VH-MBA  Auster 3                                     (c/n  436)

                                  

                                        This aircraft was formerly A11-53 and was built to a RAF contract as NX500. After a period
                                        in RAAF storage it was acquired in 1959 by the Mackay Flying Club.  In 1960 it was registered
                                        to the Murray Border Flying Club, hence the -MBA rego.   It later served with the Tumut (NSW)
                                        Aero Club.   It underwent a restoration in 1983 and was flown with its RAF serial NX500 applied.
                                        VH-MBA crashed and burned at Kalimna Park, Galore, NSW on 31 August 1997 and was dam-
                                        aged beyond repair.   Pilot P.L. Fowler was killed.    Seen above in a Rod Adam photograph (via
                                        Geoff Goodall) is the Auster at Cooma, NSW in January 1963.  Below is Geoff's own shot showing
                                        -MBA doing duty as a  glider tug at Benalla in 1968.  The third photo was taken at Avalon, Victoria
                                        in February of 1997 shortly before the above mentioned tragedy and wearing its "warbird"  livery.
                                        This image was kindly provided by Jennifer Cameron whose father had owned the aircraft.  Finally,
                                        at the foot of the page is an image from the CAHS collection (via Phil Vabre) showing the aircraft
                                        doing a spot of low flying probably in the mid 1990s.