ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 166089
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| Date: | Tuesday 28 February 1939 |
| Time: | morning |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.60 Moth |
| Owner/operator: | Ansett Airways |
| Registration: | VH-UNF |
| MSN: | 1368 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Essendon Airport, Melbourne, VIC -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria (MEB/YMEN) |
C/no. 1368 DH.60M [Gipsy I] to DH Australia with C of A 2100 issued 5.7.29. Registered VH-UNF [C of R 352] 11.1.30 to James Loneragan (Mudgee) Co, Mudgee, NSW. Re-registered 22.5.32 to Harry Broadbent, Sydney. Re-registered 5.9.32 to A.T. Cridland, Mascot. Re-registered 16.9.34 to Reginald M Ansett, t/a Ansett Flying School, Essendon. Re-registered 1936 to Ansett Airways Ltd, Essendon.
DH.60 Moth VH-UNF was one of seven aircraft that were destroyed in a severe hangar fire at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, on 28.2.39. According to a contemporary local newspaper report ("Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) Tuesday 28 February 1939):
"Seven Planes Destroyed at Essendon
FIRE DAMAGE £50,000
MELBOURNE, Tuesday.
A FIRE which broke out in the hangar of Ansett Airways Pty. Ltd. at Essendon aerodrome early this morning, destroyed seven aeroplanes and equipment valued at £50,000.
Four brigades of firemen were unable to save the planes, but they prevented the fire from spreading to a new hangar recently built for Australian National Airways at a cost of £30,000, thus saving planes worth about £60,000.
No watchman was employed by Ansett Airways as the building, which is all-steel with a concrete floor, was considered to be safe from fire.
Flames from the burning petrol drove the firemen back. Poor water pressure hampered their efforts. When the fire was finally under control charred and twisted metal was all that was left of the seven planes.
LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS
The disastrous fire, which destroyed seven of the company's planes at Essendon aerodrome, upset usual Ansett Airways services to Broken Hill today. The local agent, Mr. H. M. Mullins, advised that two Lockheed's left Sydney today, one for Adelaide, and the other was diverted at Narrandera to Broken Hill. This plane arrived about 11.50 o'clock and left again at 12.30 pm; As the aerodrome at Mildura is unstaffed, the plane will go straight to Melbourne."
Sources:
1. Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW, Tuesday 28 February 1939): https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48310170
2. The Herald (Melbourne, Victoria) Tuesday 28 February 1939: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243374112
3. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austu/vhunf.html
3. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh60.pdf
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_VH-U.html
5. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84&Itemid=27
6. https://airwaysmuseum.com/Ansett%20hangar%20fire%2028-2-39%202.htm
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essendon_Airport#History
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-May-2014 18:17 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 18-Aug-2017 22:17 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Aug-2017 22:18 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 07-Jun-2022 21:03 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 03-Oct-2023 08:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [[Location]] |
| 10-Oct-2023 13:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [[[Location]]] |
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