Adastra never
owned or operated Mosquitoes but this was apparently not for the
want of trying. On 5 March 1956, Adastra's Managing Director,
H. T. "Bunny" Hammond, wrote to the Regional Director
of Civil Aviation (NSW) to enquire if the Department's attitude
to the acceptability of Mosquito aircraft had changed since September
1953, "at which time we had offered to us, several Mosquito
type aircraft, for use on aerial photographic survey." Adastra
had rejected this offer based on Departmental advice that their
policy was that no Certificate of Airworthiness would be issued
for any type of ex-service aircraft. The correspondence noted
that a temporary approval had been granted to "Mr. Oates
who flew a Mosquito in the London to Christchurch race."
It is not known how many Mosquitoes had been "offered"
to Adastra in 1953 or if indeed the "offer" was instigated
by an expression of interest on Adastra's part. It is possible
that Adastra had itself explored the availability of Mosquitoes
through normal disposals channels. At this time Adastra was transitioning
from Ansons to Hudsons so the Mosquito could have been one of
several types under evaluation. What is reasonably certain however,
is that Adastra's renewed interest in Mosquitoes in 1956 would
have resulted from an offer of two Mosquitoes from another established
aerial survey operator who had flown the type since 1954.
In early 1954, the U.S. Army Map Service awarded a high altitude
(36,000 feet) aerial photography contract to a joint venture between
Aero Service Corporation of Philadelphia and Fairchild Aerial
Surveys Inc. of California. This joint venture company was known
as World Wide Aerial Surveys Inc. The contract called for coverage
of previously unmapped areas of Sarawak and Sabah, Borneo. It
transpired that WWAS had neither the aircraft nor the pilots to
perform this contract. Accordingly, WWAS sought the advice of
Sydney based aircraft parts dealer, Sepal,
headed by Morry Lawrence with whom Aero Service and Fairchild
had previous business dealings. His advice was that WWAS should
examine a number of RAAF Mosquito P.R. Mk 41 which were awaiting
disposal after having been withdrawn from service the previous
year. These aircraft had served with No 87 (Photo Reconnaissance)
Squadron so they were ideal for the proposed operation.
WWAS identified two aircraft (A52-306 and A52-313) as being most
suitable and in May 1954, these were duly purchased, along with
a quantity of engines and spares. The first aircraft, A52-306,
was ferried from Amberley to Mascot on 17 May 1954 by Max Garroway
and Aero Service Operations Manager, Joe Mullen. On 22 May, Max
Garroway ferried the second aircraft, A52-313, from Tocumwal to
Mascot. By this time, A52-306 had been placed on the U.S. Register
as N1596V and within days A52-313 had become N1597V. At this time,
Max Garroway was still serving in the RAAF but he resigned his
commission when offered a job by Joe Mullen.
After survey modifications and test flying at Mascot, the two
Mosquitoes positioned to Labuan to commence the contract in June
1954. Because of unfavourable weather conditions, very little
flying was achieved and the survey was abandoned in mid September.
The two Mosquitoes were ferried via Darwin to Camden where they
were stored pending further work.
In late 1954, Max Garroway test flew both Mosquitoes at Camden.
(Max Garroway later advised that N1596V never flew again after
this test flight.) By this time, Morry Lawrence and Sepal were
Australian agents for WWAS and he began pursuing photo survey
work. In the meantime, Aero Service were awarded a WAPET contract
to fly an aeromagnetic survey in the Broome area and N1597V was
reconfigured for this purpose, operating under the Sepal aerial
work licence. Despite its wooden construction, the bonding of
the Mosquito airframe was not entirely suited to aeromagnetic
work and this required considerable work to minimise "noise".
What was most unusual about the Mosquito was that its wooden airframe
allowed the magnetometer sensors to be located within the fuselage,
thus eliminating the need for a stinger or a towed bird. Max Garroway
positioned N1597V from Camden to Broome on 21 May 1955. The survey,
which was conducted at an altitude of 2,000 feet and a speed of
275 knots, took 90 flights to complete. At the end of the contract,
N1597V departed Broome on 3 September 1955 to be stored again
at Camden.
In March 1956, Adastra approached the Department of Civil Aviation
to ascertain if their policy towards the Mosquito had changed
since Adastra first expressed interest in the aircraft in 1953.
By this time, Adastra was well established as a Hudson operator
with four of the type in service so their renewed interest in
the Mosquito is difficult to understand, unless the two WWAS Mosquitoes
had been offered to them at a "giveaway" price. The
last RAAF Mosquitoes had been withdrawn from service by late 1953
so it is unlikely that the aircraft on offer to Adastra could
have been anything but the two WWAS Mosquitoes. In any case, DCA's
less than encouraging response would appear to have put paid to
Adastra's final flirtation with de Havilland's "Rhapsody
in Glue".
