ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 27168
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| Date: | Wednesday 4 February 1942 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.84 Dragon |
| Owner/operator: | Airlines of Australia |
| Registration: | VH-URG |
| MSN: | 6046 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Wenlock, Shire of Cook, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Wenlock, Shire of Cook, Queensland |
| Cairns, Queensland (YBCS) |
25.8.33: Telegram from De Havillands in England to CAB requesting registration markings for the two Dragons for Western Mining Corporation so that they can be painted on the aircraft while in the factory. CAB allocate VH-URF and VH-URG.
(Western Mining Corporation had been formed in 8.33 by a group of mining interests, to carry out a large survey of gold-bearing country in Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia. Two DH.84s ordered, which would be fitted with Williamson Eagle cameras. The aerial team would be accompanied by a fleet of ground vehicles to provide logistical support and be able to process exposed film. A hangar was built at Kalgoorlie aerodrome to house the two aircraft for the expected duration of 2 years of survey flying). Two pilots were selected: Captain Charles W. Snook of Perth and RAAF Flight Lieutenant S.C.Campbell, both sent to England to prepare the aircraft at the DH factory.
3.10.33: British C of A issued in name of Western Mining Corporation Ltd, Perth, WA
3.10.33: VH-URF and VH-URG were christened in a ceremony at Stag Lane by the wife of Western Mining Corporation Director Mrs.W. Robinson.
10.33: Special modifications to both aircraft included strengthened undercarriage and oversize tyres, extra fuel tanks to give a range of 8 hours, a wind driven generator mounted on a wing root to provide power for Marconi radio and radio direction finding equipment. Other instrumentation included directional gyro and a larger than normal compass. To improve sound-proofing thicker glazing was fitted in the main cabin. and a toilet was provided.
10.33: Both DH.84s for Western Mining Corporation were shipped from England to Fremantle packed in 8 wooden cases on board the s.s "Largs Bay"
14.11.33: s.s."Largs Bay" berthed at Fremantle. Crates moved by road to Mayland Aerodrome same day and unpacking commenced immediately.
15.11.33: VH-URF and VH-URG assembled at Maylands. Allover pale cream. Both will be based at Kalgoorlie WA while conducting a photographic survey of the Eastern Goldfields covering 80,000 square miles in search for new ore bodies. The aerial operation was under the command of Captain Charles W. Snook of Perth, who had sailed to England to arrange the purchase of the two Dragons and installation of survey cameras and specialist navigational equipment. Each Dragon was fitted with a Williamson Eagle IV camera, 6 seats and lavatory.
27.11.33: Registration application: Western Mining Corporation Ltd, Perth, WA.
1.12.33: CAB Inspection report at Maylands. Testflown Maylands by Charles Snook after assembly by two engineers hired by the survey project
2.12.33: Extra fuel tanks were installed in engine nacelles and in the cabin under seats
4.12.33: Flown from Perth to Kalgoorlie by Snook on a proving flight, testing the radio equipment and taking vertical photographs over Southern Cross en route. Landed Kalgoorlie after 5 hours in the air, Returned to Maylands several days later.
9.12.33: Registered VH-URG. Named "Golden West" and C of A issued same day
19.12.33: Western Mining Corporation’s two Dragons VH-URF and VH-URG departed Maylands for Kalgoorlie where they will be based.
20.12.33: Dragons commenced survey flying from Kalgoorlie. The photographic survey of the Eastern Goldfields covering 80,000 square miles in search for new ore bodies. The aerial operation was under the command of Captain Charles W. Snook of Perth, who had sailed to England to arrange the purchase of the two Dragons and installation of survey cameras and specialist navigational equipment. Each Dragon was fitted with an Eagle IV camera, 6 seats and lavatory.
1.1.34: Captain Charles Snook departed Kalgoorlie in VH-URG for Melbourne, arriving there the next day. Demonstration flights of the DH.84's photographic survey capability had been arranged for survey companies and RAAF
9.34: The aerial component of the survey was completed well ahead of the scheduled 2 years. The ground organisation's geological investigations based on the aerial photographs continued for some time.
