A16-110
|
|
05DEC41 |
Received
2 AD ex USA. (Source: 6)
|
14DEC41 |
Being
fitted with dual controls but no armament for use by 1 OTU at Bairnsdale.
(Source:
6)
|
02MAR42 |
Bounced
on landing at Sale and undercarriage damaged.
(Source: 6)
|
03JUL42 |
Allotted
1 AD for fitment of Boulton Paul Turret.
(Source: 6)
|
06AUG42 |
Issued
1 OTU ex 1 AD.
(Source: 6)
|
10DEC42 |
One
wing tip damaged in taxying accident.
(Source: 6)
|
26DEC42 |
Attacked
by five Zeros on take-off from Dobodura, New Guinea. Landed and was
again attacked on the ground.
(Source: 6)
|
03JAN43 |
Issued
15 RSU for repairs.
(Source: 6)
|
18AUG43 |
Issued
3 AD ex 15 ARD for completion of repairs.
(Source: 6)
|
30JUL44 |
Issued
1 CU ex 3 AD.
(Source: 6)
|
11NOV44 |
Carried
film of the Melbourne Cup from Essendon to Mascot and Leyburn for
onward despatch to units in New Guinea. (Source: NAA: RAAF Unit History
sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Numbers
1, 2 and 3 Communication Unit Feb 40 - Feb 46, Series number A9186)
|
10APR45 |
Received
2 AD ex 1 CU.
(Source: 6)
|
15JUL45 |
Received
1 OTU ex 2 AD.
(Source: 6)
|
29NOV45 |
Allotted
2 AD Storage ex 1 OTU.
(Source: 6)
|
03DEC45 |
Allotment
to storage suspended. Aircraft to conduct bush fire patrols by 1 OTU
until 31MAR46 then proceed to storage.
(Source: 6)
|
05MAR46 |
Received
2 AD Storage ex 1 OTU.
(Source: 6)
|
01APR47 |
Sold
to V.J. Madsen, Sydney for £1,500.
(Source: 6)
|
02JUN47 |
Application
for CofA by Vernard James Madsen, Leichhardt, NSW. Application specifies
2 pilots plus 15 passengers. (Source: 5)
|
05JUN47 |
Issued
to purchaser.
(Source: 6)
|
VH-JCM
|
|
11AUG47 |
V.J.
Madsen requests DCA to reserve VH-JCM for Hudson A16-110. (Source:
5)
|
13AUG47 |
Registration
VH-JCM approved. (Source: 5)
|
23OCT47 |
Registration
application from Vernard James Madsen trading as Curtis-Madsen Aircrafts
Pty Ltd, Sydney. (Source: 5)
CMA operated from Hangar 17 at Bankstown (next to the Marshall Airways
hangar). (Source: 4)
|
|
Refer:
Hudson
Civil Conversions
|
NOV47 |
Test
flown by Ted Gabriel and Mac Twemlow. (Source: 4)
|
02DEC47 |
CofR
#1431 and CofA #1347 issued for VH-JCM. (Source:
5)
|
02DEC47 |
Departed
Sydney for Athens under charter to European Air Transport. (The conversion
of EAT's first Hudson was still underway.) The aircraft was commanded
by Captain F.M. 'Mac' Twemlow and Ted Gabriel. The aircraft was named
Kythira. (Source: 4)
|
11FEB48 |
Arrived
in Sydney from Athens under charter to European Air Transport with
13 Greek immigrants plus 3 crew. Commanded by Captain Frank M. Twemlow
(Source: 4)
|
19MAR48 |
Departed
Sydney for Athens under charter to European Air Transport to bring
migrants to Australia. The aircraft was commanded by Captain Burdus.
(Source: 2)
|
13MAY48 |
Arrived
Sydney from Athens with 13 Greek immigrants plus 1 Australian. Commanded
by Captain W. Burdus. (Source: 2)
|
17DEC48 |
V.J.
Madsen has held an Airline licence since this date. Aircraft class
to be changed from Class 3 (Charter) to Class 4 (Airline) (Source:
5)
|
14JAN49 |
Curtis
Madsen Airlines Pty Ltd commenced airline services from Sydney to
Cootamundra and Temora. The aircraft arrived at Cootamundra at 1026
hours. Captain was Jim Madsen and co-pilot was Jack Curtis. (Source:
4)
|
18JAN49 |
Because
of continuing bad weather which had grounded its Anson aircraft, East-West
Airlines chartered the aircraft to operate two return services from
Sydney to Tamworth to shift the backlog of passengers and freight.
