ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS

Issue	Date	Remarks
8	27DEC06	Added two images of the aircraft at Essendon in June 1960 when it suffered a flat tyre on the taxiway. This aircraft was originally thought to have been VH-BLF but Kevin Pavlich's log book confirms that it is VH-AGA. Consequently these two images have been moved from the page for VH-BLF to the page for VH-AGA.
7	18SEP05	Added more detail drawn from the log book of Tom Carpenter. Note that not all flights recorded in the log book have been added to this chronology. Thanks to Cay Carpenter.
6	14APR05	Added information from a letter from the Camden Museum of Aviation (see 64).
5	04AUG03	Added the date of the ferry flight from Benalla to Mascot (see 15AUG46).
4	26FEB03	Several additions to the history, sourced from N.A.A. files C3905/9 VH/AVT [8]; C3905/9 VH/AGA [2] & C3905/2 VH/AGA [1] thanks to Chris O'Neill.
3	23FEB03	History greatly expanded and several photos added thanks to Geoff Goodall.
2	25JAN03	Added an image of VH-AVT. Thanks to Ed Coates.

	Built by A.V. Roe & Co Ltd at Manchester for the RAF as R9883. Delivered to Australia for the Empire Air Training Scheme.
28OCT40	Taken on charge by the RAAF as R9883. Received at No 2 Aircraft Park at Bankstown ex the U.K.
28NOV40	Issued to No 1 Air Navigation School, Parkes, NSW ex 2AP.
12SEP43	Received at No 1 Wireless Air Gunners School, Ballarat, Vic ex 1ANS.
20DEC43	Received at No 2 Air Observers School, Mount Gambier, SA ex 1WAGS.
30NOV44	Issued to Ansett Airways, Essendon for overhaul ex 2AOS.
30APR45	Received at No 1 Aircraft Depot, Laverton, Vic ex Ansett.
01MAY45	Under offer to RNZAF.
27JUL45	Not required by RNZAF.
22AUG45	Received at No 11 Elementary Flying Training School, Benalla, Vic ex 1AD.
14AUG46	Sold by Commonwealth Disposals Commission to Adastra Airways Pty Ltd, Mascot, NSW.
15AUG46	Ferried from Benalla to Mascot (as R9883) by Joe Linfoot and Jack Howard. Flying time 2:50. (Source: Jack Howard's log book)
16AUG46	Issued to purchaser ex Benalla. (See above. Adastra clearly had possession of the aircraft the previous day!)
29NOV46	Application for CofR and CofA from Adastra Airways Pty Ltd, 41-43 Lords Road, Mascot. Total Time 1917 hours since last overhaul by Ansett Airways at Essendon on 30MAY45.
07JAN47	Test flown at Mascot.
09JAN47	Added to the Register as VH-AVT. (CofR No 1159, CofA No 1117). Seating for 1 pilot plus 3 crew.
09JUN47	Camera test (15,000 feet) at Mascot by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 10 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
12JUN47	Survey of Newcastle area by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 45 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
17JUN47	Camera test (15,000 feet) at Mascot by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 15 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
18JUN47	Survey of Sydney and Newcastle areas by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 20mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
09SEP47	Test flight by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (30 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
10SEP47	Photography of Mascot Aerodrome by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter thence to Bega (2 hrs 20 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
11SEP47	Photography of Yourie area by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 55mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
18SEP47	Photography of Yourie area by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 30mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
20SEP47	Positioned Bega to Mascot by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 35mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
23SEP47	Camera test with 20 inch lens by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (25mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
26SEP47	Gyro test by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 10mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
29SEP47	Camera test with 20 inch lens by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (35mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
30SEP47	Camera test with 20 inch lens by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (30mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
30SEP47	Camera test with 8.25 inch lens by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (20mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
02OCT47	Ferried Mascot to Benalla by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 55mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
18OCT47	Photography of Drouin area by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (4 hrs 40 mins). Diverted to Fishermens Bend. (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book) Tom Carpenter's memoirs describe the event thus: "Perhaps my next near miss was on the 18th October 1947 while based at Essendon. Joe Linfoot, John Howard and myself were flying an Anson which had not yet been fitted with long-range fuel tanks in the starboard bomb bay. Our survey location was Drouin, east of Melbourne, but at 13,000 feet Melbourne seemed just beneath us. Decision time - could we make another photographic run thirty miles to the east, then back 30 miles towards Melbourne? The answer was "yes" but soon after turning off the camera and heading downhill, we ran into a strong westerly head wind. Melbourne seemed to stay in the same place but our fuel supply drained away quickly. To minimize the story, we were given permission to land at Fishermen's Bend and despite my manipulation of fuel available, I firmly believed we would ditch in the Bay. However, we landed with power available on both engines but lost one of them on the taxiway. A fuel tanker was sent to us from Essendon and supplied 1 gallon less than our total tankage.
