VH-UTZ GAL Monospar ST.12
(c/n ST12/42)
Images of
VH-UTZ have proven difficult to acquire. The above is from the
official CofA file
(via Geoff
Goodall). The photo
immediately below is from Robert Milburn and was taken by
his father,
possibly at Oodnadatta,
SA in 1935. . At the foot of the page are two crash photos
of this
Monospar. The top one from Geoff again, and the lower from Kev
Roberts and Perry
Morey
of the Central Australian Aviation Museum at Alice Springs.
The latter appeared in a
Museum
bi-centennial
report entitled "Flypast
- a
record of aviation in Australia". They both
depict
the
remains of the Monospar which crashed at Woodgreen
Station, (between Barrow
Creek and Alice
Springs)
on 6 September, 1935. The aircraft had been registered new in
July
1935 to
Eastern Air Transport Ltd of Mascot and had
been on charter to Australian Trans-
continental
Airways Ltd of Adelaide at the time. It is
possible that
Robert's father's photo
below was
taken during that charter whilst the
aircraft was en
route. It was being used to ferry
the passengers
from
VH-UXX 'Faith in Australia' which had suffered engine failure
near Daly
Waters when the
Monospar had an engine failure
itself. The Museum's details tell of the
engineer
walking 30
miles to the overland telegraph line for
help. The passengers meanwhile ate a crocodile
which was
destined
for the Melbourne Zoo whilst awaiting
rescue! The port wing spar and a few
ribs from
outboard of the
engine remain in
the CAA
Museum's collection to this day.
