G-ACSS “Grosvenor House”

G-ACSS was one of three DH.88 Comets built for the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race. Arthur Edwards, managing director of the Grosvenor House Hotel, named it after his hotel and hired C.W.A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black to fly it. They left Mildenhall in October 1934, skipped Karachi, and reached Melbourne on 23 October despite losing an engine over the Timor Sea. Their official time was 70 hours 54 minutes 18 seconds.

The Air Ministry then bought it as K5084 and tested it at Martlesham Heath. After accidents it was sold for scrap. F. Tasker had it rebuilt by Essex Aero, and as The Orphan it came fourth in the 1937 Istres-Damascus-Paris race. Renamed The Burberry, it took Arthur Clouston to the Cape and back in November 1937. In March 1938 Clouston and Victor Ricketts flew it to New Zealand and back in 10 days 21 hours 22 minutes.

Stored through the war, it was restored for static display at the 1951 Festival of Britain. The Shuttleworth Collection acquired it in 1965. After work at RAE Farnborough and Hatfield it flew again in May 1987, and it moved to Old Warden in 1994.

An undercarriage leg collapsed on landing in October 2002. Modified legs were approved, and it returned to flight in August 2014. On 15 August 2026 it nosed over on landing at the Flying Proms; the pilot was discharged from hospital the next day. The Trust has agreed repairs with its insurers and launched a £250,000 appeal.

Not flying after its August 2026 accident at Old Warden; repair is being planned under an insurance agreement and public appeal. Check with Shuttleworth whether it can be seen before visiting.