Last updated 17 July 2023

RYAN ST-M IN AUSTRALIA

A listing compiled by Geoff Goodall

    Ryan ST-Ms VH-AHC, VH-AHD and VH-CXR were based together on farming property “Carnarney” near Jerilderie NSW during the 1960s.

          They were rolled out of their sheds for this group picture in May 1967.                                      Photo by Geoff Goodall   

                                                                                                                                                                                      

                    The Ryan ST-M (Sport Trainer-Military) series was an export military version of the pre-war ST-A civilian sports aircraft, powered by a 150hp Menasco C4S Pirate engine. The ST-Ms were built at Ryan Aeronautical Co's works at Lindbergh Field, San Diego in southern California. 

All Australian examples were STM-2 models, which had been previously delivered to the Netherlands Naval Air Service in the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia). The Netherlands Government in Exile in New York had placed a series of orders for a total of 108 Ryan STM-2s between June and October 1940

- 60 for Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL-ML): serials RO-120 to RO-69, c/ns 407 to 446

The Naval order included 24 aircraft with strengthened airframes with twin floats, designated STM-S2. These could be also fitted with landplane undercarriage and the orders included 12 additional sets of wheeled undercarriage. The Ryans were built at San Diego in three batches, then shipped to Java:

  November 1940: 18 built

  December 1940: 12 built

  January 1941:     18 built

Ryan publicity picture of Netherlands East Indies Ryan STM-S2 S-11 on a test flight at San Diego in 1940.

                          
                                  A formation of Naval Air Service (MLD) Ryan STMs in Netherlands East Indies with different markings.
                                                                                                                   Photo: Air History.net Archive

                     MLD Ryan STM-S2 and Fokker floatplanes, Netherlands East Indies 1941 .      Frank F. Smith collection

By the outbreak of war with Japan on 8 December 1941, the MLD had lost 8 Ryans in accidents, and more were lost during the Japanese advance through the NEI. During January 1942 as the NEI war situation worsened, the MLD Naval Flying School decided to move to Australia to continue its essential work of training Dutch pilots for a future fight against the Japanese occupation.  At least 37 dismantled Ryans were loaded on the Dutch cargo ship MS Tjinegara which left Sourabaya Naval Air Station in Java on 17 February 1942 bound for Australia.  Also shipped was a stock of Ryan spare parts which could have included damaged fuselages.  Details of where the Ryans were off-loaded in Australia has not come to light, but Tjinegara arrived at Adelaide 4 March and Sydney Harbour 9 March 1942, indicating it had berthed elsewhere in the previous weeks. A small group of Ryans were off-loaded at Brisbane docks and, with outer wing panels still removed from shipping, were towed on their main wheels behind trucks in a convoy down Ipswich Road to Archerfield Aerodrome.  The reporter confirms they were Dutch Ryans.

Four months later the Tjinegara was sunk when torpedoed by a Japanese submarine between Brisbane and Noumea on 25 July 1942, however all crew were rescued.

                  The MLD Naval Flying School initially continued Dutch pilot training at RAAF bases Laverton and Point Cook near Melbourne, but it was decided that RAAF seaplane station Rathmines would bemore suitable especially for the floatplane Ryans. The MLD Ryans were flown by Dutch pilots at the RAAF Rathmines on Lake Macquarie NSW. However in the meantime the American Government agreed to assist the formation of a new Royal Netherlands Military Flying School at a USAAF airfield at Jackson, Mississippi which would train Dutch airmen scattered around the world for naval or air force flying.  The MLD in Australia prepared to move to the United States and handed their aircraft over to RAAF.  This was part of a military agreement that saw new Dutch aircraft being delivered by ships enroute to NEI diverted to Australia as "refugee cargo" being taken over by USAAF and RAAF. Types included Vought Sikorsky Kingfisher, P-38 Lightning, P-39 Airacobra, P-40 Kittyhawk, A-20 Boston, Brewster Buffalo.

