HB-ITU
General Aviation (Clark) GA-43
(c/n 2204)
Rare shot from Swissair showing
the second GA-43 put into service by the airline in March
1935. It is seen in company with DC-2s HB-ITA
and HB-ITO. Note GAL Monospar ST.25
HB-AIR
(which went to Australia as VH-UUV)
and Leopard Moth HB-ARI to the left.
HB-ITU was actually the
fifth of its clan to be built. Both GA-43s served on internal
Swiss Air
services
connecting Zurich with Basel and Geneva. Occasionally they
were operated on flights
outside the country.
HB-ITU was unfortunately short-lived as, on the night of 30 April 1936
whilst on
a night flight from Frankfurt to Basel it crashed into the north-west
wall of the Rigi
mountain in central Switzerland. No passengers
were on board, but the crew of two perished.
Failure of the DF equipment was cited as the cause.