60 replies to this topic

[RAP]

Sorry another appeal.
Does anyone have any information on a F.C.Russell who raced the original HW-Alta streamliner at Boreham on 21st June 1952.
Was this the only race he ever entered since I can trace no other enteries, did he race other cars and lastly is he still alive?
any news appreciated.

Mike
ps: also posted this on the Alta Racers thread.

Also entered at Boreham 17 May 52 and Snetterton 1 Aug 53 but in each case the entry is shown as Alta not HW Alta

[fivestar]

Many thanks RAP for the info.

Also entered at Boreham 17 May 52 and Snetterton 1 Aug 53 but in each case the entry is shown as Alta not HW Alta

[Hugo Boecker]

Just a question of color.
1951 Team HWM enter three F2 in the Dutch GP at Zandvoort. In his book "Racing Machanic" Alf Francis recalled the race. The car for the Dutch driver [sic H.Roosdorp] was painted in the Dutch colors orange. The Dutch was slowerst in practice , over 10secs slower than Moss and Macklin, and was very upset by the cars speed. Although Moss did some much faster laps with that car he refused to drive. So Heath himself stood in and started in the race.
Now may question: Was the car still orange?

[Arjan de Roos]

Cannot answer the question but do have some remarks:

-1- Herman Roosdorp (not Hermann as he was Dutch and not German) had his Ferrari 166 MM painted orange as he felt to be Dutch thjough he lived in Antwerp;
-2- In 1952 when Van der Lof participated in the Dutch GP the engine hood of his HWM was painted orange for the race, but not the full car;
-3- The 1951 Grand Prix is poorly documented both in literature as on the net.

[Bauble]

Just a question of color.
1951 Team HWM enter three F2 in the Dutch GP at Zandvoort. In his book "Racing Machanic" Alf Francis recalled the race. The car for the Dutch driver [sic H.Roosdorp] was painted in the Dutch colors orange. The Dutch was slowerst in practice , over 10secs slower than Moss and Macklin, and was very upset by the cars speed. Although Moss did some much faster laps with that car he refused to drive. So Heath himself stood in and started in the race.
Now may question: Was the car still orange?

a contemporary report by Grande Vitesse on the race confirms: " ... and Heath who very sportingly took over without practice from the the Dutchman Roosdorp who was to have had the third car, but did not get on very well with it."

Moss third, Heath sixth, Macklin retired, out of fuel while in 6th. place. Moss was in 2nd place with a lap to go but lost ignition and had to stop for a plug, allowing Entancelin past.

[D-Type]

The race wasn't reported in Motor Sport

[Arjan de Roos]

It was in the 'Utrecht's Dagblad' or the Utrecht Daily. They reported a few weeks before the event that the organisers had declined from inviting the Alfa Romeo team as they thought it would be a guarantee for a non-attractive race. Instead Farina would choose to come with a Maserati. Also Ferrari would come with Villoresi and Ascari. Then they stated that Roosdorp would be defending the Dutch colors. Not if he took it literally by painting the car.
Later the Daily wrote that the Ferrari team had declined from participating (after some succesfull races before) and wanted to concentrate on the Monza race (nothing new in Ferrari terms).
On monday it was reported that Rogier had won the race, quite lickely a hand written report was transferred before print. Ascari and Villoresi were reported to be present as spectator in Zandvoort.

Edited by Arjan de Roos, 27 October 2011 - 11:46.

[Hugo Boecker]

Thanks for all this additional information.

[MarkBisset]

Article on the Macklin/Gaze and others HWM Alta ‘52/107’ with an emphasis on the car’s NZ domicile

Some good pics

https://primotipo.co...w-zealand-1954/

[MarkBisset]

Article on Tony Gaze’ HWM Jaguar ‘VPA9’ and related

 

https://primotipo.co...sh-new-zealand/

 

m

[MarkBisset]

 

 

Jim Boyd, HWM Alta s/c from Howden Ganley, Lotus 11, Ardmore NZ 1961 (Steve Sharp)