                  Hans de Vries was a 17 year old schoolboy living with his parents in Java when he started flying lessos in Tiger Moths. When war broke out he was promptly co-opted by the MLD as a Cadet Flying Officer. He later recalled:

   "In February 1942 we escaped by ship from the Dutch East Indies to Australia, docking at Fremantle, Western Australia. I was lucky as, from the three ships that started out, two got torpedoed and only one made it to Australia. The Netherlands Naval Air Force personnel were located at Lake Macquarie NSW where for two months we continued our flying training, on the water, and we were issued RAAF uniforms. We flew the Ryan STM on floats. The Ryan was a nice plane to fly and without the "slippers" could do stunts. 
                  In April 1942 the Netherlands Navy Air Service contingent were transferred to the USA as training facilities in Australia were very scarce and the RAAF cadets were transferred for training to Canada. In the USA we reverted to our own Dutch uniforms when off-duty and were trained by American instructors at a number of different bases. As a unit we were integrated with the US Army Air Force and known as the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School, and the Dutch Navy and Army Air Forces were combined in one unit."         

This page from a Dutch pilot's personal logbook confirms that MLD Ryan floatplanes were flown by Dutch pilots at RAAF Rathmines during March and April 1942. S-35, S-43, S-46 & S-55 are logged. Interestingly S-43 did not come on RAAF strength. Also of note is

the departure date from Soerabaja (Sourabaya) of 19 February 1942 on MS Tjinegara along with the Ryans. This is at variance with

Dutch military historical records, which quote the ship sailing on 17 February 1942.                                   John Hopton Collection.

                                 Ryan in MLD camouflage and markings, at a RAAF station early 1942.      RAAF Museum

  
                  After initial use by Dutch pilots in Australia, the 34 Ryan STMs were taken over by RAAF under the type designator Ryan Trainer and allocated RAAF serials A50-1 to A50-34. At least three other airframes were held in reserve as part of the spares sent to Australia. They were received by the RAAF in poor condition and in May or June 1942 the first 28 were despatched to Qantas Empire Airways at Rose Bay flying boat base, Sydney, the remaining 6 to Australian National Airways (ANA) at Mascot Aerodrome, Sydney for preparation for delivery to RAAF units.
                  The STM-S2 floatplanes had their floats removed and conventional landplane undercarriage installed. All Ryans operated by RAAF were landplanes. There were delays in their delivery from the civil contractors due to lack of parts, particularly tail wheel assemblies. Some aircraft were completed by Butler Air Transport, who also carried out other work on Ryans at their Mascot hangar, including applying RAAF camouflage paintwork.
                  The RAAF Ryan Trainers were in fact not used for pilot training but mostly communications and general flying duties, as shown in the individual aircraft histories listed below. Most were retired during 1944 and stored pending disposal. Towards the end of the war, discussions took place to determine payment for the Dutch aircraft and other assets taken over in Australia in 1942 by US and Australian military forces.  In August 1945 agreement was reached between the Netherlands and Australian Governments, for training aircraft, which were covered in the following terms:

"34 Ryan aircraft at 70% of cost price  £85,000 Australian Pounds

 29 spare engines at 70% of cost          £11,600

 Spare parts at 50% of cost                   £3,700 : Total £100,300

 6 Tiger Moths, one Link Trainer, spare parts and tools acquired by RAAF - no charge."

                 Short S23 Empire VH-ADU Camilla at Rose Bay flying boat base, Sydney in 1942. In the background are Dutch Ryan

             floatplanes issued to Qantas to be prepared for  the RAAF as landplanes.                       John Hopton Collection

 Civil disposal:

 The Ryan ST-Ms were among the first RAAF types made available to the newly-formed Commonwealth Disposals Commission early in 1945.  23 Ryans and 16 spare 150hp Menasco C-4S Menasco Pirate engines were on the first CDC aircraft list, tenders closing on 20 February 1945.   A tender from Brown & Dureau Pty Ltd, Melbourne was accepted on 9 March 1945 for the complete RAAF inventory of Ryan airframes, Menasco engines and spares. The majority were stored at RAAF Evans Head, where a number of aircraft were damaged the following month by a cyclone, which caused a hangar to collapse. The damaged and unserviceable Ryans were dismantled and sent to Melbourne by rail.

