G-AUBE Avro
504K
( c/n AAEC/4)
On 26 June 1920 an
experimental mail flight was arranged by the Lismore, NSW Chamber of
Commerce
in conjunction with the Postal Department. Aviation historian
George A. Roberts
reports in a letter from the Qantas Museum to Bruce Robinson, (grandson
of G.A. Robinson,
founder of
Airlines of Australia, and from whose album comes the photo seen above)
that Frank
L. Roberts (a relative of the
historian?) carried the mail between Lismore and Tenterfield via
Casino in this
Avro 504K. At the time the aircraft had
yet to be assigned its civilian regis-
tration of G-AUBE, that not being
allocated until 28 June 1921. It was one of
four 504Ks
assembled from Avro kits by
Australian Aircraft & Engineering Co of Mascot.
Interestingly
these kits were
given UK regos, AAEC/4 being ex G-EAIY. Incidentally the mail
arrived some
7 hours ahead of
road transport!* Roberts had been employed giving
joy rides in the area at
3 guineas a head A year after
receiving its civilian CofA, G-AUBE was struck off the register
(on 27 June 1923).
* In 1951 I drove from Brisbane to Melbourne and, even at that
time, large sections of the
road through New England were not
metalled. They were good old corrugated wash-
board dirt, almost
impassable during heavy rain. Speeds above 30 mph,
particularly in
my old Austin 10, tended to rip
out the undercarriage!