VH-UNU de
Havilland D.H.60M Moth
(c/n 1444)
`
The
image above is from the Fred Mack collection. VH-UNU was imported
new
in 1930
by
for G.A. Robinson (t/a New England Motor Company) for his son Reg, who
had
learned
to fly under
aviation pioneer Keith Virtue It was the first
'Metal Moth' to be registered in
Australia.
Reg bent it badly at Bourke, NSW on 7 July 1930 as seen in
the grainy photo
at the foot of the page,
sent by G.A.'s grandson, Bruce
Robinson. Reg was quite badly
injured
and unfortunately
his passenger died. In 1934 Robinson and Virtue
founded New
England Airways (of Lismore, NSW) and -UNU was
transferred to the asset register of the
new
company. When
Airlines of Australia was formed out of New England Airways,
in January
1936 -UNU
followed the owners again and was registered to the new company.
Just over a year later AOA was
absorbed by Australian National
Airways and the Moth
was transferred. yet again,
whereupon it was used by the ANA Flying School. Immediately
below is a shot of it wearing the
ANA logo on the rudder . This latter, from the Lawrence
Roche collection was taken at
Donald, Victoria on 30 June 1937. -UNU was finally written
off
in a crash at Somerton,
Victoria on 8 Mar 1938.