(Source: 3)
|
23DEC49 |
Ownership
transferred to John David Curtis, Glebe, NSW. (Source: 5)
|
20NOV50 |
Change
of ownership to East-West Airlines Ltd., Tamworth, NSW (Source: 5)
|
VH-EWE
|
|
01DEC50 |
East-West
Airlines requests change of registration from VH-JCM to VH-EWE. (Source:
5)
|
20DEC50 |
Registration
change approved. (Source: 5)
|
21DEC50 |
Converted
to a freighter with seating for 2 crew and nil passengers. (Source:
5)
|
12MAY51 |
At
the opening of Gunnedah Airport, the aircraft was named Namoi
City. During its East-West service, the cabin door was widened
to accommodate a standard wool bale and a window was added to the
door. (Source: 3)
|
16JUL51 |
CofA
amended to show aircraft as a freighter or 16 passenger airliner.
(Source: 5)
|
10APR52 |
Total
Time: 3019 hours. Time since last overhaul: 925 hours 53 minutes.
(Source: 5)
|
14APR53 |
Total
Time: 4075 hours. Time since last overhaul: 1056 hours. (Source: 5)
|
26AUG53 |
Ownership
transferred to South Coast Airways Pty Ltd (by this time an East-West
subsidiary). Aircraft still registered to East-West.
|
08APR54 |
Total
Time: 5215 hours. Time since last overhaul: 1148 hours (CofA). (Source:
5)
|
06APR55 |
Total
Time: 6595 hours. Time since last overhaul: 1380 hours. (Source: 5)
|
22AUG55 |
Operated
the inaugural East-West service from Tamworth to Newcastle. (Source:
3)
|
19MAR56 |
Total
Time: 7289.47 hours. Time since last overhaul: 641.49 hours. (Source:
5)
|
12JUN56 |
Letter
from EWA stating that aircraft "-EWE has been withdrawn from
Airline Operations with this Co. and is for disposal, we are desirous
of retaining our regn. VH-EWE. Could you arrange to have another registration
other than the -EW Block allotted to this aircraft." (Source:
5)
|
VH-BPT
|
|
18JUN56 |
Letter
from DCA stating that VH-BPT has been allocated. (Source: 5)
|
|
Coincidentally,
the abbreviation "BPT" was often used on RAAF Hudson status
cards to denote the fitment of the Boulton Paul Turret.
|
26JUN56 |
CofR
and CofA re-issued as VH-BPT. (Source: 5)
|
13AUG56 |
Request
to operate as a freighter for carriage of freight in the flood bound
NW of NSW. (Source: 5)
|
14AUG56 |
"Aircraft
stripped of chairs, curtains and carpets for use as a freighter."
(Source: 5)
|
20AUG56 |
"Aircraft
back to its original state." (2 Pilots, 1 Hostess, 16 Passengers)
(Source: 5)
|
12SEP56 |
Commenced
a three day airlift of 112 bales of wool from flood bound "Swanley"
about 80 km NE of Moree, NSW. (Source: 3)
|
08FEB57 |
"Aircraft
has been out of regular service for past year and is being re-introduced
as standby aircraft for emergency use only." (Source: 5)
|
01MAR57 |
Commenced
rainmaking operations over the Snowy Mountains area under contract
to the CSIRO. Based at Wagga for approximately 2 years on this operation.
Fitted with silver iodide burners under each wingtip. (Source: 3)
|
26APR57 |
"Aircraft
has been converted for cloud seeding operations, by installation of
four (4) tanks in the bomb bay and burners installed on each wing
tip. A control panel for operating this equipment is installed in
front left hand corner of cabin. Drift recorder fitted through floor
and skin at left rear cabin to CSIRO drawings and EWA Drawings 62,
63 & 64." (2 Pilots, 1 Hostess, 9 Passengers, 1 Drift Recorder).