 Mr. Norman Adam, Manager Brown & Dureau Aviation Division wrote to DCA on 12 April 1945 referring to the storm damage: "we have been advised that nine Ryans were damaged by the storm which destroyed the hangar in which they were housed at RAAF Station Evans Head. Three have only minor damage but the remaining six sustained substantial damage and will probably only be used for parts:

         Minor damage: A50-17, 29, 14

         Major damage: A50-18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 34."

 Brown & Dureau Ltd was an established aviation agency, which had imported all Australian Lockheed airliners pre-war and the early RAAF orders for Lockheed Hudsons. The company held agencies with a number of overseas aircraft manufacturers as well as a wide range of aviation parts and accessories. B&D set up its own factory in Melbourne to manufacture aero engine spark plugs under licence, hundreds of thousands being delivered to RAAF and USAAF during the war. The company planned to enter the post-war civil aviation field and decided that the RAAF Ryans would be a good starting point. They established the Brown & Dureau Aircraft Service Depot on Belmont Common airfield at Geelong Victoria, to specialise in civil conversions of military disposals aircraft commencing with the Ryans. A variety of types followed, including Fairchild 24s which were fitted with Menasco engines from their Ryan spares stock. Chief Engineer David Bourke gained DCA approval to re-engine several Ryans with 130hp Gipsy Major engines, which were in plentiful supply from Australian wartime engine production.

                 On 28 November 1945 Brown & Dureau wrote to the Department of Civil Aviation, advising that they would be submitting Ryans for issue of civil Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) "at the rate of about one every 10 days commencing this week".  Although that rate was optimistic, they did complete 20 Ryans for the civil market over the next two years.  Among the civil sales, three Ryans were ordered by Far East Flying Training School at Hong Kong fresh from civil conversion. They were shipped from Melbourne with a spare parts package and went into service as civil pilot trainers at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong.

               Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong 1950: two Ryans with a Harvard and Sea Otter.    Hong Kong Historical Aircraft Association

Brown & Dureau later concentrated on civil conversions of former RAAF Avro Ansons before selling their maintenance operation to Chief Engineer David J. Bourke in 1948.  B&D continued aircraft agencies for some years, as well as operating an aerial survey division based at Essendon Airport, Melbourne with a fleet of DH.84, DH.89, DH.90 and Beech C18S.
              Dave Bourke took over the B&D Belmont Common hangars under new names Corio Air Engineers and Corio Air Freighters, operating Ansons.  Bourke’s maintenance arm CAE gained a reputation for high quality Anson civilian conversions but the business was wiped out in 1951 when the Barwon River flooded the airfield. A number of operational Ansons were written off from being submerged in flood waters for days.  Dave Bourke continued to supply Ryan spare parts (including complete fuselages) for Australian civil buyers for well over the next decade. He flew Ansons for Flinders Island Airlines at Moorabbin and later worked as a ground engineer for Airland Improvements at Cootamundra NSW where he built up a Ryan STM from parts as a spare-time project over ten years, using the fuselage c/n 471: it was completed as VH-DBD.

        In their new post-war civilian lives, the Australian Ryan ST-Ms were popular aero club and sports aircraft. By the 1960s the survivors were maintained by the growing vintage aircraft restoration movement, their value later soaring as genuine warbirds, some being restored in their original Netherlands East Indies Navy markings.

                 The Australian Civil Aircraft Register and DCA file paperwork use various presentations for Ryan ST-M2, with and without hyphen or the “2” suffix.  By common usage, Australian civil Ryans are usually referred to simply as “Ryan STM”.

