VH-DRD DHA-3 Drover
(c/n 5010)
VH-DRD was first registered on 5
December 1951. Presumably de Havillands took a photo of it
when
new, although I have not been unable to unearth one. A month
after being placed into service
by TAA as a
Flying Doctor machine it crashed at Mooraberrie Station,
Queensland (on 11 January
1952) .
The above image, from the Geoff Goodall collection, shows it at the
crash site The photo
below, from the Ben Dannecker collection (via Geoff) depcits the wreck
arriving at Mount Isa, Qld
in
November 1980 having been recovered from the rural property where it
had lain all those years
after having been used as a chicken house. It was rebuilt at
Mount Isa using major sections of the
wreck of
VH-AZN and completed for display on a pole as the Royal Flying Doctor
Services'
"VH-DRD St Vincent Welch".
Ken Watson's shot at the foot of the page shows it as it now
reposes
in Mount Isa township.