VH-AJU  CAC CA6 Wackett Trainer    (c/n  310)

                           
   
                                This aircraft was bought as war surplus in 1946 by a Mr. J.T. Brown for the princely sum of
                                170 Pounds Australian.  Even at that price I don't think it was much of a bargain.  It had suffered
                                an accident in 1944 at Maryborough, Qld., although the engine was undamaged.  Clearly some
                                sort of restoration had been performed when this shot was taken at Bankstown in 1955.  It was
                                withdrawn from use in 1962, following a forced landing in the far west of South Australia.  To put
                                that in the venacular of my now home state, North Carolina:  "Man, there ain't nuthin' out there!".
                                It is perhaps an endorsement to someone's fortitude that Geoff Goodall was able to take the shot
                                of it in August 1962 (below) reposing in a hangar in Parafield, possibly a 1,000 miles from where
                                it cracked up.  As far as I know it never flew again.