                                                                                Flying the Ryan:

         Ryan owner Jeff Trappett, who flew in the RAAF The Roulettes formation display team, wrote:

               "The STM is a pure delight to fly, the controls are beautifully harmonised (unlike the DHC-1 Chipmunk where harmonisation is not the best, particularly at low speed).  It will fly hands-off for a long time without the need for concentration. It is a superb aerobatic machine (for its time) and is generally 10-15 knots faster than the DHC-1.The Menasco is a very smooth engine. The biggest problem with the Ryan is the ground handling. It is entirely "twitchy" and prone to ground loops."

Australian Ryan STMs presented in order of RAAF serial A50-1 to A50-34:

An additional STM imported in 2013 is listed at the end.

 c/n 473                STM-2                                                                                                                                       S-37, A50-1, VH-AGQ

    Archerfield 1949, Royal Queensland Aero Club's wings emblem on forward fuselage.                                                                  Photo via David Thollar

        A50-2 at Mascot Aerodrome, Sydney in 1942.                                                                                                           John Hopton Collection

    VH-RAE at Cootamundra NSW March 1962, Gipsy Major engine.                                                                                    John Hopton Collection

    John Bange's farm Clifton Qld, October 1969, painted blue, red, yellow, white.                                                                  John Hopton Collection

  Two views of VH-RAE's restoration project being moved from Temora to Romsey Vic in September 2021.                                   Photos by Mal Mather

  Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong, with Far Eastern Flying Training School.                                                                                                         Photo by Charles Eather

  S-58 as N1940R flying in California  in 2017 after a long rebuild by Bob deVries.                                      Photo: Bob deVries via Classic Wings magazine

    Belmont Common airfield, Geelong Vic circa 1947.                                                                                                                    Photo by Bob Fripp

    Parafield July 1951 with Robbys Aircraft Co, metal finish with green trim.                                                                                      Photo by John M. Smith

    Crash scene near Broken Hill 8 June 1952, "ROBBYS" under wing.                                                             Civil Aviation Historical Society

  c/n 483    STM-2                                                                                                                                                    S-47, A50-5, VH-AGR(1)  

                VH-AGR at Bankstown 1950, with Morris Air Service.                                                                                             Photo Howard K. Morris

           Queen's Park, Geelong Vic 25 August 1946.                                                                                                    Photo: Civil Aviation Historical Society

   c/n 450                STM-S2 Floats                                                                                                                                S-14, A50-7, VH-AHF

    S-14 at RAAF Cootamundra in July 1942, still in Netherlands MLD camouflage.                                                              Ben Dannecker collection

    Belmont Common Vic 1947, after overhaul as VH-AHF by Brown & Dureau Ltd.                                                                John Hopton Collection

    An airshow at Bankstown circa 1950, Newcastle Aero Club insignia on the tail.                                                                  John Hopton Collection

    The uncomplicated days. VH-AHF taxying on a street in Ballina NSW 1950.                                                                       John Hopton Collection

                                               1949 Newcastle Aero Club formation.                                                    Bob Neate collection 

           c/n 487             STM-2                                                                                                                                                            S-51, A50-8

              c/n 475           STM-2                                                                                                                                                 S-39, A50-9, VH-AGR(2)

                    VH-AGR at Bankstown 1955 in a new paint scheme, just after rebuild with a new fuselage.                                                                    Photo by Eddie Coates

          c/n 477           STM-2                                                                                                                                                        S-41, A50-10

           c/n 459                STM-2                                                                                                                      S-23, A50-11, VH-AGD, VH-AWG  

    Casino NSW in August 1950, Newcastle Aero Cub wings emblem on tail.                                                                          Roger McDonald collection

    Moorabbin March 1961, painted with temporary advertising.                                                                                    John Hopton Collection

    Mildura Vic September 1962, owner Laurie Smith poses for John Hopton’s camera.                                           

    Mildura Vic, September 1967, just weeks before it was wrecked in a takeoff crash.                                                                           Photo by Geoff Goodall

