Date:	Monday 29 August 1966
Time:	day
Type:	LeVier Cosmic Wind
Owner/operator:	N.H.Jones (The Tiger Club)
Registration:	G-ARUL
MSN:	103
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Halfpenny Green, Staffordshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:	Halfpenny Green, Staffordshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
The Cosmic Wind was an amazing aircraft for the Tiger Club to operate. It was modern compared to the rest of the fleet and had a very fast rate of roll for that time and flew at over 200mph on an 85hp engine. The first Cosmic Wind in England was G-ARUL which was brought to the UK by Milton Blair in 1961 and was called "Ballerina". Quite how Norman Jones ended up buying it for the Tiger Club to operate is probably a story in itself!

There have been three pilots who have been recognised over the years as great exponents of this aircraft, the first was Peter Phillips, then there was Neil Williams who competed in the World Aerobatics Competition in "Ballerina" and nowadays it is the current owner, Pete Kynsey, all of whom could fly a beautiful display sequence including an immaculate 16 point roll to perfection.

The aircraft was designed in the late 1940’s by Tony LeVier a Lockheed test pilot for the new Goodyear racing class, it was built in the Lockheed workshops. Three aircraft were built and began racing in 1947 but due to a series of crashes, Lockheed stopped their pilots from racing and the aircraft were sold on. During the early 1960’s a second Cosmic arrived in England and was based at Redhill, this was G-AYRJ which was called Little Toni.

Both aircraft were based with the Tiger Club at Redhill for a few years and used for Formula 1 Air Races both in the UK and France. In 1964 "Ballerina" won the Kings Cup with Dennis Hartas at the controls.

"Ballerina" crashed on take off on 29 August 1966 at Halfpenny Green: While participating in the Goodyear Air Challenge Trophy race, the pilot Bill P Innes misjudged the first pylon turn after take-off and crashed into a hedge causing substantial damage to the airframe, although the pilot escaped with less severe injuries. Aircraft declared an insurance write off, but the remains were saved and were then used for a rebuild which was completed in 1973. (Registration officially - and belatedly - cancelled by the CAA of "PWFU" ("Permanently Withdrawn From Use") on 2 January 1969)

Re-Regd 13.10.69 (CofR No: R.7462/3) to P G Bannister, Halfpenny Green. Airframe rebuilt, predominantly as a newbuild in 1973 under PFA Project No: PFA/1511 and re-engined with a Continental O-200-A. Cld 14.6.73. Re-Regd 21.6.73 (CofR No: R.7462/4) on charter to Walker Aviation Services & Plant Ltd.,Willenhall, Staffs. Permit renewed 9.7.73. Charter ended and Cancelled 29.3.78. Re-Registered 29.3.78 (CofR No: G-ARUL/R5) to J T Mirley, Halfpenny Green. Cancelled 17.5.79. Re-Registered 4.6.79 (CofR No: G-ARUL/R6) to J Cull, Halfpenny Green. Permit expired 31.8.82. Cancelled 10.12.84. Re-Registered 10.12.84 (CofR No: G-ARUL/R7) to P G Kynsey and taken to Rushett Farm, Chessington for rebuild. Permit renewed to 20.6.86 and moved to Redhill. To Headcorn by 1992. To Duxford with owner by 2000. [Substantial remains of the original components (fuselage, wings and data plate) were stored for potential rebuild by John Tempest at Kingscliffe, Peterborough from December 1995]

1. https://www.tigerclub.co.uk/cosmic.html
2. G-ARUL at Fairoaks Airfield (EGTF) in August 1964: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1068754/
3. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ARUL-1.pdf
4. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ARUL-2.pdf
5. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 101/495: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5070505
6. https://www.flyinglegends.com/aircraft/levier-cosmic-wind-g-arul.html
7. https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/9353957
8. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2013/8/21/1232965/-A-magnificent-racer-Le-Vier-Cosmic-Wind-G-ARUL-IWM-Duxford
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeVier_Cosmic_Wind

G-ARUL Cosmic wind at Coventry July 1979 G-ARUL is now owned and flown by TFC chief pilot Pete Kynsey, who is seen displaying her at the Shuttleworth 2016 “Season Finale” Airshow, Old Warden, Bedfordshire, UK. 02-10-2016

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Jun-2009 23:20	VHKDK	Added
05-Aug-2012 13:00	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
15-Oct-2016 14:19	Anon.	Updated [Narrative]
31-Mar-2020 22:40	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Embed code]
31-Mar-2020 22:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Embed code]
31-Mar-2020 22:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]