VH-UEE Desoutter Mk II
(c/n D.30)
The Desoutter series of aircraft was
manufactured in
England in 1929-30, and was actually the
Dutch
Koolhoven FK-41 built under
license. Two versions were produced.
The Mark I had a 100 h.p.
Hermes I engine, while
the Mark II,
illustrated
here, had a
120 hp de Havilland Gypsy III 4-cylinder
in-line.
Previously EI-AAD
and G-ABOM, this aircraft was purchased by
Harold Jeffrey and
Harold Jenkins, both of Melbourne.
Their original intention was to buy a Moth but since they intended
to fly back to Australia opted instead for the
closed cabin comfort of the Desoutter. They eventually
reached Darwin on 10 February 1932 after a trip of
some 44 days. Oddly, they didn't keep the machine
but sold it to Hart Aircraft
Services in Melbourne who, after overhauling it, on-sold it to Lawrence
M.
Johnson of Launceston,
Tasmania. When Johnson merged with shipping line
owners Holyman Brothers
Pty its ownership was changed to that of Tasmanian
Aerial Services Pty Ltd, and the Desoutter was named
'Miss
Flinders' The intention was to use -UEE along with
Fox Moth VH-UQM in an air service between
Tasmania, Flinders
Island and Melbourne. My shot above
was taken at
Bankstown in the early 1950s.
The
photo below, by Daryl Mackenzie, was probably in the late 1930s
when the Desoutter was based at
Essendon. It was stored
during WW II and, emerging in
1946, went to work with Wollongong and South
Coast Aviation Service
before
passing to the renamed South Coast
Airways. It was withdrawn from
service in 1951 and restored as VH-BQE
. It is now on display at Western Junction Airport,
Launceston,
Tasmania. (or
was, up until my last visit there in 2007).
