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| The English plane you could make at home marks 50th year | The English plane you could make at home marks 50th year |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Terry Taylor admits his childhood was a little unusual. While his friends lived in houses bedecked with furniture, he and his family lived in a first floor flat where the dinner table was the end of an aircraft. But it was a home life that 50 years ago made aviation history. | Terry Taylor admits his childhood was a little unusual. While his friends lived in houses bedecked with furniture, he and his family lived in a first floor flat where the dinner table was the end of an aircraft. But it was a home life that 50 years ago made aviation history. |
| A few hours ago a diminutive yellow aircraft called 'Catch 22' landed on a runway in Southend. | A few hours ago a diminutive yellow aircraft called 'Catch 22' landed on a runway in Southend. |
| There was no red carpet and no band to mark its arrival. | There was no red carpet and no band to mark its arrival. |
| Flown from south Northamptonshire by Trevor Jarvis, the designer of the JT.2 Titch homebuilt aeroplane was a man called John Taylor. | Flown from south Northamptonshire by Trevor Jarvis, the designer of the JT.2 Titch homebuilt aeroplane was a man called John Taylor. |
| Mr Taylor's inaugural flight left Southend on this day five decades ago. He died five months later when he crashed his plane, also in Southend. | Mr Taylor's inaugural flight left Southend on this day five decades ago. He died five months later when he crashed his plane, also in Southend. |
| But his design lives on. | But his design lives on. |
| "It is a great little aeroplane," says Mr Jarvis. "It is an aeroplane that you just sort of wear, it becomes part of you. | "It is a great little aeroplane," says Mr Jarvis. "It is an aeroplane that you just sort of wear, it becomes part of you. |
| "The little aeroplane had to come back here and see where John Taylor, a metalwork teacher in Hockley, first flew from 50 years ago." | "The little aeroplane had to come back here and see where John Taylor, a metalwork teacher in Hockley, first flew from 50 years ago." |
| Mr Taylor's son Terry, who lives in Leigh on Sea, was 10 when the family's first floor, two-bedroom, flat was given over to the creation of a new aircraft. | Mr Taylor's son Terry, who lives in Leigh on Sea, was 10 when the family's first floor, two-bedroom, flat was given over to the creation of a new aircraft. |
| "There was nothing really post-war that was available for people to build themselves so he set about designing his own. | "There was nothing really post-war that was available for people to build themselves so he set about designing his own. |
| "Being made of nearly all wood, it is within the range of people who have some craft ability. | "Being made of nearly all wood, it is within the range of people who have some craft ability. |
| "The first one was built in the first floor lounge. | "The first one was built in the first floor lounge. |
| "I used to spend quite a few of my evenings helping, sanding and mainly pulling staples out once the glue had set," said Mr Taylor Jr, who is structural engineer. | |
| "I pulled out thousands and then fill in the little holes." | "I pulled out thousands and then fill in the little holes." |
| Were his friends jealous? | Were his friends jealous? |
| "Actually, they were quite dismissive of it," he says. "Their dads were interested in football and golf. The idea of building an aeroplane seemed ridiculous. | "Actually, they were quite dismissive of it," he says. "Their dads were interested in football and golf. The idea of building an aeroplane seemed ridiculous. |
| "I used to go around to friends houses and think they had nothing really in their lounges, just furniture. | "I used to go around to friends houses and think they had nothing really in their lounges, just furniture. |
| "He would be astonished at the interest still being shown all these years on." | "He would be astonished at the interest still being shown all these years on." |
| There are thought to be 37 Titch aircraft still being flown. | There are thought to be 37 Titch aircraft still being flown. |
| Mr Taylor still has the tail plane and the rudder end piece of the aircraft in which his father died. | Mr Taylor still has the tail plane and the rudder end piece of the aircraft in which his father died. |
| The Civil Aviation Authority says if the craft were to be rebuilt, it could keep its original lettering. | The Civil Aviation Authority says if the craft were to be rebuilt, it could keep its original lettering. |
| "I would love to build the rest of it," says Mr Taylor. "I know it is a silly thing, but I would love to finish it, just to see it out there again." | "I would love to build the rest of it," says Mr Taylor. "I know it is a silly thing, but I would love to finish it, just to see it out there again." |