    Rebuilt as VH-AWG, seen at Melton Vic, March 2010 in accurate Dutch MLD scheme.                                                                    Photo by Phil Vabre

          c/n 463                STM-2                                                                                                                                                                S-27, A50-12

    A50-12 at Schofields NSW in September 1942 while with 452 Squadron.                                                                          Geoff Goodall collection

            c/n 489              STM-2 Floatplane                                                                                                         S-53, A50-13, VH-AGS, ZK-BEM

    VH-AGS in early civil markings.                                                                                                                               John Gallagher collection

    Bankstown 1954, owned by "Wac" Whiteman and named "Rebel II".                                                                                        Ed Coates Collection

    Auckland NZ 1955 as ZK-BEM, Wac Whiteman's name under the front cockpit.                                                               John Hopton Collection

    ZK-BEM some years later in NZ, with worn paintwork.                                                                                                       John Hopton Collection

    ZK-BEM spent many years in storage at Auckland-Ardmore before flying again.                                                                   John Hopton Collection

           c/n 485              STM-2                                                                                                                                                                     S-49, A50-14

           c/n 460               STM-2                                                                                                                                                                       S-24, A50-15

          c/n 486                STM-2                                                                                                                                                                    S-50, A50-16

          c/n 458                STM-S2 Floats                                                                                     S-22, A50-17, VH-AGV, N17343, (N50WR), N17343

    VH-AGV at Rainbow Vic in 1954, with owner Ian Dunn.                                                                                                    Kevin O'Reilly collection

    Bankstown circa 1956 at the KSAS hangar.                                                                                                                     John Hopton Collection

    On a strip near Darwin NT in 1959 while owned Australian Drilling Exploration.                                                                               Neil Follett collection

    Moorabbin 24 May 1966, after a six year restoration, polished metal finish.                                                                                             Photo by Peter Limon

      N17343 at Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma City prior to being shipped to England.                                                                                         Photo: Efrem Cockett

  N17343 flying at Oaksey Park airfield, England, September 2014.                                                                                  Photo courtesy Efram Cockett

         c/n 466                 STM-2                                                                                                               S-30, A50-18, VH-AGR(3), N2617W, N466WA

          Bankstown early 1960s, black and silver.                                                                                                                      John Hopton Collection

     West Maitland NSW November 1968, with advertising on the fuselage.                                                                                 John Hopton Collection 

     VH-AGR at Morwell Vic, New Years Day 1978, just completed restoration.                                                                                                  Photo by Peter Kelly

    N466WA at Brown Field, San Diego CA in 2004.                                                              Photo by Howard Rundberg

          c/n 482                STM-S2 Floats                                                                                                                                     S-46, A50-19, VH-CXR

    Swan Hill Vic in March 1965.                                                                                                                                           John Hopton Collection

    Jerilderie NSW in May 1967, same red paint scheme.                                                                                                                            Photo by Geoff Goodall  

          c/n 491               STM-2 Floats                                                                                                                                                       S-55, A50-20

    A50-20 salvaged from Richmond River, Broadwater NSW, 2 November 1943.                                                                         John Hopton Collection

         c/n 462               STM-2                                                                                                                                                                   S-26, A50-21

            c/n 465              STM-2                                                                                                                                                   S-29, A50-22, VH-AGW

    S-29 in Australia 1942, location unknown, still in Dutch markings.                                                                                         Geoff Goodall collection

    Fishermans Bend Vic 29 May 1948, in standard Brown & Dureau scheme.                                                                                Geoff Goodall collection

    Visiting an airshow at Horsham Vic March 1965 from its owner's farm at Edenhope.                                                                      Photo by Geoff Goodall

    Moorabbin, August 1968 having the Lycoming flat four engine installed.                                                                      John Hopton Collection

    Detail of the Lycoming 0-360A being installed.                                                                                                                   John Hopton Collection

