VH-UKS  Westland Widgeon III                             (c/n WA.1780)

                                      

                                          The above image, from the Frank Walters collection, is one of the nicest photos of a Widgeon
                                          that I have seen.   Production of this neat, parasol wing monoplane was abandoned in 1930 since
                                          Westland had a large Wapiti contract and the company was not large enough in those days to manu-
                                          facture both types.  Of the 26 Widgeon I, II and IIIs built, at least eight of them made their way to
                                          Australia.  First owner of -UKS was the Aero Club of NSW, which received it in May of 1929.
                                          It then had a series of owners in NSW before being severely damaged by a storm after landing at
                                          St. George, Queensland  in February 1936.      It was completely rebuilt and sold to an owner in
                                          Queensland, reemerging after the war.        In October 1947 it overturned in a forced landing at
                                          Sugarloaf Point, NSW, and was struck off the register the following April.      The image below
                                          was taken by the father of Colin Carrig, who, like myself, now lives in the US.   The shot was
                                          probably at the old Hargrave Park Airport, Liverpool, NSW, circa early 1930s.
                                

                                                                        .