(Source: 5)
|
30APR57 |
Total
Time: 7463.41 hours. Time since last overhaul: 173.54 hours. (Source:
5)
|
28NOV57 |
Aircraft
is operating in the Snowy Mountains area. (Source: 5)
|
VH-EWR
|
|
21MAR58 |
Re-registered
VH-EWR and continued rain-making operations in full East-West livery
with additional titles "Special Projects Division".
|
23APR58 |
Total
Time: 7724.42 hours. Time since last overhaul: 261.01 hours. (Source:
5)
|
28APR58 |
One
passenger seat removed from port side (Position 5) to allow for installation
of camera mount mounting bracket. (Source: 5)
|
06APR59 |
Total
Time: 7976.58 hours. Time since last overhaul: 252.16 hours. (Source:
5)
|
08APR60 |
Total
Time: 8206.49 hours. Time since last overhaul: 226.16 hours. (Source:
5)
|
23JUN60 |
Withdrawn
from service and stored at Tamworth.
|
07APR61 |
Retrospectively
struck off Register on this date with CofA expiry in light of subsequent
late advice from EWA on 11APR61 that they do not intend to renew the
CofA.
|
11APR61 |
Letter
from EWA stating that "we do not intend to renew the CofA for
the above aircraft and also wish to have the CofR cancelled."
(Source: 5)
|
31MAR62 |
East-West
board resolved to wind up South Coast Airways and re-purchase two
Hudsons. (Source: 3)
|
02APR62 |
Application
for CofR and CofA by East-West Airlines Ltd., Tamworth, NSW. (Source:
5)
|
12APR62 |
Returned
to Register as VH-EWR. CofR #4101, CofA #4101. Seating 2 Pilots, 1
Hostess, 4 Passengers, 1 CSIRO operator. (Source: 5)
|
15APR62 |
Total
Time: 8244.19 hours. Time since last overhaul: 37.30 hours. (Source:
5)
|
17APR62 |
Arrived
at Essendon to begin a rain-making contract for the Victorian Government.
(Source: 3)
|
28APR62 |
Operated
first rain-making flight from Essendon under the command of F.C. Braund.
|
31MAY62 |
Returned
to Tamworth from Essendon. (Source: 3)
|
10AUG62 |
Letter
to DCA from Australian Aircraft Sales Pty Ltd stating that they have
purchased the aircraft from East-West and requesting transfer of certificate
to Sepal Pty Ltd, c/- Adastra Airways, Mascot who are now the sole
proprietors of the aircraft. (Source: 5)
|
VH-AGE
|
|
10AUG62 |
Change
of ownership to Sepal Pty Ltd (an Adastra company). (Source: 5)
Re-registered VH-AGE on this date.
|
20AUG62 |
Application
for CofR by Sepal Pty Ltd, Mascot, requesting registration VH-AGE.
(Source: 5)
|
21AUG62 |
Letter
from East-West to DCA confirming the sale and requesting retention
of the registration VH-EWR. (Source: 5)
|
24AUG62 |
Letter
from Adastra to DCA requesting renewal of CofA for 12 months from
date of purchase. Aircraft has flown only 57 hours 50 minutes since
renewal of CofA on 06APR62.
|
10SEP62 |
Total
Time: 8302.40 hours. Time since last overhaul: 58.20 hours. (Source:
5)
|
17SEP62 |
The
request for CofA renewal was approved on this date and the CofA renewed
from 14SEP62. (Source: 5)
The aircraft was converted for mineral survey work with a magnetometer
"bird" mounted externally in a cradle on the bomb bay doors. Operated
initially in natural metal with white top and Adastra titles but later
painted in Adastra's green livery. The
aircraft initially entered service with the only nose glazing being
a transparent nose cone. A single nose window in the top forward position
was added later.
|
24SEP62 |
Commenced
an aeromagnetic survey of the Bollon district in Qld. VH-AGE was joined
by VH-AGS on 16OCT62. Report
|
21DEC62 |
The
Bollon survey was completed.
|
26APR63 |
Aircraft
re-weighed following installation of P&W 1830-90B engines and
provision for cameras etc. (Source: 5)
|
03MAY63 |
Test
flight Sydney-Bankstown-Camden-Sydney after installation of R-1830-90B
engines. (Source: 5)
|
19AUG63 |
Aircraft
operating out of Darwin, NT. (Source: 5)
|
14APR64 |
Total
Time: 9004.40 hours. Time since last overhaul: 762.08 hours. (Source:
5)
|
25SEP64 |
Aircraft
fitted with Doppler and Magnetometer equipment. (Source: 5)
It is believed that VH-AGE was test flown around this time with a
magnetometer boom installed between the fins (similar to VH-AGS in
late 1962). Although Ted McKenzie cannot recall if the magnetometer
being tested at this time was a boom or a towed bird, correspondence
in DCA files suggests that it was a boom. As both were fitted simultaneously
to VH-AGS this is also a possibility with VH-AGE. By January 1965
VH-AGE was fitted only with a towed bird. For more information about
the magnetometer boom installation see here.
