VH-KBC  Auster J/1B Aiglet                     (c/n  2681)

                                    

                                          VH-KBC at Parkes, NSW in March 1967.  Geoff Goodall reports that this old style crowded
                                          hangar was a virtual Aladdin's cave back in the 1960s.  It always housed an array of rag and tube
                                          aircraft in for maintenance by the irascible Jack Hodder.  Behind the Auster can be seen Desoutter
                                          VH-UPR.  Jack had flown his fixed undercarriage B.A. Eagle G-AFAX from Rangoon to Aust-
                                          ralia in November 1939 where it became VH-ACN.    Hodder had a distinct dislike for curious
                                          aircraft note-takers and photographers whom he would evict with gusto, and this furtive shot was
                                          bravely taken by Ian Thompson.   Incredibly, this aircraft is still registered to its first owner, Gordon
                                          Maguire of "Coo-ee", Forbes, NSW.  Evidently Mr. Maquire watched it have its first test flight
                                          by Kingsford Smith's Peter Brown on 2 August 1951 and has owned it ever since.  Surely a record
                                          for an Auster?   A contemporary photo would be nice...........