The third aircraft owned by the CAB was
De Havilland D.H.50 G-AUAB (c/n 106). It was built by De Havilland Aircraft
Co., Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware, Middlesex, UK, and powered by a 230hp
Siddeley Puma. Shipped to Australia, it was registered new to the CAB
on 31 July 1924, Certificate of Registration number 99.
On 7 Aug 1924 this aircraft departed Melbourne/RAAF Point Cook on the first flight around Australia by a land plane. The pilot was Superintendent of Flying E.J. Jones with CCA Lt Col H.C. Brinsmead and Inspector R.H. Buchanan as passengers. They covered 7,658 miles in 23 consecutive days flying. Click here to read about this flight.
Neither the date and location of the photo above, nor the occupant of the cockpit are identified.
The aircraft is seen above during attendance at the NSW Aerial Derby
at RAAF Richmond on 8 Dec 1924 - it "competed ‘hors concours’
in N.S.W. Aerial Derby...carrying four passengers came an unofficial
second."
The photo below shows G-AUAB at, probably, Point Cook where the Department kept its aircraft for a time.
In line with the general change-over of registration markings, G-AUAB
was required to change markings to VH-UAB 1928, the change to be completed
by 31 Aug 1929. VH-UAB
was struck off the civil Register on 7 May 1931. It was reportedly loaned
to the RAAF as A10-1, but there is some doubt about this registration
at this time. It was re-registered to the CAB as VH-UAB on 11 May 1932.
On day later, on 12 May 1932, VH-UAB was sold to O.B. 'Pat' Hall, H.G. Purvis and J.T. Pethybridge of Sydney, NSW. On 25 November 1932 it was sold again to O.B. Hall and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (register amended 22 March 1933) and was named Southern Cross Midget, as seen in the photo below at an unknown location.
VH-UAB had various subsequent owners, culminating with F.T. 'Tommy' O’Dea of Port Moresby, New Guinea.
Click here to read more about this aircraft
Click here
to read about the war service of
D.H.50 VH-UAB
(Photos: 1-CAHS/E.C. Johnston collection; 2-RAAF via Keith Isaacs/CAHS collection; 3-via Stephen Barnham; 4-CAHS collection 0909)
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