|
26SEP64 |
Magnetometer
and Doppler test flight (55 mins) by Ted McKenzie. (Source: Ted McKenzie's
log book)
|
27SEP64 |
Magnetometer
and Doppler test flight (40 mins) by Ted McKenzie. (Source: Ted McKenzie's
log book)
|
28SEP64 |
Magnetometer
test flight (30 mins) by Ted McKenzie. (Source: Ted McKenzie's log
book)
|
29SEP64 |
Magnetometer
test flight (1 hr 5 mins) by Ted McKenzie. (Source: Ted McKenzie's
log book)
|
02OCT64 |
Test
flight after fitment of Boom Support Modification. (Source: 5)
Magnetometer test flight (45 mins) by Ted McKenzie. (Source: Ted McKenzie's
log book)
|
03OCT64 |
Magnetometer
test flight (30 mins) by Ted McKenzie. (Source: Ted McKenzie's log
book)
|
05OCT64 |
Magnetometer
test flight (2 hrs 15 mins) by Ted McKenzie. (Source: Ted McKenzie's
log book)
|
16OCT64 |
Test
flight after fitment of Doppler equipment. (Source: 5)
|
JAN65 |
Ted
McKenzie flew aeromagnetic surveys out of Maralinga at which time
the only magnetometer fitted to the aircraft was a towed bird. (Source:
Ted McKenzie's log book)
|
28MAR65 |
While
operating on photo survey in NW of South Australia, VH-AGE located
the Wackett VH-BEC which had been missing since 14JAN62. See The
Missing Wackett Vol 1 and
The
Missing Wackett Vol 2
|
12APR65 |
Aircraft
based at Oodnadatta. (Source: 5)
|
17MAY65 |
Total
Time: 9651.40 hours. Time since last overhaul: 647 hours. (Source:
5)
|
03JUN65 |
Test
flight after fitment of French Oil Search equipment (winch bird and
cradle). (Source: 5)
|
30JUN65
|
Operated
an aeromagnetic survey of the Bonaparte Gulf and Timor Sea on behalf
of Compagnie Générale de Géophysique (CGG) and ARCO. The survey concluded
on 11NOV65. The Bonaparte Gulf/Timor
Sea Survey
|
24SEP66 |
Crashed
at Tennant Creek killing Captain Kenneth Rowlands plus four crew
plus a boy passenger.
The following is extracted from "Aviation Safety Digest" No 51 of
July 1967:
"The aircraft was owned and operated by an aerial survey company,
and at the time of the accident, was returning from a magnetometer
survey flight in an area about 120 miles southeast of Tennant Creek.
The aircraft had been carrying out survey flights from Tennant Creek
for several weeks. Before departing on the morning of the accident,
the captain of the aircraft submitted a flight plan which showed
that the aircraft would he operating in the survey area for 200
minutes. The flight was to be carried out below 5,000 feet and the
aircraft's endurance was 400 minutes. The flight plan nominated
a SARTIME of 0300 hours G.M.T., 1230 hours local time. For survey
flights of this nature, the usual complement of the aircraft was
pilot-in-command, survey navigator and magnetometer operator, but
on this particular flight, three additional persons were being carried.
A second pilot, who had recently been endorsed on the aircraft,
was observing the operation to gain experience in survey work, a
Doppler equipment technician was travelling on the aircraft to check
the operation of the equipment in the air, and an eleven year old
boy was being carried as a passenger at the invitation of the pilot-in-command.
After a daily inspection had been completed, the aircraft departed
from Tennant Creek at 0630 hours local time and reached the survey
area an hour later. The aircraft commenced survey operations, but
at 0750 hours the Doppler equipment became unserviceable, and at
0800 hours, after light rain had been encountered the survey work
had to be abandoned. Ten minutes later, the aircraft advised Tennant
Creek that it was returning and that its estimated time of arrival
was 0910 hours. At 0907 hours, the aircraft reported 10 miles south
of Tennant Creek and the aerodrome weather was passed to the aircraft.