N1597V did not fly again until July 1956, by which time DCA's
patience with the ongoing operation of Mosquitoes was becoming
strained. A compromise resulted in WWAS being permitted to operate
the Mosquito on aerial surveys at 25,000 feet provided that the
aircraft were placed on the Australian Register and scrapped after
twelve months.
In July 1956, both Mosquitoes were sold to World Wide Aerial Surveys
(Aust) Pty Ltd who, later the same month, sold them to Sepal Pty
Ltd. On 24 July 1956, Sepal applied to DCA to register N1596V
as VH-WWS. From the outset, the Department of Civil Aviation had
major concerns over the provision of an adequate emergency exit
for the camera operator who was to be located in the rear fuselage.
On 9 August 1956, Sepal advised the Department that Bell Aero
Design had been engaged as stress and design engineers and that
Sepal had adopted the following policies:
1.
|
All
crew members to wear parachutes, pilot wearing seat type and
navigator and cameraman chest type. |
2.
|
Crew
advised that in the event of a belly landing being inevitable,
they are to abandon the aircraft. |
3.
|
The
dinghy stowage position to be modified as a quick release
emergency exit with operating handles both internally and
externally positioned. |
4.
|
Cameraman
to have own oxygen supply plus emergency bail-out bottle. |
5.
|
Cameraman
to have two separate intercommunication systems with pilot
plus an emergency switch, which when operated, lights a red
light on the pilot's instrument panel. |
6.
|
Operators
seat to be equipped with an Aerolux (Harley) type seat belt. |
7.
|
Both
entrance doors to have quick release mechanism operative both
internally and externally. |
On 16 October 1956, the aircraft was issued with a (two day) permit
to fly as VH-WWS, however it wasn't until 2 November that it was
officially entered on the Australian Register.
Survey operations had resumed in August 1956 when N1597V began
a government contract based out of Tamworth. This contract was
completed on 29 October and the aircraft returned to Camden the
following day. Around this time, Max Garroway left WWAS to join
Adastra.
After a series of test flights in December 1956, VH-WWS entered
service in January 1957 on a survey in the Orange district. This
contract lasted until the end of January when the aircraft returned
to Camden.
In February 1957, Ken Rowlands left WWAS to join Adastra, followed
soon after by Kevin Pavlich. Others to leave WWAS for Adastra
included Les Taylor and Bruce Gregory.
In July 1957, the Department of Civil Aviation advised Sepal that
the Certificate of Airworthiness for VH-WWS would be extended
until 1 September 1957 but on 20 August, Morry Lawrence advised
DCA that VH-WWS had been permanently withdrawn from service. Not
long after, both Mosquitoes were stripped of useful components
and burned at Camden. When later asked why he burned the aircraft,
Morry responded to the effect that he had promised DCA that he
would do so, although he was clearly unhappy with this requirement.
The resultant funeral pyre marked the end of Mosquito operations
in Australia.
CHRONOLOGY
OF AUSTRALIAN SURVEY MOSQUITOES
|
Date
|
Remarks
|
6V
|
7V
|
17MAY54
|
A52-306
was ferried from Amberley to Mascot by Max Garroway and Aero
Service Operations Manager, Joe Mullen. (Source: 1) |
|
|
22MAY54
|
Max
Garroway ferried A52-313, from Tocumwal to Mascot. (Source:
1) |
|
|
54
|
A52-306
was registered N1596V. |
|
|
54
|
A52-313
was registered N1597V. |
|
|
JUN54
|
N1596V
flown by Bruce McKenzie and Tony Maurer departed Sydney for
Labuan via Cloncurry and Darwin. The aircraft was impounded
at Surabaya and the crew imprisoned. They were released after
several days. (Source: 1) |
P
|
|
12JUN54
|
N1597V
flown by Max Garroway and Joe Mullen departed Sydney for Labuan
via Cloncurry and Darwin. The radio transmitter failed out
of Sydney. Unable to locate Cloncurry, the aircraft landed
at Lake Nash, 150 km to the west of Cloncurry. Jacking pads
had been stowed adjacent to the compass which led the crew
off course. Unable to have the radio repaired in Cloncurry,
the crew continued to Darwin. (Source: 1) |
|
P
|
21SEP54
|
N1596V
and N1597V were ferried to Darwin via Sorong after the Borneo
survey was abandoned. (Source: 1) |
P
|
P
|
late
54
|
Both
Mosquitoes were test flown at Camden by Max Garroway who later
stated that N1596V did not fly again after this test flight.
