VH-BIW de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger
Moth (c/n
DHA978)
These two shots of this Tiger which had been converted to an
aerial ambulance are from the
Geoff Goodall collection..
Above, it is seen at Alice Springs circa 1954, and below, a close
up of the stretcher handling
modifications. The aircraft was operated by Connellan
Airways
at the
time. The conversion to an ambulance aircraft was made at Laverton in
April 1945 while
in RAAF service as A17-421.
It was then civilianized to Hamilton Downs Pastoral Co, Alice
Springs, in 1946 who retained the ambulance mods.
for medical emergencies at their remote
cattle stations. Connellan Airways
acquired it in January 1951 to join their other ambulance
Tiger
VH-BAA. In August 1958 VH-BIW went to West
Australia in a deal that exchanged
three Tiger Moths to go to Doggett Aviation, Perth
for the Short Scion VH-UTV which Connellan
Airways wanted for their Royal Flying Doctor Service
contract at Alice Springs. Doggett con-
verted -BIW to an agricultural sprayer and it was re-registered
VH-DAP. It was later sold on
as VH-DYI.