VH-SSH de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth
(c/n DHA1062)
Well, I flew this aircraft when she was VH-AUI with the Tasmanian Aero
Club in Launceston.
Of course, it was a two-seater in those days,
and modified when acquired by Super Spread in
October of 1954 to make the front seat a hopper, wherein it became
VH-SSH. Oddly,
I never
saw it at Moorabbin, although Geoff Goodall did, ten years on, in May
1964 when it was
still an ag
aeroplane. It was sold soon
afterwards to a private owner, and eventually converted
back to a
regular Tiger. Geoff's shot
below shows it after disposal by Super Spread at
Moorabbin
in February 1965 still with the crop dusting
pylon. A year later Geoff saw it again
re-converted with a
rather nice livery (still at
Moorabbin). Brian Nicolson
bought it in
Melbourne
in the early 70s
(see his color shot, # 4) . Someone had dismantled and
stripped
it
to rebuild and then lost
interest. Brian and crew did a no expense spared, ground up
rebuild
and sold it sight unseen to Mr. Richard
Davies who still owns it. It was ferried from Goulburn
to Perth
by Dick Nell who
has now retired from the airshow circuit, having been a fantastic
performer
in his Tiger Moth and Stampe
aircraft. Geoff's final shot was taken on a farmer's
property at
Coorow, WA in September 1974.