(Source: 1)
Note: The weight of evidence suggests that N1596V did fly
again as VH-WWS. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
21MAY55
|
N1597V
departed Camden for Broome flown by Max Garroway. (Source:
1) |
|
M
|
08JUL55
|
N1597V
suffered a failure of the starboard engine over the desert
but returned to Broome where Max Garroway decided to jettison
the two drop tanks which were full of fuel. The starboard
tank failed to release and the aircraft was landed with some
difficulty. (Source: 1) |
|
M
|
03SEP55
|
N1597V
departed Broome for Camden where it was stored. (Source: 1) |
|
M
|
|
|
|
|
03FEB56
|
Application
for CofA and CofR by Sepal Pty Ltd for Mosquito formerly N1596V,
A52-306 (MN297) (Source: 2)
MN297 is believed to be a fuselage number. |
|
|
05MAR56
|
Adastra
wrote to DCA to enquire if the Department's policy relating
to Mosquito aircraft had changed. (Source: 3) |
|
|
22MAR56
|
Regional
Director DCA NSW wrote to Adastra: "The Director General has
ruled that he is not prepared to accept Mosquito Aircraft
on to the civil register for ordinary Charter purposes. Applications
for the certification of Mosquitoes will only be considered
for very specialised purposes for which the Mosquito may have
unique possibilities, e.g. high altitude aerial survey." (Source:
3) |
|
|
21JUN56
|
Director
General of Civil Aviation wrote to Adastra: "Referring to
your letter regarding Mosquito aircraft the following information
is given in reply to your request for specific advice on
the points covered:
(i) |
To
begin with we would not agree to a crew member being
locked into the bomb bay. |
(ii) |
It
would be necessary to obtain a Civil Certificate of
Airworthiness. However, we would not demand that the
aircraft be brought into line with our full airworthiness
requirements. Broadly speaking we would accept a serviceable
aircraft which is fully modified to R.A.A.F. standards.
|
(iii) |
Yes,
we would want an Operations Manual. Regarding oxygen,
there appears to be some misunderstanding. Up to date
we have not published any requirements regarding the
carriage of oxygen for high altitude aerial survey work.
All we have done in the past is to ensure ourselves
that where oxygen apparatus is installed, it is a sound
engineering job. As to quantities, durations, etc.,
this has been left to the operator. You have two systems
in your Hudsons and in both cases they were approved
entirely on an engineering basis without any operational
or quantity requirements being specified by the Department.
However, in this case because of the greater altitudes
involved, it would mean that a "pressure demand" type
regulator would be necessary and possibly high pressure
storage bottles would be required. An adequate oxygen
system was designed for use in the photo-reconnaissance
version, so there should be no difficulty in meeting
the demand. I would like to make the point that we will
make the task of getting a Certificate of Airworthiness,
and of maintaining the aircraft as simple as possible
but we would confine the aircrafts use to specialist
high level photographic purposes only and would also
place a time limit on our approval, such as one year.
Should you desire to proceed with the idea of using
Mosquito type aircraft would you please advise whether
you would want to operate the aircraft under IFR conditions,
or strictly VFR; proposed crewing and instrumentation;
and radio navigation and radio communication equipment
you propose to be fitted." (Source: 3) |
|
|
|
29JUN56
|
The
Director General of Civil Aviation wrote to the Reginal Director
NSW Region advising receipt of Ministerial approval for Sepal
to operate two Mosquitoes "for a period not exceeding 12 months
for the limited purpose of high level aerial photography only."
Amongst other stipulations it was required that the aircraft
be cancelled from the U.S. Civil Aircraft Register and added
to the Australian Register. It also raised concerns over the
emergency evacuation provisions for the camera operator in
the event of a belly landing. (Source: 2) |
|
|
JUL56
|
N1597V
was test flown at Camden by Max Garroway. (Source: 1) |
|
|
10JUL56
|
N1596V
was sold by Fairchild Aerial Surveys Inc. to World Wide Aerial
Surveys (Aust) Pty. Ltd. (Source: 2) |
|
|
19JUL56
|
The
U.S. Civil Aeronautics Administration wrote to DCA confirming
that N1596V (A52-306) had been cancelled from the U.S. Register.
