VH-EAX (1) Boeing PB2B Catalina                     (c/n  61186)

                                        

                                             VH-EAX, seen above in this rare shot from the Civil Aviation Historical Society archives, was
                                             one of six Catalinas loaned to, and operated by Qantas, immediate post-WW II.         All were
                                             Boeing-built and this one was originally built under a US Navy contract with BuAer number 44280.
                                             It went, Lend-Lease style to the RAF as JX662 and then to the RAAF as A24-372 before being
                                             civilianized in February 1949.  Four months later, on 23 June 1949 it was wrecked when it washed
                                             ashore on Lord Howe Island.   The image below is from Qantas' archives.  Now, there's a bit of a
                                             mystery attached to this accident.    Some reports state that the aircraft was being operated by P.G.
                                             Taylor's Trans Oceanic Airways, at the time.  This company was, in fact, a competitor of Qantas
                                             on the Sydney-Lord Howe island run.       However, my records show that it was still on the asset
                                             register of Qantas at the time,     Anyway, it appears that the the seemingly strong mooring hawser
                                             anchoring VH-EAX suddenly parted, leaving the 'boat to drift onto the rocks.    The reason for this
                                             s was never clearly brought to light.   And then, oddly, a couple of months after that one of its sister
                                             ships, VH-EAW was blown up by another mysterious event at its base at Rose Bay, Sydney.
                                             Were these unlucky coincidences, or did someone have a grudge against Qantas' Lord Howe Island
                                             operation?  .  
                                             Interestingly, an ex Spanish PBY-6 water bomber is being, or has been, (2012) restored to represent
                                             VH-EAX at Qantas' Museum at Longreach, Queensland.