VH-AOL de Havilland D.H.84
Dragon
(c/n 2084)
This Dragon had been
purchased from RAAF disposals in December 1945 (ex A34-95) by the
Newcastle Aero Club and registered VH-AOL in July
1947. It is seen above at Mascot, circa
1948 in a shot by Allan
Yee (via The Collection p1234-1864). The image below was taken at an
air pageant at
Newcastle's Broadmeadow airfield in 1962 by a Mr. Poore, who took
several
photos on that day.
-AOL remained with the Newcastle club for
touring and twin-engined
training until it was destroyed by fire after
crashing on take off at Orange, NSW on 10 May
1953,
although the 5 on board escaped injury. The pilot was Jim
Hazelton who later went on
to form Hazair at Orange and became a
well-known aviation salesman and entrepreneur.