(Source: 2) |
|
|
20JUL56
|
World
Wide Aerial Surveys (Aust) Pty. Limited advised the CAA, Washington
that Mosquito N1596V has been transferred to Sepal Pty Ltd
and should be removed from the U.S. Register. (Source: 2) |
|
|
First
Mention of VH-WWS
|
24JUL56
|
Sepal
Pty Ltd applied for a CofA and a CofR for VH-WWS previously
A52-306. (Source: 2) |
|
|
05AUG56
|
N1597V
was flown over Dubbo at 8,000 feet for camera tests. A second
test flight was undertaken after intercomm trouble aborted
the first test. Crew: Max Garroway, Ken Rowlands and Kevin
Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
|
P
|
08AUG56
|
N1597V
was flown over Sydney Harbour at 25,000 feet for camera tests.
Crew: Max Garroway, Ken Rowlands and Kevin Pavlich.
(Source: 4) |
|
P
|
09AUG56
|
Sepal
wrote to the District Surveyor of DCA at Bankstown describing
the modification state of their Mosquitoes and outlining provisions
for emergency evacuation by the camera operator. Sepal advised
that the aircraft (presumably VH-WWS) was under conversion
in Hangar 55 at Camden and was due for completion on 01SEP56.
(Source: 2) |
|
|
10AUG56
|
A
DCA Aircraft Surveyor reported that the proposed emergency
escape provisions (presumably in VH-WWS) "do not quite
meet the requirements of the ANO". A simulated evacuation
by a 6 foot, 14 stone person took 50 seconds. The report seeks
a ruling on the adequacy of the escape provisions. (Source:
2) |
|
|
10AUG56
|
N1597V
was positioned from Camden to Tamworth to commence a government
survey contract. Crew: Max Garroway, Ken Rowlands and Kevin
Pavlich.
(Source: 4) |
|
P
|
14AUG56
|
N1597V
commenced survey flying out of Tamworth. Crew: Max Garroway,
Ken Rowlands and Kevin Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
|
P
|
16OCT56
|
VH-WWS
was certified by Noel Notley of Sepal as fit for a test flight.
(Source: 2) |
|
|
16OCT56
|
VH-WWS
was issued with a Permit to Fly (valid for 2 days) for test
flying at Camden. (Source: 2) |
|
|
16OCT56
|
Pilot's
Certificate for Renewal of Certificate of Airworthiness for
VH-WWS completed by Max Garroway at Camden. (Source: 2) |
|
|
29OCT56
|
N1597V
completed the Tamworth contract, landed at Coffs Harbour to
refuel and returned to Tamworth. Crew: Max Garroway, Ken Rowlands
and Kevin Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
|
P
|
30OCT56
|
N1597V
positioned from Tamworth to Camden. Crew: Max Garroway and
Kevin Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
|
P
|
02NOV56
|
VH-WWS
was added to the Australian Register. (Source: 5) |
|
|
07DEC56
|
VH-WWS
was test flown by Ken Rowlands, Bakker and Kevin Pavlich (Source:
4) |
P
|
|
17DEC56
|
VH-WWS
positioned from Camden to Mascot. Crew: Ken Rowlands and Kevin
Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
P
|
|
21DEC56
|
VH-WWS
positioned from Mascot to Camden. Crew: Ken Rowlands, Bakker
and Kevin Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
P
|
|
27DEC56
|
VH-WWS
test flown for a camera test at 7,000 feet. Starboard engine
u/s. Crew: Ken Rowlands, Taylor and Kevin Pavlich. (Source:
4) |
P
|
|
27DEC56
|
VH-WWS
test flown for a camera test at 1,500 feet. Engine failure
on take-off. Crew: Ken Rowlands, Taylor and Kevin Pavlich.
(Source: 4) |
P
|
|
28DEC56
|
VH-WWS
test flown for a camera test at 14,000 feet. Starboard engine
u/s. Crew: Ken Rowlands, Fowler and Kevin Pavlich. (Source:
4) |
P
|
|
28DEC56
|
VH-WWS
test flown for a camera test at 25,000 feet. Crew: Ken Rowlands,
Anderson and Kevin Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
P
|
|
28DEC56
|
VH-WWS
flew a circuit. Crew: Ken Rowlands, Lawrence and Kevin Pavlich.
(Source: 4) |
P
|
|
|
|
|
|
02JAN57
|
VH-WWS
positioned from Camden to Mascot. Crew: Ken Rowlands and Kevin
Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
P
|
|
04JAN57
|
VH-WWS
test flown for a camera test at 35,000 feet. Crew: Ken Rowlands,
Anderson and Kevin Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
P
|
|
08JAN57
|
VH-WWS
commenced photography at 25,000 feet over the Orange district.
