VH-CGF (1) Auster J/4 Archer
Special
(c/n 2361)
This was the former
Auster J/2 Arrow G-AIJU. It was exported to Australia in 1950 and
be-
came
VH-BNQ. It crashed at Mt.
Perry Queensland on 26 March 1951 when
it hit a tree while
taking
off. It apparently languished until it was restored in 1958 as a
J/4 Archer Special registered
VH-KFF, with a 90 hp Cirrus Minor 2A power
plant. This restoration also resulted in the machine
initially being
designated (by KSAS) as a J/4T, the "T" standing for tricycle
undercarriage. DCA
(at the time)
would have none of that, however, and so it was re-converted back to a
taildragger.
It was re-registered VH-CGF in 1962,
and Geoff Goodall took the above shot of it at Perth Air-
port in May of 1971. Bob
Neate's photo (below) was taken somewhat earlier in 1962 and shows
its original (pseudo Cessna)
scheme after its restoration. It reverted
to VH-BNQ again in 1992.