AUSTRALIAN VINTAGE & VETERAN - 1970s

A selection of my photographs of the older types still flying during that decade

Avro Avian VH-UQE visited Berwick, Vic in February 1975 from its home at Mount Gambier SA. 
It was built in 1931 as an Avro 616 Sports Avian G-ABLF, sold to Australia as VH-UVX and retired in 1942.
In 1959, its fuselage and parts were used during a rebuild of Avian IVM VH-UQE and adopted that identity.
Later, after an accident in 1982, this Avian was rebuilt and reverted to registration VH-UVX

The airshow at Berwick that weekend in February 1975 was to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first flight of the DH.60 Moth.
For the occasion, Joe Drage flew his DH.60M VH-ULM down from Wodonga Vic

At the same Berwick airshow, the Moorabbin Air Museum displayed their static DH.60M VH-UKV Diana

Australian-built DH.84 Dragon VH-AON Puff was flown from the Drage Historic Aircraft Collection at Wondonga Vic
to the Berwick airshow by pilot Mac Job. It heads a line-up with two DH.89 Rapides recently imported from NZ

The only other airworthy Dragon at that time was VH-AML based in WA. It is seen at Geraldton WA in October 1974 taking part
in the annual Air Trial, this year a three day event from Perth to Exmouth. Aircraft painted dark green, pilot was Nev Hyder

DH.60G Gipsy Moth VH-UAO takes off from Langley Park at Perth city in August 1970, flown by owner George Aylemore.
It was part of a commemoration of Australia's first airline, Western Australian Airways, which built a hangar at this park in 1921
for its six Bristol Tourers. The company was awarded an airmail route up the long WA coastline to Derby in the north, but
Government protection of the railways forced WAA to use Geraldton as a southern terminus, instead of Perth

 During 1974 DH.60G VH-UAO lived on a farm at Peringellup WA, along with Tiger Moth VH-CKI.
The pair were kindly rolled out for photographs ahead of an approaching storm in February 1974

DH.85 Leopard Moth VH-UUE having its Gipsy Major run up at Townsville Qld by its owner Harry Taylor in June 1975

Keith Hatfield's Leopard Moth VH-UUL was a long time resident at Berwick Vic, seen there in February 1975

DH.89 Rapide VH-BGP at Berwick Vic in February 1975. flown by owner Bill Waterton.
Purchased in New Zealand as ZK-BCP, it had completed its ferry flight across the Tasman Sea only the previous month

Idyllic de Havilland scene at a private fly-on at the Bunn brothers' farm Boxwood Park, Bungowannah NSW in May 1973.
Sheds on the farm housed five Tiger Moths, either under rebuild or stored wrecks

An early 1950s French all-wood design, the Druine D.5 Turbi was basically an enlarged two-seater Turbulent.
Turbi VH-CPD was completed in Perth in 1977.  Seen at Serpentine WA in March 1979, flown by owner Alan Mitchell

Fairchild 24W Argus VH-ALF at Lithgow NSW in May 1973. Blue and white

The same Fairchild, four years later after a complete rebuild in Melbourne by Jim Williams.
Photographed at a farm near Bendigo Vic in July 1977, where Jim was inspecting Cessna C34 VH-KWM stored in a shed

General Aircraft Company built a variety of Genairco designs at Mascot NSW from 1929.
Genairco VH-UOD owned by Oscar Roche at Tottenham NSW was found stored in a shed in the town in May 1975

Another Genairco VH-UOG at the Drage Historic Aircraft Collection at Wodonga Vic in May 1973.
The enlarged front cockpit seated two passengers

1937 Lockheed 12A VH-ASV at West Maitland NSW in October 1974, while taking a group of Lockheed enthusiasts on a day's 
flying from Sydney.  Captain Bill Pike and copilot Kevin Willoughby run up the P&W R-985 Wasp Juniors for this photo opportunity

The distinctive Lockheed twin tails as seen from a passenger's window in VH-ASV

Another twin tailplane design of the era was the wonderful Beech 18 series. Nearly 9,000 were built between 1937-1969.
Seen at Berwick Vic in February 1975 is VH-FID, a postwar civil production Beech D18S

Built in January 1949, this Piper PA-11S Cub Special was a floatplane in Fiji and Australia for many years before being rebuilt
with standard undercarriage. Photographed at Mackay Qld in April 1978

Percival Proctor Mk.3 VH-BXQ was one of the last Proctors flying in Australia when it visited a fly-in at Beaufort Vic
in November 1970.  It had just been repainted in an attractive maroon and silver scheme

1936 Stinson SR8C Reliant VH-CWM at Jandakot Airport, Perth on 15 March 1970 the day it arrived on delivery to a Perth owner.
The eventful 5 day ferry flight from Tasmania by pilot Ron Tutt included fabric on the cabin roof tearing off while crossing Bass Strait

The Reliant at Northam WA in October 1976 on its last WA outing. A few days Ron Tutt departed Jandakot on delivery
back across Australia on sale to the Drage Historic Aircraft Collection at Wodonga Vic.


Stinson L-5 Sentinel VH-BFR arrives at Berwick Vic in February 1975, after crossing Bass Strait from Tasmania.
This was one of four L-5s from USAAF disposals in Philippines carried to Sydney on board disposals C-47s in December 1946
This 1950 model Cessna 170A flew in USA and South Africa before coming to Australia in 1957.
Seen at Yelbeni WA in November 1971, flown by owner Allan Mather of Kellerberrin WA

The neat lines of the Cessna 170 series are evident in this air to air sortie at Yelbeni

A small number of radial engfned Cessna 190 & 195 models were imported during the 1950s, mostly for use in New Guinea.
This former Ansett-MAL Cesssna 190 VH-BVD was visiting Berwick in February 1975 from its home on Flinders Island

By 1980 the only DC-3s in scheduled passenger service were those of Connair at Darwin NT and Bush Pilots Airways at Cairns Qld.
Here Connair's VH-UPQ loads passengers at Kununurra WA in October 1975

Bush Pilots Airways' dedicated freighter DC-3 VH-MAL departs Cairns, Far North Queensland in April 1978

Back to the Photographs Menu