Crew: Ken Rowlands, Bakker and Kevin Pavlich (Source: 4) |
P
|
|
11JAN57
|
VH-WWS
was engaged in photography at 25,000 feet near Tumut when
the cabin hatch flew off. Crew: Ken Rowlands, Taylor and Kevin
Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
P
|
|
29JAN57
|
VH-WWS
flew a circuit of Mascot. Radio u/s. Crew: Ken Rowlands, Rowney
and Kevin Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
|
|
04FEB57
|
VH-WWS
flew a radio check at 1,000 feet. Crew: Ken Rowlands and Kevin
Pavlich. (Source: 4) |
|
|
12FEB57
|
VH-WWS
flew a generator and radio check at 1,000 feet. Crew: Ken
Rowlands, Kevin Pavlich and Weir. (Source: 4) |
|
|
19FEB57
|
VH-WWS
positioned from Mascot to Camden. Crew: Ken Rowlands and Kevin
Pavlich. This was the last flight in VH-WWS for Ken Rowlands
and Kevin Pavlich, both of whom left for Adastra, joining
Max Garroway who had left earlier.
(Source: 4)
VH-WWS was subsequently flown by Israeli Mosquito pilot Gerry
Vardi.
(Source: 1) |
|
|
24JUL57
|
DCA
wrote to Sepal enclosing CofA No 2954 and CofR No 2954 for
VH-WWS valid until 01SEP57 conditional on the operator holding
a valid Aerial Work Licence. (Source: 2) |
|
|
20AUG57
|
Sepal
wrote to DCA enclosing CofA and CofR for VH-WWS. "This
aircraft is presently stored in our hangar at Camden and it
is no longer our intention to use this aircraft in our operations
here. As I understand it, the aircraft will be removed from
the Australian Register permanently." (Source: 2) |
|
|
23AUG57
|
DCA
advised Sepal that Mosquito VH-WWS has been deleted from the
Australian Register of Civil Aircraft as from 20AUG57. "The
Registration marking WWS will be reserved for your future
use." (Source: 2) |
|
|
-
|
Mosquitoes
VH-WWS and N1597V were subsequently stripped and burned at
Camden. Morry Lawrence sold Sepal to Adastra in late 1957.
(Source: 1) |
|
|
NOTES
|
6V
|
N1596V
(Later VH-WWS) |
7V
|
N1597V
|
P
|
Aircraft
configured for photographic survey. |
M
|
Aircraft
configured for aeromagnetic survey. |
Will the
real VH-WWS please stand up?
Whilst
the DCA file on VH-WWS consistently states that the aeroplane
was formerly A52-206 and N1596V, Max Garroway and Kevin
Pavlich, both of whom knew these Mosquitoes intimately
and both of whom were meticulous record keepers, were
adamant that VH-WWS was the former N1597V. Given
that both gentlemen are held in high esteem by latter
day researchers, their evidence cannot be discounted.
It has been speculated that when VH-WWS entered service
it might have been fitted with some or all of the photo
survey gear from N1597V and that this equipment might
have been branded N1597V, leading Messrs Garroway and
Pavlich to believe that VH-WWS was N1597V. However, the
above chronology would suggest that both Mosquitoes were
concurrently equipped for photographic survey making any
mass transfer of equipment unlikely. Unfortunately, at
the time of writing, it has not been possible to resolve
this matter one way or the other but the weight of evidence
suggests that VH-WWS was previously N1596V.
|
This
page draws heavily upon the research of Doug Morrison whose
article "The Last Working Aussie Mossie" includes
input from Max Garroway, Kevin Pavlich, Morry Lawrence, Ken
Slack and Norman Malayney. All are acknowledged with thanks. |
SOURCES
|
1
|
Morrison,
D. 2000 The Last Working Aussie Mossies,
"Flightpath" Vol. 12 No. 1, Aug-Oct 2000 |
2
|
NAA
C3905/9 VH/WWS (Sourced by David Muir) |
3
|
NAA
C273/210 1956/455 Adastra Airways P/L Operations |
4
|
Log
Book of Kevin Pavlich |
5
|
AustAirData
- Tony Arbon |
Issue
|
Date
|
Remarks
|
4
|
19OCT22
|
Added
another image of VH-WWS thanks to the late Eric Allen.
|
3
|
30JUL20
|
Further
revision to address uncertainty over the previous identity
of VH-WWS with no change to conclusion.
|
2
|
04NOV07
|
Major
revision to address uncertainty over the previous identity
of VH-WWS.
|
1
|
03NOV07
|
Original
issue.
|
|