8.12.34: CAB Inspection report at Kalgoorlie
14.12.34: Change of ownership: Holyman’s Airways Pty Ltd, Launceston Tasmania. Total airframe hours at time of sale 570 hrs. Purchased by Holyman's Airways to replace their DH.86 VH-URN 'Miss Hobart' which crashed in the Bass Strait in October 1934.
1.35: Flown on Holyman’s Airways Melbourne-Launceston service. Retained the name 'Golden West'
5.35: Chartered by the Commonwealth Government for a two week geophysical survey of north-western Australia (ANA Pilot Alex Bayne, Engineer Milton Forster).
1.11.36: Change of ownership: Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Melbourne Vic. Named 'Yuptana'
23.1.37: ANA fleet summary: VH-URG based at Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria
18.2.37: Forced landing Skipton, Victoria due to engine failure. Pilot Captain Harold Cook. Aircraft on Melbourne-Adelaide service
5.5.37: Forced landing Cowell, SA, due to engine failure. Pilot Captain L. C. Leonard
17.7.37: Forced landing Port Neill, SA due to engine trouble. Pilot Captain William P. Heath
8.38: Based at Broken Hill NSW on loan to Australian Aerial Medical Service while their ANA DH.83 Fox Moth VH-UQM was having an overhaul at Parafield
9.6.39: Change of ownership: Airlines of Australia Ltd, Sydney. Departed Essendon, Melbourne for Cairns Qld same day where it will be based by Airlines of Australia
6.39: Based at Cairns to operate services taken over by Airlines of Australia when they took over North Queensland Airways the previous year
21.2.40: Crashed at Inverleigh Station Queensland, when it failed to climb after takeoff and struck trees. No injuries to Captain Clive Jones or his 3 passengers. Rebuilt by Aielines of Australia Cairns maintenance staff. Engineer Jack Atkinson later wrote: "We had a Dragon very badly damaged out on Inverleigh Station between Normanton and Burketown. Practically all the wings were wiped off. I was sent out with an offsider and one apprentice to do the major repairs under very primitive conditions and it took three months to complete the job. I was still out there when Italy entered the war."
6.7.40: Director General of Civil Aviation writes to Airlines of Australia advising that it is not proposed to impress this aircraft at this time
12.9.40: Flew Cairns-Cooktown-Cairns scheduled service. Aircraft total airframe time 3575 hrs
26.9.40: Hit a truck during landing at Cairns, when landed cross wind to avoid airfield repair works, badly damaged. Captain William Hill and 2 passengers unhurt. Rebuilt by Airlines of Australia, based Cairns. Flew the regular service Cairns-Cooktown-Cairns
17.2.41: Forced landing at Bald Hills Station, Queensland ,due engine failure because of fuel blockage, minor damage to undercarriage. Struck tree stumps, tearing off the undercarriage. Pilot Captain W. Hill
4.2.42: Crashed and destroyed by fire at Wenlock Queensland. Returned for landing immediately after takeoff due fire in port engine. Forced down in low scrub which tore off the undercarriage legs. The fire in the port engine spread and aircraft was destroyed. No injuries to Pilot, Captain Stewart G. Hack, and 4 passengers on board.
18.2.42: Struck-off Register as "destroyed"
Sources:
1. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austu/vhurg.html
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_National_Airways
3. https://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/vicsmith/Accidents/Feb42.html
4. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84&Itemid=20
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p060.html
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_VH-U1.html
7. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh84-dragon-i-wenlock
8. https://aussieairliners.org/ANA/ana.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenlock,_Queensland
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 30-Dec-2011 07:24 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 08-May-2014 19:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total occupants, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Jun-2022 05:49 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 27-Oct-2022 23:26 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 27-Oct-2022 23:27 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time] |
| 28-May-2023 04:03 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Time]] |
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