VH-BLX  de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth               (c/n  DHA 45)

                                      

                                          This Tiger had a varied career, and photos of it (at least as VH-BLX) are rare, possibly since it
                                          spent a period in New Guinea.  The above was taken by John Wheatley, circa 1965. Civilianized
                                          in May 1948, ex A17-48, it had a crash on 18 January 1949 that left it off the register until rest-
                                          ored in September 1961.        It had another mishap at Slate Creek, New Guinea in November
                                          1956 and was repaired again by May of 1958.     In 1967 it was acquired by a buyer in the US
                                          and was at Van Nuys in 1973 as N48DH painted in an all silver, but spurious (for the RAAF)
                                          war-bird scheme with yellow fuselage bands.        It was sold in the UK in 1989 and registered
                                          G-BPHR where it is still current and painted in an authentic all yellow RAAF finish as A17-48.    
                                          It has acquired anti-spin strakes (clearly absent from its appearance above) probably as a
                                          requirement to acquiring a UK CofA.