VH-BBK (1)
Miles M.28 Mercury Series 2
(c/n 2)
I always thought
the M.28 was a better looking aircraft than its successor, the M.38
Messenger.
Developed as a communications aircraft for the RAF,
only six were built. The second aircraft
built was built in Woodley, UK in 1942 and given the development serial
number U-0237, later
the military serial HM583. After WW II it was
civilianized as G-AJVX. In 1950 it was purchased
by J.E. Nicholson and flown
to Perth, W.A. by a Mr. F.Burt. The trip took 64
days. It received
the Australian registration VH-BBK and remained that
way until 1956 when it was re-registered
VH-PMG.
Theoretically, this aircraft should be VH-BBK(2). In the
event the first -BBK was
to have been an Anson, but this aircraft assumed the
identity of VH-BEL instead and the marking
-BBK was not taken up in 1947. I have,
therefore, referred to the above as # 1 and the Chipmunk
as # 2.