VH-WFW    de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth           (c/n  83124)

                              

                                  This Hatfield-built Tiger was formerly the RAAF's R5265 and was civilianized in 1949.  The first
                                  owner was a Perth apiarist who had requested VH-BEE as its rego. When DCA advised that that
                                  marking was not available, but suggested VH-BUZ instead, he agreed with alacrity!  When sold
                                  to Aero Service Corp in 1960 for conversion to a cropduster, it was re-registered VH-WFW.
                                  Both images in this entry are from the Geoff Goodall collection, the lower one having been taken
                                  at Maylands in 1960 whilst the aircraft was in agricultural service and showing off well the cutaway
                                  fabric fuselage treatment that Aero Service adopted for ease of maintenance.  The photo above was
                                 originally an Alistair Coutts image and was taken at Maylands in May 1963 as the aircraft was being
                                  prepared for its ferry flight to Cunderdin when it was sold to Bob Couper Co.    It was then stored
                                  in a dismantled condition at that locale.  Later it, along with a large collection of Tiger Moth bits and
                                  pieces was moved to Trayning WA and later to Luskintyre NSW wherein it was restored using said
                                  bits as seen in Ian McDonell's shot at the foot of the page at Watts Bridge in 2008.