VH-AAQ  de Havilland D.H.60G Gipsy Moth                  (c/n  878)

                             

                                    VH-AAQ was an aircraft rebuilt by the Aero Club of NSW at Mascot during the war when
                                    acquiring replacement aircraft required desperate measures. It was based on the wreck of Moth
                                    VH-UHQ which was badly burnt in a hangar fire at Wagga 10.12.39. The rebuild aircraft was
                                    designated a D.H.60GIII Moth Major (with c/n 1) and was testflown on 14 December 1943. 
                                    It continued to fly with the RACNSW for almost exactly two years until 16 December 1945
                                    when it spun in near Sydney's Long Bay gaol, killing the lady pilot.
                                    The fuselage of -AAQ, along with that of -UFV lay in the back of a farm hangar at Jerilderie,
                                    NSW for many years while owned by Dr. Tony Fisher of Sydney who also kept his Ryan STM
                                    VH-CXR along with a Mustang A68-104 at the farm strip.  Aviation historian Geoff Goodall
                                    advises that, at one stage in the 1960s, no less than two ex-RAAF Mustangs and three Ryans
                                    were flying from this farm which was owned by Val Chapman!   Evidently Dr. Fisher commuted
                                    to Sydney in those days in his Lockheed 12A VH-ASV.  Below is a shot by Geoff of the remains
                                    of -AAQ at Jerilderie in November 1969.  Note Mustang canopy sitting on the rear fuselage of
                                    -AAQ.   Anyway, the remains of both -AAQ and -UFV were sold from Jerilderie to Jim Starr
                                    of Walbundrie, NSW somewhere around 1978, and while -UFV was restored in 1994, -AAQ
                                    (or what's left of it) has remained in storage so far as is known.