VH-ABU de Havilland
D.H. 80A Puss Moth (c/n
2022)
Originally imported for Qantas in 1930, this Puss
Moth was the former VH-UPA
. It was re-registered
in 1948 and was a frequent visitor to
Moorabbin
in the 1950s, where my shot above was taken. The
nice color image
below is by Barrie Colledge
and was taken at Essendon in 1956. It was withdrawn
from active status shortly after
that. In 1984 it became the subject of a long term
restoration project by
John Petit in Victoria. It
is now on display at the Hinkler House Memorial Museum (in Bundaberg)
painted up to
represent CF-APK, the Puss Moth (c/n 2049) in which distinguished
aviator Bert Hinkler
was attempting to break the record
for a flight from England to Australia, which stood at 8 days and 10
hours. On the first day of
the flight the Puss Moth crashed into Mount Protomagna in
Tuscany. The
wreckage and Hinkler's body were not to
be discovered for another 3 months. Phil Vabre took
a shot
of it (foot of the page) on a recent
(July 2009) visit to the museum.


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