VH-CKF de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth
(c/n DHA596)
The Geoff Goodall photograph above was taken at the
owner's
farm at Benjaberring, WA in
December 1969.
"Where", you say? Yes, well I had to look
it up, too. Turns out the little
farming
community is
situated some 200 km east of Perth. Doesn't look like
the Tiger was
used for
topdressing. Perhaps to reconnoiter the station? This
aircraft had done service with
the RAAF as A17-421
prior to becoming
VH-AZL for the Dept. of Civil Aviation in 1947.
When DCA
re-registered their aircraft into
the VH-C series it became VH-CAG.
In 1960 it
was sold to the
Gliding Association of Western
Australia as VH-TUG, and
then re-registered
VH-CKF when the
more
prestigious Chipmunk assumed that
identity, before going to farmer
Geoff Lawrence in
the boondocks.
By that time it had shed its
canopy. In 1972 when Lawrence's
assets were
liquidated for a
bankruptcy sale it was bid on, and
acquired by, the Narrogin Flying
Club where
Geoff Goodall saw it again in 1973, taking the color shot (immediately
below) in July
and the B&W image
(foot of page) in October. In 1995 VH-CKF was acquired by the
Royal
Aero Club of Western
Australia for
joyride flights, and is still registered to them, although may not
now be
airworthy (as of mid 2007).