VH-AGI (1) de Havilland D.H.84
Dragon
(c/n 2017)
The above color
shot is from the Macarthur Job collection. This Dragon was an
Australian-built
machine for an RAAF order,
(ex A34-28). It is seen here in service with the Bush Church Aid
Society
(BCAS) which operated Flying Doctor services
in South Australia in the 1950s. It was
replaced
in this role in 1957 with the Lockheed 10A VH-FMS. VH-AGI
was then sold to the
short-lived
Surfers Paradise Air Taxis, at Coolangatta, Queensland.
When that outfit folded it
went to the
Sydney Parachute Club and it is seen in their service at Camden in 1958
in the image
below from the The Collection
p1234-1496. In 1959 it was sold again and resided at Merimbula,
NSW on
charter work and flown once again by McArthur Job. Its flying
days ended when, on
1 October
1961 it was subjected to
severe turbulence over the NSW coast resulting in
structural
damage in flight
and
the poor old thing limped
into Batemans Bay for a forced landing on the
town
golf course Mac
recalls: "So
that was the inglorious end of dear old -AGI My last sight of it
was the
gutted
fuselage sitting in
someone’s back yard in Batemans Bay in 1963 for small boys
to play in.
I think it was eventually
burnt.”
For more on the
history of VH-AGI, the Flying Doctor services, and Mr. Macarthur Job,
go to
http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Flying%20doctor%20c.50s%201.htm
