G-AUCM      Airco D.H.4  

                                    

                                         Formerly the RAF's F2691 this D.H.4 came onto the register in June 1921, and was owned
                                         by C. J. de Garis of Mildura.    He evidently used it on many business trips all over Australia.
                                         At the foot of the page is an early illustration of it culled from "The Queenslander Pictorial of
                                         10 December 1921 wherein it was shown as "the first aeroplane at Alice Springs".  The crude
                                         painting of the rego makes the "G" look like a "C".        In 1922 it was sold to Larkin Aircraft
                                         Supply Co Ltd who named it "Scrub Bird".  The above image, courtesy of the State Library
                                         of South Australia indicates that this shot was taken at Swan Reach, circa 1923 and that this
                                         was the first aircraft to visit the district.     The photo below, from the John Hopton collection,
                                         must have been taken before the machine was painted in its civil rego, as a roundel can be seen
                                         under the starboard wing.    I just love that "prop swinging machine"!   In 1927 G-AUCM was
                                         sold to Bulolo Goldfields Aeroplane Service Ltd and two years later was taken over by The
                                         Morlae Airline, of Lae, New Guinea.    It was withdrawn from use in 1930 and struck off the
                                         register, never having been re-painted as VH-UCM.