VH-BKZ


Type: Avro 652A Anson Mk 1
MSN: Nil
Previous Identities: W2255


History:

Built by A.V. Roe & Co Ltd at Newton Heath, U.K. for the RAF as W2255. Delivered to Australia for the Empire Air Training Scheme.
28JUN41 Taken on charge by the RAAF as W2255. Received at No 1 Aircraft Depot, Laverton, Vic ex U.K.
01SEP41 Received at No 3 Service Flying Training School, Amberley, Qld ex 1AD.
06APR42 Issued to No 6 SFTS, Mallala, Vic ex 3SFTS.
11SEP42 Undercarriage and mainplane damaged when the aircraft struck a hole on Mallala Aerodrome.
24NOV43 Issued to Ansett Airways, Essendon ex 6SFTS.
12SEP44 Received at 1AD, Laverton ex Ansett Airways.
25SEP44 Received at 6SFTS, Mallala ex 1AD.
30JUL45 Transferred to storage at 6SFTS.
22FEB46 Received at Care and Maintenance Unit, Nhill, Vic ex CMU, Mallala.
02SEP46 Received at Point Cook for storage ex CMU, Nhill.
14NOV47 Sold by Commonwealth Disposals Commission to Adastra Airways Pty Ltd, Sydney.
16JAN48 Issued to purchaser.
24FEB49 Registration application from Adastra Airways Pty Ltd, Mascot.
04MAR49 Added to Register as VH-BKZ.
03MAY49 Engine test flight by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (1 hr). (Source: 1)
04MAY49 Engine test flight by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (30 mins). (Source: 1)
05MAY49 Engine test flight by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (30 mins). (Source: 1)
14APR50 Camera test by Gordon Bigg, Tom Carpenter and Harry Morrell (20 mins). Subsequent photography in Kiama, Adaminaby and Canberra areas. (Source: 1 & 2)
17APR50
 Photographing Mascot-Adaminaby-Canberra. (Source:2)
17APR50
 Transport Canberra-Mascot. (Source:2)
18APR50
 Attempted Mascot-Tianjara. (Source:2)
23APR50
 Attempted Mascot-Tianjara. (Source:2)
24APR50
 Attempted Mascot-Adaminaby. (Source:2)
26APR50
 Photographing Mascot-McCanns Island . (Source:2)
26APR50
 Test Photo 12" Lens Mascot-Brighton. (Source:2)
06NOV50 Ferried Mascot to Nyngan by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs). (Source: 1)
10NOV50 Ferried Nyngan to Broken Hill by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 50 mins). (Source: 1)
10NOV50 Ferried Broken Hill to Parafield by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 10 mins). Subsequent photography in Port Lincoln, Thistle Island, Ceduna, Port Augusta, Whyalla, Mount Gambier, Hamilton, Nhill, Cressey and other areas. (Source: 1)
02FEB51 Ferried Moorabbin to Wagga by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 50 mins). (Source: 1)
03FEB51 Ferried Wagga to Mascot by Joe Linfoot and Tom Carpenter (1 hr 50 mins). (Source: 1)
18JUL51 Photography of power lines by R. Mitchell and Tom Carpenter (2 hrs 30 mins). (Source: 1)
26JUL51 Photography of power lines by R. Mitchell and Tom Carpenter (3 hrs 30 mins). (Source: 1)
25NOV51
 Camera Test Bourke-Local. (Source:2)
28NOV51
 Attempted Bourke-Toorale. (Source:2)
29NOV51
 Photographing Bourke-Toorale. (Source:2)
30NOV51
 Attempted Bourke-Boorooma. (Source:2)
01DEC51
 Attempted Bourke-Boorooma. (Source:2)
02DEC51
 Photographing Bourke-Boorooma. (Source:2)
03DEC51
 Photographing Bourke-Bundabulla. (Source:2)
04DEC51
 Photographing Bourke-Brindingabba. (Source:2)
05DEC51
 Photographing Bourke-Brindingabba. (Source:2)
07DEC51
 Attempted Bourke-Brindingabba. (Source:2)
12DEC51
 Photographing Bourke-Brindingabba. (Source:2)
13DEC51
 Photographing Bourke-Charlton-Mulligawarrina. (Source:2)
14DEC51
 Photographing Bourke-Bundabulla. (Source:2)
19DEC51
 Transport Bourke-Mascot. (Source:2)
30MAR52 Attempted photography (location not recorded) by D. Barnard and Tom Carpenter (40 mins). (Source: 1)
OCT52 Adastra advise DCA that Anson VH-AGO is due to be replaced by VH-BKZ and then retired. However, the fitment of camera equipment to VH-BKZ has not been completed. DCA approve a two-week CofA extension for VH-AGO in late October to enable it to finish a contract.
17JAN53 VH-BKZ crashed at Moorabbin, Vic when an engine failed on take-off. The aircraft struck an earth bank, telephone post and two fences before coming to rest in a ploughed field past the northern boundary of the airfield. Most of the port wing was torn off when it hit the post. The aircraft had flown beneath the 20 foot high telegraph wires running along both sides of Centre Dandenong Road. The crew of three received slight bruising only. The aircraft was written off.
15MAY53 Struck off Register.

 

 

SOURCES
1
 Log Book of Adastra engineer Tom Carpenter.
2
 Log Book of Adastra camera operator Harry Morrell. The pilot on all of these flights was G.A. Bigg. The complete log book entries can be viewed HERE


Issue Date Remarks
3 04JAN18
Added flights from the log book of Adastra camera operator Harry Morrel (Source:2) Pilot on all of these flights was Gordon Bigg. Thanks to Harry's daughter Deb Duckmanton and Nigel Daw of the South Australian Aviation Museum.
2 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.
1 23FEB03
Original Issue. Thanks to Geoff Goodall.