Tabby Pflaum's Avro 504k

[Carpo]

Hi all - I am seeking information regarding the Avro 504k flown by Tabby Pflaum. Serial number D7789.
In particular, I am interested in it's powerplant.
I know that it was powered by a 100hp Gnome monosoupape engine but did it ever see the more conventional Clerget?
I have photographs showing the Gnome but a colour profile showing the Clerget.
I am loathe to trust paintings/drawings so any photographic leads would be appreciated.
References I have access to are:
Charles Schaedles book - men and machines of the AFC 1914-1918
Harry Cobby's -High Adventure.
Carpo

[Vin]

No help to you about the Avro, I'm afraid, Carpo (is your surname Carpet or Carpenter ?). I've never seen his nickname used in the diminutive form before. I've only ever seen him referred to as Tab. Where did you pick up Tabby ?

[Carpo]

Carpenter is my surname.
Tab is normally used by Harry Cobby in his book 'High Adventure', however, 'Tabby' is used in the subtitles to photographs of the gentleman in question in the same book.
I don't know if you are from Australia, but adding y, ie or o to a surname is a very common practise and usually a sign of familiarity, affecion or esteem.

The great fast bowler Dennis Lillie had the ie thoughtfully attached to his surname from birth and was therefore destined for greatness (lol at own joke)

Richard Williams was 'Dickie'
Oswald Watt was 'Ossie'
Tab and Tabby were probably interchangeable nicknames for E. Pflaum
Tab would be well known due to the marking on his Avro.
He is referred to as Tabby in articles in the Australian War Memorial Collection.

Does anyone know his first name?

Carpo

Tab was born Elliott Frederick Pflaum at Birdwood, South Australia
Jan 5 1892.
For family data and so forth, go to Nat Archs and put PFLAUM into the keyword slot. You get 21 hits. Son of a migrant by the looks of it.

www.naa.gov.au /recordsearch/ search now/ then do the keyword.
Some of the files are digitised. Best of luck. as for Tab, dunno yet.

Originally Posted by Carpo

Carpenter is my surname.

Richard Williams was 'Dickie'
Oswald Watt was 'Ossie'
Tab and Tabby were probably interchangeable nicknames for E. Pflaum


Carpo

Ossie is a very common mistake when it comes to Walter Oswald Watt's nickname, it was actually "Toby". He did however prefer to use Oswald rather than Walter.

Regards,

Andrew.

[Vin]

On 26 March 1918, John Wright was wounded during a bombing and strafing mission and returned to England to convalesce. On recovery he was posted to a training squadron at Tetbury in Gloucestershire. His first flight was on 15 June in a Avro, the other seat occupied by “Tabby Pflaum”. Wright uses the diminutive. He says nothing more about the Avro, though.

Growing up, you sometimes forget that you have a first name. My observation is that the affectionate “o” ending to surnames is usually used with, but certainly not restricted to, surnames that end in “son”. Johnson = Johnno. Gibson = Gibbo. Benson = Benno. Richardson = Richo. Shorter names attract “ie”. Smith = Smithie. Jones = Jonesie. Warne = Warnie. Croft = Croftie Names that already end in the “ie” or “y” get shortened. Buckley = Bucks. Bradley = Braddles. Finlay = Fin or Finners. Other names that get the “o” ending are the longer ones. Yours, Michelton = Micho. Prendegast = Prendo. Longer, non-anglo names get “o” or “a” . Campese and Camporeale = Campo. Jesualenko = Jezza.

Meanwhile, we are no closer to the motor question, or why Tabby?
Note; not the diminuative Tabbie.
Could it be related to his pre-war occupation as an auctioneer, or was he slow to pay his mess bills, preferring to "put it on my tab"?
Tabby indicates cat colouring. Pussyfooting around?

[Carpo]

Nor does it tell us anything about the powerplant of his aeroplane.
(just a hint in the original direction of my post.)
Apparently he was the son of German immigrants. South Australia has a fairly strong German heritage.
I would be interested in the origin of his nickname though.
Carpo

[rammjaeger]

I would bet on his German background too because I think the original name was Pflaume (= plum) and the "e" was dropped after immigration.
The latter happens often if English-speaking people speak German words.

[Vin]

Pflaum and Cobby were together as instructors in October at Yatesbury, weren’t they ? If Pflaum was at Tetbury as an instructor in June too, then I wonder if the Avro that he was flying then was D7789 ? I think it was during his October stint that Watts required him to paint TAB on the Avro after a ground buzzing stunt which Watts suspected was Pflaum. If Avro504 D7789 was the one that Pflaum flew from Yatesbury in October, then it stayed there after the war and came to its demise on 21 April 1919 when it crashed and killed Sgt T W Cockerill, flown by Harry King Goode of 66 Squadron, which had flown in Italy. No joy on the engine question, though.