VH-MJO
Republic RC-3
Seabee
(c/n 416)
This was the former VH-WWA acquired by K. E.
Olsen of Camden 1965. He re-registered it with
his wife's
initials. It is seen above at Moorabbin in July 1975 in
this nice shot by John Hopton display-
ing a really gaudy colour
scheme while operating shark patrols along Melbourne's beaches for radio
station 3DB. Geoff
Goodall's photo (below) was taken earlier in January 1967 when the
aircraft was
half
way through a repaint. Olsen later sold the Seabee
to
Australian aviation adventurer Gregory
R. Board when he
returned to live in Sydney after 10 years in Asia and the USA flying
military disposal
heavy prop aircraft
on clandestine ventures. Greg Board kept the Seabee moored at a
jetty at his house
in Church Point, and
commuted in it to Camden where he established several new companies
flying
survey and charters
with Norseman and Piaggio P166 equipment. In 1972 MJO was sold to
Bill Suhr's
Peninsula Air
Services at Moorabbin and became a well known sight flying beach shark
patrols in gaudy
color schemes and
named "The Flying Tadpole". Bill eventually sold it
and several owners later it wound
up with Pacific
Air Services at Honiara, Solomon Islands as H4-HSD.
Returning to Australia in 1999 it
became VH-WET, residing at Mackay, although I
believe it then had
problems in getting a new CofA.