Paul L. Wheeler recounts the story of his Avro Avian VH-UHC rebuild, and the discovery of another wrecked airframe and the original owner's remarkable stories.
About a year ago now, I acquired the last Avian project that Bob Pope had here in Brisbane. He had previously collected over the years Avians VH-UFZ (rebuilt by Lang Kidby and now with Greg Herrick in the USA), VH-UJG (now being rebuilt to fly with Ron Souch in the UK) and VH-UHC. I was able to obtain the remains of UHC on the proviso that the aircraft be rebuilt to airworthy condition and a suitable donation be made to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
An Avian’s saga Avro Avian Mk III VH-UHC, Construction Number R3/AV/413, was built in Manchester in 1927 and was originally imported to Australia as G-AUHC in January 1928, as a gift by Sir Charles Wakefield (the owner of Castrol Oil) to the Commonwealth of Australia “as a mark of appreciation of Bert Hinkler’s history making flight from England to Australia”. The Commonwealth Government in turn loaned the aircraft to the New South Wales Aero Club, at Mascot, Sydney, “as a mark of appreciation of the Club’s activities in the development of civil aviation in Australia”.
UHC was then flown by the Aero Club until badly damaged in a landing accident in April 1935, and subsequently struck off the register for what was actually only the first time! As the Aero Club of NSW did not own UHC, understandably they were wary of putting up the funds to repair it.
After much back and forth between the Department of Defence and the Aero Club, the wreck was subsequently sold to a Mr Peter Welsh in December 1937, who had the aircraft rebuilt and registered again in June 1938, but pranged again in Campsie, September 1938, after one of the engine cowls came loose. Peter Welsh then sold it to Mrs Amy Madden for use at the Warren Penny Flying School at Mascot, Sydney, in September 1939. She subsequently disposed of UHC to Marshall Airways of Mascot in March 1941.
In February 1951, Sid Marshall sold UHC, and after changing hands a few times, in June 1952, UHC was inspected in a paddock in Tullibigeal by a Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Aircraft Surveyor, who found it to be in very poor condition due to external storage, and it was struck off the register for the ‘final’ time. The remains ended up in Cootamundra, where I believe Bob Pope obtained it in the late 60s
The remains I have obtained consist of the two lower wing panels, the main undercarriage including wire wheels, a set of interplane struts and flying wires, quite a few of the metal fittings from the fuselage, and a set of copied drawings that Bob had obtained from DCA (as it was back then).
I have so far been able to source appropriate altimeters, an ASI, Compass, Cockpit Watch, approximately 100 original factory drawings and two very incomplete Cirrus Mk II engines. I have all the material for the wing ribs and tail feathers for the Avian, and I am currently trying to finish off the jigs for the ribs, although domestic duties, work, etc, seem to always get in the way! With the dollar in the present favourable position, I do plan to order the wood required for the fuselage very shortly.
Digging up another Avian At the beginning of December, I got back from a 3,100 km trip to Cloncurry, dodging dead ’roos, road trains and just missing the flooding rains (literally by a day) to find and pick up the remains of Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major powered Avro 616 Avian Mk IV M Sports, Construction Number R3/CN/529, registered VH-UVR (and before importation, G-ABME). I was given the lead on this aeroplane by the former owner, Ron Rooke, who had spotted an ad I had place in a magazine looking for Avian parts. He had pranged it at the Cloncurry Air Pageant in December 1959 and couldn’t afford to repair it. The poor thing was subsequently abandoned and forcibly removed from the airfield where it lay until I picked it up on Wednesday, December 1.
Ron Rooke used to be a country copper based in Camooweal during the 50s and he is quite a character. Ron had been learning to fly at Bankstown, NSW, in 1954, and had spotted UVR in a damaged condition in the Truscott Aviation hangar. The damage was from a forced landing onto the Moore Park Golf Links five years previously. Ron bought UVR and had her repaired by Frank Newell for £60.00, and on completion of repairs, was ferried to Mount Isa for Ron to collect.
Afterwards, Ron used UVR for unofficial police work while he was based at Camooweal, such as chasing cattle duffers, baddies, lost motorists etc. Ron was trying to convince the Queensland Police Service that it would be a useful tool, as his patrol area was something like 15,000 sq kilometres. His masters in Brisbane were however of the opinion that he had “two horses and a Landrover” and that should be sufficient! His many adventures in the Avian would make a good book. However, in the meantime, here’s couple of highlights:
Free bed, board & a call Ron was notified by the Mount Isa Police that the Holden Dealer had been broken into and a brand new Holden Ute stolen. It was suspected that it might be heading for Darwin. There had been a lot of rain around at the time, and Ron jumped into the Avian to look for the suspect. He was soon spotted stranded near the Georgina River and Ron landed on the road nearby. Ron, being a good outback Queenslander, was dressed in the anonymous standard singlet and shorts. He wandered over to offer help to the unsuspecting suspect.
