from plans most acquired individual names based on their colour schemes: BGA 202, for example, was the Golden Wren. Different constructors introduced their own modifications; the Golden Wren had an enclosed cockpit, ailerons with prominent rounded trailing edges and fuselage stiffening; the White Wren had dihedral. Both had also a transparency in the leading edge to provide an upwards view from the cockpit. Manuel too made changes to his second Willow Wren, the Blue Wren, giving the outer wing washout to improve the stall behaviour. A final development was the Dunstable Kestrel, with the same wing as the Blue Wren, a fuselage 4 in (102 mm) shorter and 35 lb (16 kg) heavier empty. It built by The Dunstable Sailplane Company which Manuel now had joined. Operational history Manuel sold the Crested Wren, which remained active until at least 1938. In 1986, aged 83, he built a non-flying replica. The first Willow Wren, BGA 162 and known as the Yellow Wren despite being painted green for part of its life remained active, after restoration by Manuel in 1964, into the 1970s, becoming the oldest airworthy glider in the UK. Manuel built a second example which went to South Africa, eventually crashing in 1949. Four other Willow Wrens were built to plans sold by Manuel, three in the UK and one in Australia. Only one Dunstable Kestrel was factory built. Another Kestrel was constructed from plans in the UK, one in the USA and three more in Australia. The UK plan-built Kestrel crashed at the National Championships in 1939, killing its constructor. Aircraft on display The Yellow Wren was acquired and restored by the late Mike Beach and others in the mid-1990s and was sold to Brooklands Museum in Surrey in 1998. It ius on display at the Gliding Heritage Centre. Variants Data from Ellison Crested Wren The first of the series. Only one built, often known as the Red Wren and later registered as BGA 178. Willow Wren Refined version with modified empennage and rear fuselage allowing internal elevator control wires. Deeper cockpit. Six built. Dunstable Kestrel 1935 development of the Willow Wren designed and built by the Dunstable Sailplane Co. Same wing dimensions, slightly shorter and heavier. Six built. Specifications (Willow Wren) References External links Göttingen 549 airfoil 1930s British sailplanes Aircraft first flown in 1931 Manuel gliders High-wing aircraft