    Lycoming engine, custom-built cowling, front cockpit covered.                                                                                                    John Hopton Collection

    A fine view of VH-AGW, in full display paint scheme.                                                                                                                        John Hopton Collection

    VH-AGW at Moorabbin January 1982, back to original Menasco engine.                                                                                               Photo by Russell Legg

    VH-AGW at Watts Bridge Qld August 2004, restored to Dutch markings.                                                                                                 Photo by Bert van Drunick

          c/n 471               STM-S2 Floatplane                                                                                                         S-35, A50-23, (VH-DJB), VH-DBD

          Long-term restoration project at Cootamundra in February 1967.                                                                      Photo by John Hopton

      VH-DBD at Wagga NSW in September 1974, only months after its restoration.                                                                        Photo by John Hopton

        March 1981, now painted with RAAF roundels and incorrect serial A50-11.                                                                  Geoff Goodall collection

            c/n 453              STM-S2 Floats                                                                                                                                             S-17, A50-24

           c/n 455                STM-S2 Floats                                                                                                                                           S-19, A50-25

           c/n 490              STM-2                                                                                                           S-54, A50-26, (VH-AGX), VR-HDM, N18923

               RAAF Cootamundra 1942, S-54 in Dutch MLD markings.                                                                                              Frank F. Smith collection

    VR-HDM over the Hong Kong New Territories.                                                                                              Photo: Hong Kong Historical Aircraft Association

    Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong, operating with wheel spats removed due muddy surface.                                Photo: Hong Kong Historical Aircraft Association

   VR-HDM at Kai Tak in 1963 in a fascinating group of retired aircraft. Note the Ryan's enlarged windscreens.                                  Photo by Dave Welch

    Kai Tak March 1965, VR-HDM instructional airframe with Cheetah radial.                                                                                  Geoff Goodall collection     

          c/n 454                STM-S2 Floats                                                                                                                     S-18, A50-27, VH-AGU, VH-WEB

    Archerfield Aerodrome, Brisbane 1948.                                                                                                                          Photo by Gus Gruelke

    Now VH-WEB, at Canberra ACT in April 1958, front cockpit covered.                                                                              John Hopton Collection

    Bankstown 1960 with tail painted white.                                                                                                              John Hopton Collection

    VH-WEB crashed during a forced landing near Taree NSW 6 April 1961.                                                                       Photo by Harvey Else

    These fuselage sections appeared outside a hangar at Bankstown in May 1976.                                                                       Photo by Mike Vincent

         c/n 484                   STM-2                                                                                                                                                             S-48, A50-28

         c/n 492                 STM-2                                                                                                             S-56, A50-29, VH-AHC, VH-STM, ZK-ABC

    Bankstown January 1958.                                                                                                                                    Photo by Jeff Atkinson via Nigel Daw collection

    Mackay Qld 1964 with Mackay Flying Club wings emblem on cowling.                                                                                Geoff Goodall collection

                   Bob Livimngstone was on hand when VH-AHC transitted Archerfield Qld in August 1966 on its ferry flight from Mackay to Jerilerie.

    Jerilderie NSW May 1967, polished metal with red registration. Front cockpit cover in place.                                                                                 Photo by Geoff Goodall

          c/n 457                STM-S2 Floats                                                                                    S-21, A50-30, VH-BBJ, VH-BXN, (VH-RUM), N8146

    VH-BXN at Broadmeadow airfield, Newcastle NSW circa 1960.                                                                                                     Photo by Darryl Connell

         c/n 476                STM-2S Floats                                                                                                               S-40, A50-31, VH-AGZ, N288Y, N7779

    Launceston 1953, with front cockpit cover panel fitted.                                                                                                                           Photo by Eddie Coates

                          Barrie Colledge captured this atmospheric photograph of VH-AGZ returning to Moorabbin in the early evening one day in 1960.

