ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 300326
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| Date: | Sunday 14 June 1942 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | de Havilland DH-84A Dragon II |
| Owner/operator: | 35 Sqn RAAF |
| Registration: | A34-1 |
| MSN: | 6081 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Cliff Head, 18 miles off Dongara, Arrowsmith, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAAF Peace, Bullsbrook, WA (YPEA) |
| RAAF Geraldton, WA (YGEL) |
c/no 6081: Built mid-1934 at Hatfield as production Dragon II
13.7.34 British C of A VH-URX: De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Sydney NSW. VH-URW, VH-URX & VH-URY imported by De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Sydney for MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd
17.8.34: All 3 arrived Fremantle by ship from England. Taken to Mayland aerodrome for assembly
11.9.34: Registered VH-URX MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd, Maylands Aerodrome, Perth WA. Named 'The Gascoyne'. Colour scheme was dark royal blue, silver wings & tail, 8 passenger seats fitted. C of A issued same day. Test flown at Maylands same day
5.10.34: Departed Port Hedland on MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd scheduled service northbound, pilot Bert Hussey who had crashed on takeoff at Onslow the previous day in Dragon VH-URW. Routed Port Hedland-Broome (overnight) Nookenbah Station-Fitzroy Crossing-Halls Creek (overnight) Ord River Station-Wave Hill-Victoria River Downs Station-Daly Waters arrived 7.10.34.
9.10.34: Log book Bert Hussey: Wave Hill-Ord River Station
23.10.34: Badly damaged at Ord River Station WA. While standing parked it was hit by a willy-willy rotating wind storm. MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd Pilots George McCausland and Bert Hussey ran from the homestead to the aircraft and hung on to interplane struts on each wing as the aircraft was blown some distance into stockyards at the downhill end of the aerorome and ended up on its back.
11.34: Horrie Miller flew DH.60 VH-UNX from Perth and commenced work on rebuilding VH-URX on his own. After about 4 weeks he had help from a ground engineer from Perth, and completed the rebuild.
21.12.34: VH-URX arrived at Maylands carrying the first Empire Air Mail from England
6.10.37: Pilot log: Broome local, MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd pilot E. D.”Bill” Anderson
18.10.37: Pilot log: Onslow to Broome, 6 hrs 40 mins, pilot E.D.Anderson
2.3.38: Pilot log: Carnarvon to Perth, 5 hrs 10 mins, pilot E.D.Anderson
6.3.38: Pilot log 6 to 16.3.38: Perth-Carnarvon-Broome-Victoria River Downs Station-Daly Waters-Ord River Station-Broome-Carnarvon-Perth, 47 hrs 10 mins, pilot E.D.Anderson
20.3.38: Pilot log 20 to 30.3.38: Perth-Carnarvon-Broome-Wave Hill-Daly Waters-Ord River Station-Broome-Carnarvon-Perth, 45 hrs 40 mins, pilot E.D.Anderson
3.4.38: Pilot log: Perth-Carnarvon, 5 hrs 00 mins, pilot E.D.Anderson
24.7.38: Pilot log 24-25.7.38: Carnarvon-Broome-Fitzroy Crossing, pilot E.D.Anderson. Anderson took over Dragon VH-URW at Fitzroy Crossing to continue to Daly Waters.
9.38 Ferried Perth to Adelaide by MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd pilot Cyril Kleinig. Transferred from MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd's Perth base to its original Parafield base. Mainly flew MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd services from Adelaide to Whyalla & Iron Knob services, pilot usually Cyril Kleinig
3.11.39: Total airframe time as of this date: 4,206 hours
8.11.39: Based at Parafield
12.39: Impressed by Australian Government for RAAF. Impressment Requisition Number 12516 from MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co Ltd. Issued to 1 Flying Training School Observers School. Impressment purchase price £1,800.
27.12.39: Delivered to RAAF Point Cook Vic by MMA Captain James Woods
3.1.40: Brought on RAAF charge as A34-1. Allotted No.1 Flying Training School Observers School, RAAF Point Cook (1 FTS)
8.1.40: Struck-off Civil Register
26.1.40: Issued No.1 Advanced Training School (1 ATS)
9.8.40: Departed Pt Cook for Mascot for modifications by Butler Air Transport
9.40 Director of Civil Aaviation memo: under inspection at Butler Air Transport, Mascot: estimated cost for total overhaul £1,240. “Operated by RAAF since January 1940. Formerly VH-URX. Several main plane spars replaced.” Total time on airframe recorded as 4,196 hrs. (However, see 3.11.39 above when the airframe hours were said to be higher - 4,206!)
7.11.40: Received 4 EFTS ex Butler Air Transport
28.11.40: Departed 4 EFTS on delivery to 3 EFTS
30.11.40: Allotted to ANA ex 3 EFTS for overhaul
18.12.40: Overhaul Completed by ANA, allotted 1 Air Observers School. To go to 1 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Laverton for W/T (Wireless Telegraphy equipment) to be fitted before delivery to 1 Air Observers School
22.12.40: Serviceable at 1 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Laverton. (W/T equipment fitted) Remained at 1 Aircraft Depot pending instructions.
26.2.41: Issued 2 Air Observers School ex 1 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Laverton
10.5.41: Received 1 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Laverton ex 2 Air Observers School for 100 hourly inspection
5.6.41: Issued 2 Air Observers School ex 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF Laverton
26.6.41: Forced landing 1 mile north of airfield at Mount Gambier due engine trouble, no damage. Pilot & 4 crew uninjured.
9.2.42: Issued to ANA ex 2 Air Observers School for conversion to transport and ambulance duties
16.2.42: Being converted to air ambulance
24.2.42: Received 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF Laverton ex ANA, after conversion completed
9.3.42: Received by 35 Squadron RAAF ex 1 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Laverton
20.5.42: Accident while taxiing, swung off runway and struck obstruction, starboard wing damaged
29.5.42: Forced landing, no damage. Starboard engine had failed due water contamination in fuel
14.6.42: Forced landing in sea at night near Dongara WA. Forced landing due starboard engine failure, landed in sea just off the beach at Cliff Head, 18 miles off Dongara, Arrowsmith, WA and turned over on impact in 4 feet deep water. Pilot Flight Lieutenant Burdeau and 4 passengers escaped with minor injuries, The Dragon was en-route Perth to Geraldton.
21.6.42: Written off - Struck off Charge as "damaged beyond repair"
17.8.42: Received Workshops RAAF Pearce ex-35 Squadron for conversion to components and scrapping
Sources:
1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH84.pdf
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p060.html
3. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh84-pt1/dh84-dragon-pt1.htm
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a34.htm
5. https://catalogue.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b2394774~S6
6. http://bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=28082&cmd=sp
7. https://www.australiascoralcoast.com/destination/cliff-head
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Oct-2022 21:49 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 31-Oct-2022 12:05 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator] |
| 27-May-2023 11:08 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Operator, Location, Operator]] |
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