The fellow said he needed to get to Darwin in a hurry, but the road was cut due to flooding. Ron offered kindly “free room, board and use of a telephone” until the road opened again, which might take several days. So they both hopped into the Avian and headed back to Camooweal. It was late in the day, so by the time they put the Avian “to bed” and got back to Ron’s station, it was dark. On entering, Ron turned the light on, to reveal the wanted posters, etc. on the walls, upon which the man said “this looks like a bloody Police Station!” to which Ron naturally replied: “It is and I’m the Sergeant!”
The next day, Ron drove the suspect back to Mount Isa. On the way, the suspect confessed to a further 32 cars stolen throughout Queensland. When they arrived at Mount Isa Station, there was a bunch of newly trained police officers, so Ron asked them if they wanted any experience booking in a crim. Apparently, it took them hours to type out all the necessary paperwork and subsequently, whenever Ron turned up offering work, they would look at him askance!
No bull rescue Another time, Ron was asked to look for a stockman who had been missing for a couple of days from Arcadia Station, as his horse had returned without him. Ron, in the Avian, soon located him walking along in a paddock and tried to land nearby, but a very territorial bull kept charging the aeroplane. Ron then proceeded to chase the bull around the paddock in the Avian until the bull wore out and decided it needed a lie down. Ron then landed and was able to talk to the missing stockman and naturally offered him a ride home. After having watched the preceding antics, the stockman said “no way” and that he would rather walk!
History of Avian VH-UVR Avian C/N 529 was built in 1931 and was initially registered G-ABME. It was imported into Australia in March 1936 for a Mr Angus H. Tweddle and assembled at Essendon Airport. The aircraft had had the front seat removed, a long range fuel tank fitted and the front cockpit faired over. This appears to have been done in England for racing purposes, as I do know that it had been placed fourth in the Manchester-Liverpool Race of 1932 and was also raced in the King’s Cup Race of 1935. Avian UVR was sold to a Mr Colin Thomas of Apsley in May 1939 and was damaged in a heavy landing at Wellington, NSW in August 1939. After repair, UVR was sold to a Mr William Clinton of Camden, NSW, in July 1940.
After a couple of minor incidents, it was sold to a Mr Alfred D. Walsh of Wedderburn, NSW in February, 1945, before going to Mr S. T. Batchlor of Waverly, NSW, in July, 1948. Damaged in a forced landing on the Moore Park Golf Links, due to engine failure in March, 1949, UVR was subsequently stored in the Hangar of Truscott Aviation at Bankstown until purchased and repaired by Ron Rooke in 1954.
Digging up an Avian After Ron had contacted me about the possible existence of UVR and with a bit of research, I was able to track down a probable location, as the remains had last been sighted around three years ago. With the much appreciated assistance of local garage owner, Mr John Williams, whose father Bill had signed out UVR as a local LAME 50-plus years previously, I quickly found the mortal remains of UVR in the long grass adjacent to Cloncurry Airport. Three and half hours' digging later, I liberated her from the dirt and had it on my trailer.
I then set off for Bundaberg – 1,500 kilometres away – and dropped in to show Ron his old machine. He nearly cried when he saw it! It was amazing the memories that flooded back for him, and he was soon rattling of the firing order, timing figures, etc and some very funny stories. It was well worth the effort. Now that I have got it home, it’s going to be a long-term project, but seeing the wings and tail feathers are nearly identical to my wooden fuselaged Mk III, it won’t be too much further effort to knock out a set for UVR. Even though the fuselage tubes on UVR are rusted out and bent, a surprising number of fittings will be able to be salvaged.
The want list I am looking for the following for VH-UHC:
• Smiths or Casella Mk IVa Airspeed Indicator • Twinob or Air Ministry 5C/625 Magneto Switches (two) • Mk Va Oil Pressure Gauges (two) • Claudel Hobson RRCH Carburettor • Avro type turnbuckles – 4 and 5mm • Cirrus Mk II engine and/or parts thereof – Dead or Alive
As well as any other Avian parts.
I will be looking for the following for VH-UVR:
• Husun Mk III Compass • Reid & Sigrist Inclinometer 6A/380 • Devonport Cross Level • Smiths Mk IVA Airspeed Indicator • Smiths Mk VA Altimeter • Mk V Tachometer • Period Oil Pressure & Temp Gauges • Twinob Magneto Switches • Hand Crank Starting Magneto • Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major Mk 1A Engine and/or parts thereof. • Avro type Turnbuckles – 4 and 5mm • Tiger Moth Main Wheels and Shock Absorbers
The Avian VH-UVR being refuelled during the East-West Air Race. (John Hopton)
