VH-FIA  Avro 652A Anson 1   

                            

                                This was Flinders Island Airlines' first aircraft, and pride of the fleet.  VH-FIA was RAAF AW965,
                                purchased from disposals at Point Cook during 1953 and first registered in August 1954. My shot
                                (above) above, was taken at Moorabbin in 1957.  Immediately below is a Geoff Goodall image
                                of it, also at Moorabbin, firing up the twin Cheetahs for an afternoon newspaper delivery service
                                to Victorian country towns just a month before the type was grounded by DCA in 1962.  
                                At the foot of the page is a Rod Adam photo (via Geoff Goodall) showing -FIA as it was when parked
                                on the grass after the grounding of all wood bonded aircraft, with tears already beginning to appear in
                                the fabric.  It was sold soon after to the Moorabbin Air Museum for 25 pounds and they dismantled it
                                and trucked it to their compound on the airport in January 1963.   It remained dismantled in the weather
                                for many years awaiting funds for display in a planned building, by which time it had deteriorated badly.
                                Last reports said it had been taken over by a group of members for a long-term restoration. We wish
                                them success.