G-AUJP  de Havilland D.H.66 Hercules                              (c/n  345)

                                

                                       The above is a photo from the Geoff Goodall collection showing G-AUJP circa 1929 at one of
                                       the landing stops on the WAA Perth-Adelaide service.  The image below is from the archives of
                                       the CAHS and shows the Hercules as VH-UJP .   "£15 to Adelaide' says the legend on the tail.
                                       That actually would have been a fair sum in the early 1930s.     Scheduled refuelling stops were
                                       at Kalgoorlie, Forrest and Ceduna.     Eric Stephens of Stephens Aerial Transport Co of Wau
                                       purchased -UJO and -UJP from WAA in March 1936.    -UJP was flown to New Guinea via
                                       Sydney and the ever-resourceful Norman Brearly offered passenger seats for £40 on the Perth-
                                       Sydney segment and £23 for the flight from Sydney to New Guinea!    G-AUJP departed May-
                                       lands on 1 April 1936 flown by Norman Brearly and company pilot Harry "Cannonball" Baker,
                                       with WAA engineer Pat Hawes, and Eric Stephens on board.     They arrived at Wau 17 days
                                       later and Brearly remained for a period to assist Stephens getting the new type into service as a
                                       freighter.    Its first charter was Salamaua to Wau carrying two dismantled motor trucks - the
                                       fuselage was full, other parts were strapped outside and underneath the aircraft.  Although 500 lb
                                       over-weight Brearly reported it performed well.   VH-UJP continued flying in New Guinea until it
                                       was destroyed by Japanese air attacks on Salamaua, NG in February 1942.