VH-WEM de
Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth
(c/n DHA1005)
When in 1961 the Royal Victorian
Aero Club sold off their Tiger VH-RVJ,
it went to the Ballarat
Aero Club and
became VH-WEM. It continued to fly with Royal Vic
tail stripes. In fact, there
was a close
relationship between the two clubs. It was acquired by Les Penna
of Bendigo in 1966
and wound up
after a rebuild, a painting in training yellow all
over, and wearing its old RAAF identity
of A17-570, as
part of the Flying
Fighters Museum at Archerfield, Brisbane. In 2001 the owner
of
that enterprise, Mr.
Steven Hart had certain assets (VH-WEM among them) confiscated by
the Aust-
ralian Federal Police
during an investigation concerning alleged tax evasion. In
the meantime it would
appear that
VH-WEM along with other "warbirds" are currently sitting in a hangar at
Archerfield,
although
whether Mr. Hart will retain ownership of them is not clear at this
point in time (mid 2007).
The three images on this page
are via (top) the Geoff Goodall collection, taken at Ballarat in
February
1965;
(immediately below) from the Barry Maclean collection at Moorabbin in
1961 just prior to its
departure to
Ballarat and (foot of page) by Scott Williamson at Archerfield
following its restoration.
Scott
advises that the aircraft have not had so much as a prop pull through
since they have been idled.
VH-WEM will no
doubt require another complete overhaul when the collection is
eventually sold off
(if
it ever is).
.
