VH-PXA  Aero 45 Series II (Super Aero)                             (c/n  02-003)

                              

                                     The Super Aero 45 and Aero 145 were developments of the earlier Aero 45, the prototype
                                     of which first flew in 1947.    Although some 700 of these Czechoslovakian light twin engine
                                     4/5 seaters was built, only a few made it to Australia.  VH-PXA was the first and is seen
                                     above in a Richard Maclean photograph at Essendon in 1959.   The shot below was taken
                                     by Geoff Goodall at Adelaide Airport in 1956 when he was but ten years old with his Box
                                     Brownie.  Actually, it's pretty good (I have a lot worse images of some subjects out here in
                                     the collection). -PXA was imported by Phoenix Aviation and registered in September 1956
                                     as VH-PXA after originally requesting VH-PAC for their newly assembled Aero. That same
                                     month -PXA was trucked to the Adelaide showgrounds for display during the week of the
                                     Royal Adelaide Agricultural Show.   Some years later, after various owners and after a major
                                     crash in WA and rebuild at Essendon, -PXA was acquired by Commodore Aviation of Port
                                     Lincoln SA and re-registered VH-WWH.    This company also operated the later Aero 145
                                     VH-WWC.