Reginald Wells seaplanes

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

Copy provided of Flight magazine dated March 1917.

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

It seems that R F Wells had an interest in building and flying model aircraft before WW1.


I have two questions for Mike Gunnill based out of this gem. Do you know if Wells went to the USA before the war, as he seems to have developed several business interests over there.


Secondly, were the three relations of Baker witnesses to the flight itself, or just recall him telling them about it? I'm forming the opinion that the event happened elsewhere.

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

It's bizarre when looking at wartime production, what kinds of weapons that civilian factories turned out. I have found examples of biscuit factories, garages and typewriter makers turn to aircraft production. Potter to plane maker is at the extreme end.


We're missing a key part of the story here. I can't understand how a potter can design a flyable aircraft at a time when planes were new. He must have had a yet unmentioned aviation interest or some pals who did this for him.

[Dave Smith]

Smiffy. That's what I thought- potter to aircraft manufacturer seems far fetched. Could be the old " not what you know but who you know"!

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

The missing link I have is the Wells REO. How many of these were built? Were these designed by him, or a licenced copy of something else? Little online.

[Smiffy]

It seems incredible now that with barely any experience in aircraft production he managed to land a contract with the War Office.

[Mike Gunnill]

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

[Mike Gunnill]

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

[Mike Gunnill]

One of the cars looks like a Morris 8. They didn't enter production until 1935.

The photograph of the high powered speed boat was taken just before the start of WW2, I think in Hampshire.

[Smiffy]

One of the cars looks like a Morris 8. They didn't enter production until 1935.

[Mike Gunnill]

On the slipway at Woodger's Wharf is a very streamlined speed boat, not a flying boat.

Good point. Can anyone confirm a date or location for that image? Possible clue to guess a date for those cars?

If you mean the picture on the main page of the pdf download? That image wasn't taken at Woodger's Wharf in Kent.

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

On the slipway at Woodger's Wharf is a very streamlined speed boat, not a flying boat.

Good point. Can anyone confirm a date or location for that image? Possible clue to guess a date for those cars?

[Mike Gunnill]

Smiffy - ".......the fact that he built houses in Kent but no one knows where they are!"

Mike Gamill - " I would love to find a house in Kent built by Wells. I have tried."

I assume you have seen this - https://www.glproperty.co.uk/whats-a-wells-cottage


They are probably around us but we do not realise they are there.







Archival material relating to Wells is located at Storrington Museum, The Old School, School Lane, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4LL. [See http://www.storringtonmuseum.org/artifacts.html accessed 26 January 2010]

Source - https://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1203552906


A Sussex cottage example is here https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2789260/welcome-fakesville-1-5million-cottage-s-not-village-racy-royal-past.html

Loongpocketts:

Thanks but I have seen all that. Most of it is just repeating comment from earlier. I have a estate agent relation who is now helping. They are thought to be in the Tunbridge Wells/Tonbridge area.


MIKE GUNNILL