VH-AAR (1)  de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth            (c/n  3704)

                                   

                                       Rare photograph, from the John Hopton collection, of the first VH-AAR taken at Broadmeadow
                                       Aerodrome in 1948 when the aircraft was part of the Newcastle Aero Club fleet    This pre-war
                                       Tiger was registered to the club in October 1938.  Oddly, it was to have been VH-AAK but a mix-
                                       up at DCA assigned that to Tiger c/n 3746 and 3704 became -AAR.  It was impressed into service
                                       with the RAAF during the war as A17-678 and restored to the civil register, and to the Newcastle
                                       Aero Club, on 8 July 1948.  It was written off when it crashed into Jervis Bay, NSW on 29 January
                                       1950.   It can also been seen in the line-up of club aircraft in my shot of the Ryan STM VH-AHF.