VH-EBQ (1)   DHA-3 Drover                           (c/n  5003)

                                                                            
        
                           
                                      As with most of Qantas' Drovers, decent images of -EBQ are hard to obtain.  The above shot
                                      was taken in New Guinea circa 1950.  Image #2, from the John Hopton collection shows it
                                      about to be handed over to Qantas late in 1950.  Close scrutiny of the airline provided photo
                                      (#3 reveals it to be, in fact, this first production Drover.  This aircraft was completed at the
                                      DHA works in September 1950 and was planned to be sent to England for a sales tour and
                                      accordingly it was registered G-ALLK on 31 February 1949 to the parent DH company. How-
                                      ever production was delayed and by the time it was completed it was delivered instead to Qantas
                                      as the first of their order for 4 Drovers for their Papua/ New Guinea internal services (to replace
                                      DH.84 Dragons).
                                      VH-EBQ crashed into the sea at Huon Gulf off Lae, New Guinea on 16 July 1951 when the center
                                      propeller failed as the aircraft was approaching to land at Lae.  . QEA Captain J.W.Speirs and all 6
                                      passengers died.   Drover propeller failures resulted in the grounding of all Drovers, after which the
                                      original variable pitch propeller was replaced by various combinations of engines and propellers to
                                      produce the models Drover Mk.1F, Mk.2 then Mk.3, Mk.3A and finally Mk.3B.    At the foot of
                                      the page is an image (#4 from the Geoff Goodall collection showing the wing of -EBQ as retrieved
                                      from the wreck salvaged from the waters of Huon Gulf.
                      2.
                                 
                        3.
                                
                         4.