At 0914 hours, the aircraft reported that it was in the circuit
area and requested the present wind velocity. The Flight Service
Officer advised the aircraft that the wind was 070 degrees at 14
knots, and the aircraft acknowledged the transmission. The aircraft
did not call again and although the Flight Service Officer knew
it had not landed, he also knew that on several previous occasions
when the aircraft had returned with unserviceable equipment, the
crew had carried out lengthy equipment checks before landing. At
0952 hours however, the aerodrome refuelling agent walked into the
Flight Service Office and asked what had become of the Hudson, mentioning
that he had seen it in the circuit more than half an hour before
with the undercarriage down. The refuelling agent said the aircraft
had been to the north of the airport, heading west with the undercarriage
lowered, as though on a downwind leg for a landing on runway 07.
The aircraft's SARTIME was not due to expire for more than two and
a half hours, but the Flight Service Officer, disturbed at the refuelling
agent's information, immediately began calling the aircraft and
when it failed to reply, declared the Uncertainty Phase. Further
attempts were then made to contact the aircraft from both Tennant
Creek and adjacent Flight Service Units, but without success. At
1014 hours, the Alert Phase was declared and attempts were made
to obtain aircraft sighting reports from the surrounding area. The
airport area was checked from the ground and the pilot of a Cessna
aircraft based at Tennant Creek, was requested to carry out an aerial
search of the surrounding area. At 1043 hours, the Distress Phase
was introduced. Some ten minutes later, the pilot of the Cessna
sighted the wreckage of the Hudson two miles west of the threshold
of runway 07."
Those on board the aircraft were:
Kenneth Rowlands (Captain)
Robert Rowston (Co-pilot)
David von Ploennies (Navigator)
Leslie Sheffield (Electronics Engineer)
James Moles (Technician)
Marvyn Matthews (11 years, Passenger)
|
|
|
|
There
is a persistent story that Hudson VH-AGE was engaged by DCA to take
aerial photographs of the crash site of Viscount VH-RMI near Winton,
Qld. in September 1966. Macarthur Job, who was involved in the investigation
of the Viscount crash as well as the subsequent investigation of
the crash of Hudson VH-AGE, has no knowledge of this. Certainly,
no such photographs feature in the report into the Viscount crash.
Furthermore, he is adamant that such photographs would not have
been required anyway, as the Viscount wreckage was confined to a
surprisingly small area, despite the fact that it had broken up
in flight. In all probability, what happened was exactly as recalled
in June 2006 by Trevor Sheffield whose father Les had rung the family
home on the night of 22 September 1966 to advise that he was not
on the Viscount as had been previously planned and that "they
had flown over the site of the crash and photographed it".
It is surmised that the normal operations of VH-AGE from its Tennant
Creek base had taken it close enough to Winton such that an unofficial
diversion was feasible. In all probability, VH-AGE would not have
been fitted with a survey camera, as it was engaged in aeromagnetic
work at the time. Therefore, any photos that were taken would have
been taken with personal cameras belonging to the crew or at best
with the 35mm tracking camera used in conjunction with aeromagnetic
work. In either case, it is reasonable to assume that such photos,
being unofficial in nature, would have perished with the Hudson
two days later. As aeromagnetic work is usually conducted at lower
altitudes, the over-flying Hudson would have been conspicuous to
anyone at the Viscount crash site and any one of these persons could
have been the source of the persistent story that the Hudson had
"surveyed" the Viscount crash site. Ironically, Harold
Bagot, an Adastra employee, was amongst the passengers on Viscount
VH-RMI.
UPDATE February 2009:
Ian Leslie advises that he went to Winton with the Viscount VH-RMI
investigation team arriving there on 23 September 1966, the day
after the accident. He was to have led the operations group but
the next day he was despatched to Tennant Creek to lead the investigation
of the VH-AGE accident. He confirms that Hudson VH-AGE had not
been engaged by DCA to photograph the Viscount crash site.
Wal
Bowles, who had earlier flown Hudsons with Adastra, was an Inspector
of Air Safety with the NSW Region of DCA at the time VH-AGE crashed.
He recalls: "From memory, AGE was the first aircraft accident
I was called upon to help investigate and, being an aircraft with
which I had been familiar, it was being thrown in at the deep end
for me in the aircraft accident investigation scene, however I did
learn much from Ian Leslie, who was probably the most experienced
aircraft accident investigator at the time." Wal also has no
knowledge of VH-AGE having been used to photograph the Viscount
crash site so it would appear that this story has finally been laid
to rest.
|
24SEP66 |
Struck
off Register. (Source: 5)
|
24SEP16 |
A
memorial was unveiled at the Tennant Creek Airport on the 50th anniversary
of the crash.
|