13NOV47	Ferried Essendon to Laverton by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (15 mins) (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
16DEC47	Attempted photography by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (25 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
19DEC47	Withdrawn from service.
30DEC47	Returned to service.
08JAN48	Photography of Hamilton and Coleraine by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (4 hrs 10 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
24FEB48	Test flight by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter after engine change (30 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
20MAR48	Aircraft made a forced landing at Mangalore, Vic after the failure of the starboard engine. Tom Carpenter's memoirs describe the event thus: "We were based in Benalla and surveying in the High Country around Mount Hotham. At an altitude of 13,000 feet while lining up for another photographic run, the starboard engine blew itself to pieces internally, leaving the propeller with no pistons or anything to slow it down and the balance weights still on the crank shaft. I hope never again to experience such vibration or hear the noise that aircraft was making - the landing gear warning horn did not help either, until I tore the leads from the Claxon. As the aircraft slowed down, the unexpected happened - due to the severe twisting of the starboard wing, it stalled 10-15 knots before its normal stall speed. One wing flying and one wing stalled threw us into an inverted position and we began to spin. Joe Linfoot, John Howard and I have talked about that day many times, but we are unable to remember anything between going inverted and the normal spin - if there is anything normal about a spin in a twin-engine aircraft. At 10,000 feet Joe was in control again and for the next 27 minutes I waited to die. It was a strange cold feeling with flashes of past memories. The instrument panel was a complete blur due to the vibration of the aircraft, and all I could do was look out along the starboard wing and watch the skin and tank covers buckle as the front spar went up and the rear spar went down and look back towards the rudder and elevators and see the severe twisting of the tubular members that made up the fuselage frame. If I prayed it probably would have been that the gyrating engine would fall off before the whole starboard wing left us. At last we were over Mangalore, but what could we do next? We had some idea of the probable stalling speed with gear up, but what would be the result with wheels down? Are we game to lower either wheels or flaps? Wheels went down O.K. but we gave the flaps a miss - I walked slowly backward ending in the dark room, to trim the aircraft onto the ground. The noise was so horrendous that we could not communicate with each other and used hand signals. Joe pulled the aircraft to a stop on the grass clear of the runway and because I had been nearly over the tail wheel, I was first to get out - a funny thing happened. As my feet hit the ground my legs turned to jelly and I fell over - both Joe and John did exactly the same thing. When the groundsman drove out to the aircraft he found three grown men laying on the ground laughing hysterically. The nearest pub was Avernell and did we drink a skinful that afternoon (even John who was a non drinker), while waiting for the R.A.A.F. to bring our car down from Benalla. The date was 20th March 1948 a day to remember, but despite my feeling that VH-AVT would never fly again, neither my Chief Engineer Eric Haynes nor myself could find any structural fault, or any reason not to fit a new engine and cowling. The result being that nineteen days later, I flew the Tiger Moth VH-AVV with Joe as passenger from Benalla to Mangalore - Joe flew the Anson back to Benalla and I wandered home in the Tiger Moth." See here for photos of the destroyed engine.
29APR48	Ferried Benalla to Mascot by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 50 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
21JUN48	Total Time 2162.10 hours.
08JUL48	CofA lapsed.
SEP48	Adastra advise DCA that Anson VH-AGO will be returning to Mascot and will be replaced by VH-AVT.
20OCT48	Test flown after CofA by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (25 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
21OCT48	Photography of Wollongong by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
23OCT48	CofA renewed.
