G-AUEZ ANEC III (Lasco Lascowl)
(c/n 1)
When the
original Air Navigation & Engineering Company (of Addlestone,
England) Mark III
was
'stretched' by the Larkin Aircraft Supply Co Ltd of Melbourne it
became known as the
Lasco Lascowl. Only three of these machines were constructed and
for a more complete history
of this interesting type see my entry under VH-UGF.
The rare shot above is from the Charles
Pratt
collection (via Kevin OReilly) and shows -UEZ with its original name of
'Diamond Bird'.
The photo below, from Geoff Goodall's collection shows the ugly
biplane now re-registered as
VH-UEZ in
company with -UGF at the aerodrome at Coode Island, Melbourne on 22 May
1930.
The
machines were about to depart on the Mackay Expedition to map and
explore central Australia.
The
third image is from the Daryl Mackenzie collection showing -UEZ
airborne it
following said
departure.
Now, here's the mystery: Photo No 4 from the Civil
Aviation
Historical Society
archives shows
the aircraft still as
G-AUEZ, in a 'reverse' livery and carrying the name 'Satin Bird'
(see tail enlargement). Was this name applied first before
renaming it 'Diamond Bird' and
giving
the 'Satin Bird' name to -UFC
later? I have not been able to piece together the time line
clarifying
the sequence of
either the paint job or the name change on -UEZ. (The
remaining ANEC III was
G-AUGF, 'Love Bird').
VH-UEZ's CofA
lapsed in June
1932 right
after the expedition was
completed and it was not renewed. .
