VH-AQJ  de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth   (c/n   23/T262)
                                
                                 

                                     Almost indistinguishable from its Tasmanian Aero Club stable mate VH-AQI, this aircraft was
                                     built slightly earlier than the previous one (in 1940, vs 1941 for -AQI).  It is seen above Launceston
                                     Airport in 1952.  Imagine my surprise, therefore, on a hot day in January 1958 when I was "trolling"
                                     for photos at Moorabbin when I came across my old friend from those Tassie Aero Club days
                                     masquerading as a crop duster!  (Photo below). In the mid-1950s many ex aero club Tigers were
                                     purchased by the aerial agriculture industry and converted into single-seat dusters.  Underneath that
                                     is another shot taken by Geoff Goodall whilst the aircraft was deployed at Parafield, S.A. in 1962.
                                     VH-AQJ was.formerly with  the RAAF as A17-26, and it is, incredibly still on the register today under
                                     its original civilian identity. Given that it was first registered in 1946 this must be some kind of
                                     Australian record!     Finally, Barry Maclean took the photo of it at the bottom of the page at
                                     Richmond in 1991 when it was displaying the rather odd combination of its RAAF serial number
                                     on the rudder and the somewhat crude rego on the fuselage.