VH-RAS (1) Avro
652A
Anson
1
(c/n unknown)
Since I never visited Adelaide's
Parafield Airport, the only representative type I had of a Robby's
Aerial Services machine until Geoff Goodall filled the gap in 2006/2007
was of this Anson which
came into
Melbourne's Essendon Airport one
day in 1954 . VH-RAS was the former RAF/RAAF
W1532 and
was originally civilianized in 1950 as VH-BOI. It didn't
stay that way for long and was
re-registered VH-DJB at the end of that year. When Robby's acquired it
1952 it was re-registered
again, this time as
VH-RAS. In 1961 it was sold to Bill Dobson of Melbourne,
who re-registered
it
as VH-DOB, but, in the event, he
never took delivery of it and it languished in the back of Robby's
hangar until 1963 when it was dragged over to the fire practice ground
and eventually destroyed.