23NOV48	Ferried Mascot to Mallacoota for local photography by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 10 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
10DEC48	Ferried Mallacoota to Mascot by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
22DEC48	Ferried Mascot to Nhill by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (4 hrs 40 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
23DEC48	Ferried Nhill to Parafield by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 35 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
29APR49	Ferried Parafield to Narrandera by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 35 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
29APR49	Ferried Narrandera to Mascot by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 20 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
16MAY49	Ferried Mascot to Bourke (for photography of the Darling River) by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 25 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
20JUN49	Ferried Bourke to Mascot by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 10mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
27JUN49	Ferried Mascot to Eagle Farm (Brisbane) by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 35mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
28JUN49	Ferried Eagle Farm (Brisbane) to Dalby by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 10mins). Photography of Wandoan, Toowoomba, Texas, Goondiwindi and other areas. (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
10OCT49	Ferried St George to Mascot by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 15 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
17OCT49	Attempted photography at 17,000 feet (oxygen) by Gordon Bigg and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 20 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
20NOV51	Ferried Bourke to Mascot by Lionel Van Praag and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 35 mins). (Source: Tom Carpenter's log book)
18DEC51	CofR expired.
23APR52	CofR and CofA renewed.
19MAY53	Nosed over at Mascot due to a puncture of the port tyre. The aircraft was only slightly damaged.
21MAY54	Port engine failed on take-off at St George, Qld. Take-off abandoned and aircraft brought to standstill.
14AUG56	Adastra advise aircraft is in the middle of a CofA renewal and request a change of registration to VH-AGA.
20AUG56	DCA approve change of registration to take effect from date of renewal of CofA.
22MAR57	CofA renewed and registration changed to VH-AGA.
21MAR58	CofA expired.
04JUN58	Adastra advise DCA that they do not intend to renew the CofA but wish the aircraft to remain on the register as it will be made airworthy when convenient.
07NOV58	CofA renewed. Total Time 4468.55 hours.
05JAN59	Change of ownership to Sepal Pty Ltd, 41-43 Vickers Ave, Mascot.
30OCT59	Aircraft stationed in Victoria on Government survey work. Total Time: 4694 hours.
08MAR60	Total Time 4869.30 hours.
27MAR61	Adastra advise that they are purchasing an Anson wing from Mr H. Wallace of Moorabbin. The wing is stored in a hangar at West Sale, Vic. (The existing starboard wing has a damaged spar).
21JUL61	Total Time 4869.30 hours.
26NOV61	Noted at Essendon.
MAY62	Based at Essendon on survey work.
29JUN62	DCA advise Adastra "...Director-General agrees to an extension of the date for retirement of Avro Anson aircraft VH-AGA & VH-BLF for 14 days. The CofA is deemed to be suspended as from 15.07.62."
30JUN62	All Australian Ansons with wooden wings were grounded by DCA policy. The CofA of VH-AGA was extended into July to allow the completion of a survey contract.
18JUL62	Struck off Register as withdrawn from service and parked with VH-BLF outside the Adastra hangar at Mascot.
SEP63	Donated by Adastra to the Camden Museum of Aviation, Camden, NSW.
08JAN64	Still parked at Mascot with VH-BLF.
64	Trucked from Mascot to Camden along with some parts from VH-BLF. A letter from Alan Thomas of the Camden Museum of Aviation dated 10 April 2005 states: "Originally Moorabbin Air Museum were going to acquire an Anson from Adastra but when they acquired VH-FIA down in Melbourne they had no further interest in an Adastra Anson. This left the way open for Father (Harold Thomas - founder of the museum .. Ed) and I to acquire VH-AGA. At the same time VH-BLF was at Mascot with no future owner so we were allowed to remove any parts we thought useful. We removed one Cheetah, the main instrument panel, throttle box, undercarriage fairings and many small items. Before we took control of AGA a strong wind went through Mascot and AGA and BLF actually hit each other on the aileron and trailing edge of opposite wings. So we removed the undamaged trailing edge and aileron from BLF and fitted it to AGA. So some pieces of BLF still exist today with the engine, panel and throttle box on display in the Museum. We gave the other airframe pieces to Colin Wear, now deceased, who was going to build a flying Anson, but the project literally never got off the ground and he eventually sold the BLF parts to the RAAF Museum at Point Cook."
24JAN65	Noted re-assembled in the Camden Museum of Aviation hangar. Subsequently painted in camouflage with the incorrect serial N5151.
JAN67	Noted suspended from the roof of the Camden Museum of Aviation.
78	Noted back on the floor of the Camden hangar and displaying its correct identity R9883.