G-AUDE Armstrong Whitworth
F.K.8
(c/n 69)
Eight of these World War I army co-operation
machines were civilly registered after the war.
This one
was originally owned by Simpson and Tregilles Aicraft and Transport Co
of Perth and
was registered in August 1921. In 1922 it was sold to the embryo
Queensland and Northern
Territory Aerial Services Ltd (later to
become Qantas) where it, along with one other F.K.8
were part
of a mixed fleet of leased aircraft
and used on
services between Charleville and Clon-
cury carrying both mail and
passengers. The photo above is from the CAHS archives whilst that
below, from the Geoff Goodall collection shows it at Bruce Rock, WA
prior to being operated by
Qantas. The title on the rudder says "Overland'.
. G-AUDE sustained serious
damage
in a
forced landing near Blackall, Queensland in September 1923,
and was
dismantled and burnt two
months
later. Qantas records indicate
that it was considered "useless".