VH-UON  de Havilland D.H.80A Puss Moth                  (c/n  2001)

                               

                                   Ex G-AATC, this was the first production Puss Moth, imported into Australia in August 1930.
                                   It then had several owners in NSW (including J.J. Leahy) after being sold by de Havilland Air-
                                   craft Pty Ltd of Mascot.  The above shot, from the State Library of N.S.W. collection shows
                                   R.G. Whitehead and R.Nichols in November 1934 with the aircraft, by then named "Faith in
                                   New Zealand" prior to their flight from Gerringong Beach, NSW to Doubtless Bay, then on to
                                   Auckland, New Zealand.   It became ZK-ADU and was withdrawn from use in the late 1930s.
                                   The remains have been a rebuild project for the past two decades or so.  All Puss Moths had
                                   their Certificates of Registration suspended in September 1932, pending investigation on a
                                   number of crashes.  Most were restored within six months, although were often sold to other
                                   owners when restored!        The grainy image below was extracted from the Sydney Morning
                                   Herald for 15 November 1934 and shows Nicholls and Whitehead working on -UON prior
                                   to the New Zealand flight.