VH-UTW
Stinson SR-7B Reliant (c/n 9665)
This Stinson was imported in 1936 by a
Mr. F.H. Moody of Brisbane. However, it was sold the
next year to Airlines
(W.A.) Ltd. The aircraft happened to be in Broome, W.A. on 3
March 1942
when
that city and its airport were attacked by Japanese aircraft, and the
Stinson, along with 23 other
aircraft
were destroyed on the ground. (It was actually struck
off the register some two weeks later
when it
was realized that it was impossible to repair).
The above
photograph is from the Civil Aviation
Historical Society (CAHS) collection,, and aviation
historian Neil Follett advises that it was being flown, at the time, by
its then owner P.H. Moody in the
1936 Brisbane
to Adelaide Air Race (Shades of the later, 1964 Ansett
event).
The lower image, from the Geoff Goodall
collection, was taken at Maylands, Perth, in 1938.
The
gentlemen are
Airlines (WA) Ltd Chief Pilot Bob Hickson and Charles
Snook. Finally at the
foot
of the page is
a photo from the State Library of New South Wales
collection showing the aircraft
at Meekatharra,
WA also circa 1938.