VH-UEL  de Havilland D.H. 50A                                         (c/n 127)

                                                                                                       
                                    This was one of the D.H. 50A aircraft imported in 1924 for West Australian Airways.  It is
                                    seen above, circa 1931 in their smart red and silver paint job.  VH-UEL apparently crashed
                                    and was severely damaged in 1930 as seen in the two photos at the foot of this page.  The
                                    accident occurred some 5 miles from Hamelin, WA on 10 March 1930.  As Eric Van Hoek,
                                    from whose collection these shots come, indicates:  if the photo above was taken after that
                                    event, they did a good job in repairing it!   Eric's shots were gleaned from his wife's late grand-
                                    father's album.  The photograph below, from the Geoff Goodall collection illustrates it at May-
                                    lands Aerodrome, Perth  somewhat earlier (circa 1926) still with the G-AUEL rego. Interestingly,
                                    -UEL's wings were replaced in October 1926 at the airline's Maylands workshops with recon-
                                    ditioned DH.9 wings from a large stock held by WAA.    Similarly, their other DH.50s were also
                                     later fitted with reconditioned DH.9 mainplanes    VH-UEL had another modification applied in
                                     1928 when an ADC Nimbus engine was installed.   Its CofA lapsed in 1933 and, although there
                                     were other registered owners (including Adelaide Airways and ANA) it appears not to have flown
                                     again since, being officially struck off the register in 1940.