Rudder of Avro 504J

The Rudder of Avro 504J, C4451 in which Price Albert, later to become His Majesty King George VI, learned to fly. While he qualified for his pilot’s wings, his royal status prohibited him from flying solo.

Prince Albert, who in 1916 was Mentioned in Dispatches for his service onboard HMS Collingwood during the Battle of Jutland, joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1918 and transferred to the Royal Air Force on it’s formation in April of that year. In February 1919 he was attached to No 29 Training Squadron at Croydon for flying instruction and qualified for his wings on 31 July 1919.