G-AUAK de
Havilland D.H.60 Moth
(c/n 242)
This Moth was one of several
owned by the Civil Aviation Branch, Department of Defence,
Commonwealth of Australia, in the late 1920s and
loaned out to various aero clubs, in this
case the Australian Aero Club (NSW Section).
The above rare photograph comes to me
courtesy
of Wal Ives. The image below of the Moth with its wings folded
was unearthed by
Geoff Pogson
(and is shown here courtesy of the CAHS). Incidentally, I
have several
photos of my
mother dressed identically to this glamorous lady. Possibly
Mascot, circa
1927. (I was
born in 1931). After
re-registration as VH-UAK in 1930 this aircraft was
owned by a
variety
of aero clubs and private owners,
including one or two in New Guinea.
It returned to
the
mainland in 1939. Since it had suffered a crash at Mascot in 1941
it was
never impressed
into military
service like many Moths were.
Attempts to restore it after the
war failed and
it was finally struck off
the register in 1946.