The Invergordon Archive
No: 1396 Contributor: John Robertson Year: 1923
Avro Bison aircraft at Novar in 1923
The aircraft on its' back was probably caused by a high wind flipping the aircraft. Ground tether lines can be seen under the wing of the aircraft on the right. The two men in great coats look like they are being blown around.
The Bison was a fleet spotter and reconnaisance aircraft designed to replace the Westland Walrus. It was a functional but ugly aircraft.
This aircraft only served with No 3 Squadron RAF. This squadron was broken in to flights which served on the aircraft carriers Argus, Eagle and Furious. The diagonal, coloured, fuselage band, with flight number,denoted which carrier the aircraft operated from. Each carrier had a different colour.
Picture added on 14 November 2010 at 11:12
This picture is in the following groups
Novar Airfield
Novar Airfield
The photograph shows two Avro 555A Bison Mk. II Spotter Reconnaissance aircraft built in 1925. The airframe number, partly visible on the overturned aircraft, is almost certainly N9976. The number 40 within the red diagonal band across the body of the aircraft, indicates that these aircraft were part of 421 Fleet Spotter Flight assigned to HMS Furious. Aircraft N9976 overturned at Novar Airfield in October 1928. For full details see the book Fleet Air Arm Aircraft, Units and Ships, 1920-1939 by the aviation historian Ray Sturtivant.
Added by John D Amess on 10 January 2012
Novar Airfield
