VH-ADS  (3)   Auster J/5 Adventurer          (c/n  2802)

                             
                               
                                  VH-ADS was not a purpose-built Adventurer, but was originally one of six Auster J/5 aircraft
                                  ordered by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1947 and fitted with locally procured Gipsy
                                  Major engines.  Its RNZAF identity was NZ1705.   It was imported into Australia in 1956 by
                                  George Greig of Newcastle.  Converted to float configuration at Bankstown, it was flown off
                                  the adjacent George River to Lake Macquarie for Greig, wherein it became VH-PMG.   Sold
                                  and re-registered VH-ADS in 1963, it reverted to conventional undercarriage as seen in the image
                                  above by Bob Neate at Condobolin, NSW in April 1964.   In 1967 it was sold to Macquarie Air
                                  Service who refitted the floats, painted it white with a red and blue trim, based it once again on
                                  Lake Macquarie, and gave it the name "Fanbloodytastic"    Eric Favelle's photo (immediately
                                  below) was taken on the lake in November 1967.  (Above and below images via the Geoff
                                  Goodall collection).   Despite is name, performance as a floatplane was reported as marginal,
                                  and a year later -ADS returned to wheels once more.   Greg Banfield caught it in that condition,
                                  and sans any livery at all at Camden, NSW in July 1968 (second below).     The contemporary
                                  image at the foot of the page was taken by Phil Vabre at Echuca, Victoria, in October 2002.