VH-AED  (3)  Piper PA-23-250 Aztec C                     (c/n  27-3211)

                                      

                                            This Aztec was originally imported as VH-TOM (ex N6072Y) for Tom A. Barrett of Orange,
                                            NSW.  The Barrett family had owned a long list of aircraft commencing with a Travelair biplane
                                            during World War Two.  The Aztec was traded to local Piper dealer Jim Hazelton at Orange,
                                            and placed up for sale.  .Meanwhile in Perth, Tom Wardle who was the Mayor of Perth and
                                            operated a successful chain of stores named 'Tom the Cheap Grocer' was keen to obtain the
                                            registration VH-TOM for a brand new HS.125 executive jet he had on order.    A plan was
                                            hatched and Jim Hazleton sold the Aztec to Tom the Cheap Grocer Corp, and then arranged
                                            its immediate export to the Solomon Islands and re-registered it as VP-PAY in August 1970.
                                            Whether it was actually delivered to the Solomon Islands is doubtful, because it returned to the
                                            Australian Register as VH-AED two months later to new owners Aerial Enterprises Pty Ltd of
                                            Canberra.     Tom Wardle thus had his registration available to be allocated to his new jet (see
                                            my link).  Geoff Goodall's shot of c/n 27-3211 was taken at  Perth Airport in September 1973
                                            while the Aztec was owned by Ted McGuire of the Wittenoom Tourist Centre who won awards
                                            for his ground and air tours of the Wittenoom area in the Pilbara region of WA.    He was also the
                                            aerodrome refueller at Wittenoom.