility was so bad they couldn't even take off from their base. Meanwhile, I was getting soaked through hoping they would turn up. The following day, back to the heatwave & clear skies. That's British weather for you. We're used to it.

On second thoughts G-VFWE might not be such a good idea for the family. It's not a display, simply a fly-in with an opportunity to have a good look round the aircraft & take photos. The aircraft are mainly vintage types, not home-builts or microlights. I haven't been to the Moth Club rally but assume that's much the same. The home-builders & microlight enthusiasts have their own organisations which I don't know much about.

As for the weather, that's a matter of luck. It varies in different parts of the country & can change throughout the day. Last summer was exceptional with record temperatures & clear blue skies for months on end. The good weather lasted into November with very little rain. I have no idea what this year will be like & wouldn't dare to recommend the best time to visit.

Have looked at all photo's from friends...can not seem to find one of this aircraft....please feel free to leave me some ideas where else to look...Have a line on the VW powerplant...my contact has two...both new and still crated!!!!I only need one but they are a good deal.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

I know the feeling well but don't lose hope. Sometimes it makes you doubt your own memory. ???

Wish I could find out the name of the tiny aircraft I saw at the International Air Pageant at Gatwick in 1949. At least Charlie confirmed that this event actually took place.
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=gen;action=display;num=107...
Although I was only 6 years old at the time I'm sure it was designed & built by the employees of a major US aircraft company in their spare time. I've never seen it mentioned since & everyone thinks I'm mad but I just know I didn't imagine it. 8)

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Going through Bjorn might be a good idea. Most Germans speak excellent English like everyone else in Europe. They put me to shame.
Light aviation is alive & well in Germany & I'm sure they have their own association. I don't think it would be called the EAA but it might be associated. Maybe there would be a link from the EAA or PFA (British Popular Flying Association) sites. Did you check out the SimV Real Aviation links?

Hi Doug

No never thought of SimV Real Aviation Links will try them also.

Much Thanks

Cheers....Happy Landings...Doug

Hey Rifleman:

The aircraft sat in the second row facing Major McKenzie Road (Drive) not sure which.

It was about half way down the row between the office and the North South Runway.

I am sure it was made of tongue and groove lumber, it looked very well built and had the engine mounted above the wing.  Can not remember whether it was a pusher or tractor.
I do know there were only two seats side by side with no bow hatch.
It had a tailwheel and was no larger than I think a Cessna 172.
It had to be there for at least three years that I can remember.

Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!

Thanks for reply..Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

Ken. That looks like a Lake Renegade to me.
http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=262

Hi Ken:

Thanks for the interest .

Yes now I recall it was Maple Side Road and later changed to Major McKenzie Road or Drive.

If I remember correctly you went West one road from Maple Airport and North to King City Airport and then West about a mile to to that Airport.  Can't rightly remember the name of that road but I think it was Jane Street?

How many good old hamburgers did you eat at the restaurant at the Maple Airport that became the club house?  Would you remember the cactus plants in the bay window facing South towards the paved runway?

Sorry that is not the aircraft in your picture I am looking for, if I am correct I think the one I am looking for is farther to the West and the second row and I believe closer to the grass strip rather than the pad and fuel pump. The engine was mounted above the wing.

By the way would you remember Vic Arthur or Sandy?
Vic was the CFI there, wonderful gentlemen both of them.

Again thanks for the interest guys and hope you find your pictures Ken.

Cheers....Happy Landings...Doug

P.S.  You certainly did justice to that cub Ken...Very Nice

Thanks Ken

That name does not ring a bell with me.

Hope you have some luck with the pics.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

Thanks to the Riflemans posting in another location on this forum and the site information he took the time to post I think I have found my lost aeroplane.

The aeroplane is a VOLMER-JENSEN (VJ-22).

I have been on several sites with owners who have been very helpful and as I recall the aeroplane I saw had a VW engine.  I understand some information is comming my way in the mail and very soon.

I will also post something in the Cafe Forum but for now a BIG THANKS  to KEN, DOUG AND IVAN.

Cheers...Happy Landings....Doug