    Mildura Vic in September 1962.                                                                                                                         John Hopton Collection

         c/n 481                STM-2                                                                                                                                                       S-45, A50-32, VH-AHA

    Bankstown 1949.                                                                                                                                                  Howard Morris collection

        c/n 461                 STM-2                                                                                                                                                                 S-25, A50-33

         c/n 469                  STM-2                                                                                                                  S-33, A50-34, VH-AHD, VH-AED, VH-AHD

    VH-AHD displayed on a Brown & Dureau float taking part in a Geelong parade 1947.                                                                        Kevin O’Reilly collection

      Bankstown c1950, VH-AHD has a one-off canopy over both cockpits.                                                                                        Ed Coates Collection

       Jerilderie NSW in May 1966, with Indonesian gold eagle motif on fuselage.                                                                     John Hopton Collection

         c/n 452                 STM-S2 Floats                                                      S-16, RAAF, (VH-AGY), VR-HDL, (LN-TAF), LN-TVF, N9761, PH-STM

         VR-HDL at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong.                                                                                                            Photo via Willem Broer  


 

         c/n 474                 STM-2                                                                                                                                  S-38, (RAAF), VH-AHE, VH-RSY

    Bankstown 2000, soon after a complete rebuild as VH-RSY.                                                                                       John Hopton Collection

    VH-RSY at Temora NSW in March 2011, polished metal finish.                                                                                                     Photo by Phil Vabre

          c/n 456              STM-S2 Floats                                                                                                                                                    S-20

  *            *             *            *          *          *          *          *                 *            *               *          *       

RAAF units which operated Ryans 1942-1945:

         c/n 302                 ST-A Special,  "STM-1"                                                                                       FA Guatemalteca, N11D, N302D, VH-RYS

            Jeff Trappett's ex Guatemalan Ryan STM-1 under assembly at Latrobe Valley in April 2016 with his Mustang VH-AGJ parked behind.
                                                                                                                      Photo by Dave Prossor

          VH-RYS assembled at Latrobe Valley.                                                                                                Photo by Brian Turner

   •                          •                                         •                                      •                              •                            •                            •                              •

References:

- Australian Civil Aircraft Register: Department of Civil Aviation and its successors

- DCA aircraft files - National Archives of Australia, Melbourne

- DCA Annual Accident Summary, 1955 to 1970

- RAAF Status Cards and accident reports, RAAF Historical, Dept of Air Canberra

- National Library of Australia - Trove newspaper archive website

- numerous updates from David Prossor's extensive records on Australian vintage and warbird aircraft

- Aircraft in Australia series, Ryan ST-, compiled by John Hopton, early draft 1999

- US Civil Aircraft Register, FAA, printed editions 1963-1972

- US Civil Aircraft News, Midland Counties Publications, Issue 12 1979.

- Australian Air Log, monthly newsletter, 1965-1968

- Ryan ST-A & ST-M2, The Aeroplane in Australia series, John Hopton: preliminary draft

- Ryan, David L. Prossor, Rag and Tube magazine of Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia, May 1978

- Hans de Vries, flying recollections, Aerogram, Journal of the Friends of the RAAF Museum, March 2010 

- Eye-Catching Ryan, Gilles Auliard, Flight Journal, August 2008: report on N8146

- Flight Path magazine, Melbourne: various issues with updates on Ryans

- Classic Wings Downunder magazine, renamed Classic Wings: many continuing references to Ryan restorations

- Classic Wings magazine, Issue 100, June 2016: Downunder Ryan Renaissance

- Rag & Tube, journal of Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia, Ryan references 1977 onwards

- Remember Them - Tragic RAAF Accidents in Gippsland during WWII, Tony Clark, Beaufort Publications, 2018

- The Ryan ST series, Rod Simpsonm, Air Britain Aviation World, Winter 2023 plus feed-back information from Dan Hagerdorn

- correspondence with Robin Nutall, Edenhope Vic owner of Ryan VH-AGW

- correspondence with Matt Denning, Brisbane re Dutch Ryans off-loaded at Brisbane