VH-AEA (1)   de Havilland D.H.84 Dragon                    (c/n  6073)

                              

                                     VH-AEA was imported in March 1938 by Kevin Parer (brother of pioneer New Guinea aviator
                                     Ray Parer) for his newly established Wewak Air Transport.  It was formerly G-ACOR.  On 21st
                                     January 1942, Kevin was preparing to take-off from Salamaua when the aircraft was hit by machine
                                     gun fire from a marauding Japanese fighter.   The Dragon burst into flames and Parer was severely
                                     wounded.   He was rescued by the pilot of Mandated Airlines' Dragon VH-USA which was also
                                     left burning in this raid upon the civilian airport.    Having escaped his burning machine, Parer was
                                     killed by follow up strafing by the Nip fighter.    A total of 12 civil aircraft were destroyed on the
                                     ground in this raid on Salamaua.  The above shot, from the Geoff Goodall collection, was taken at
                                     Wau in 1938.