By Neil Follett
The DH.75 Hawk Moth was the first of a family of high-wing monoplane Moths designed by de Havilland for export as a light transport or air-taxi. Although only eight Hawk Moths were built, two made it onto the Australian civil register.
The prototype DH.75 Hawk Moth, G-EBVV, made its first flight on 7 December 1928 in the hands of Hubert Broad. It was a four-seat high wing cabin monoplane powered by a 198 hp de Havilland Ghost engine. (This was obviously not the later DH Ghost jet engine, but a V-8 made from two Gypsy engine blocks onto a new crankshaft.) The Hawk Moth featured composite construction including a welded steel fuselage and tail along with wooden wing sub-structure and all-over fabric covering. Its Ghost engine underperformed, and despite a wing extension to 44 rather than 41 ft, the aircraft was abandoned. Redesigned to take the 240 hp Armstrong Siddeley Lynx radial engine by Arthur Hagg, it was designated the DH.75A. The U.K. C of A issued in March 1930 stated that it was a five-seater, but that if more than three passengers were carried, the fuel and oil was to be reduced so the 3,650 lb all up weight limit was not exceeded. This restriction rather undermined the name de Havilland proposed of ‘Moth Six’ for the six seats, and its price in combination with the large size deterred buyers. Although only eight Hawk Moths were built, two made it onto the Australian civil register.
Hawk Moth 348, VH-UNW.
This Hawk Moth had a very colourful and long life. It was the third Hawk built and registered to de Havilland Co. Ltd on 19 April 1930 as G-AAFX.
The Australian subsidiary de Havilland Aircraft Pty. Ltd applied for Australian registration on 19 April 1930 stating that the aircraft was fitted with a geared Lynx VI A engine delivering 215 hp at 2000 rpm. Trials were carried out at Mascot on 19 April 1930. The registration of VH-UNW was allocated to the Hawk which was intended to be used as a de Havilland demonstrator. When Amy Johnson damaged her DH-60 in Brisbane she was flown around the country in several aircraft, one of which was UNW, flown by Major Hereward de Havilland from Sydney to Canberra on 14 June 1930 to meet Mr. Scullin, the Prime Minister, and thence to Melbourne on 16 June. The flight continued onto Perth, where Amy boarded a ship for her return to England.
Its first operational owner was Hart Aircraft Service Pty. Ltd. based at Essendon, being registered to them on 18 April 1931. Hart Aircraft Service was formed in August 1929 and was set up at Essendon Aerodrome to service and maintain aircraft. They obtained an agency for Desoutter aircraft. The ex Australian National Airways Avro Ten, VH-UMG was purchased in 1933 and commenced a weekly Melbourne – Launceston service until early 1934. Hart Aircraft Services ceased trading when taken over by Victorian Interstate Airways in September 1937.
When ownership was transferred to Tasmanian Airways on 15 February 1934, the total airframe time on VH-UNW was 580 hours. On 10 January 1935, whilst being flown by a Mr. R.N. Gordon, a piston seized necessitating a forced landing at Brighton, in northern Tasmania. Many letters were exchanged between Tasmanian Airways and the Controller of Civil Aviation (CCA) regarding changing the Lynx engine to a Wright Whirlwind. (It is interesting to note that the Tasmanian Airways correspondence was on Tasmanian Motor Service letterhead.)
On 1 May 1936 the CCA received a letter from a H. Purvis stating that he had, “recently purchased Hawk Moth in Tasmania, less engine. Intend to fit Wright Whirlwind J5.” In his application for registration on 31 July 1936 he stated the aircraft was now fitted with a 220 hp Wright Whirlwind engine.
George Henry (Harry) Purvis, born in 1909, was a pilot and engineer. During his long flying career he flew with Kingsford Smith, Western and Southern Provincial Airlines, Australian National Airways, KNILM (Netherlands East Indies Airways) and Herald Flying Services. He was a crew member on P.G. Taylor’s South American survey flight in 1951 and was the last pilot to fly the Southern Cross when it was used in the film on Smithy’s life in 1946. He died in 1980.
The next owner was a Charles Strong of Geelong, Victoria, having the aircraft registered to him on 6 March 1938. December 1938 saw the ownership change to James John Smith and John Cyril Morgan c/- Melbourne Airport, Coode Island, where the aircraft was based. J.J. Smith is most remembered as the last owner of Bert Hinkler’s Avro Baby, G-AUCQ, which is now displayed in the Brisbane Museum. The next owner was Clarence Stewart of Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, a motor cycle dealer. He became the registered owner on 2 February 1942 and then sold it to Eddie Connellan of Alice Springs on 5 July 1943.
It would appear that when in the ownership of Mr. Stewart, work was done on the aircraft by Ansett Airways, but when he received the account he sent it back denying all knowledge of it. The account was duly forwarded to Eddie Connellan who promptly returned it to Ansetts in a letter containing some very un-airman like language! Edward John Connellan was a Northern Territory pastoralist born in 1912. He established Inland Airways in 1938 to provide air services from Alice Springs to cattle stations. The service later became known as Connellan Airways and later still Connair. He died in 1983.
While in the service of Connellan, an Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX engine was fitted, and VH-UNW was withdrawn from service in March 1947 but was back in the air in October of that year. In 1949 it was subject to a C of A inspection and the complex tubular fuselage was taken to pieces. The engineer undertaking the work then moved to Qantas and the airframe was never put together again. In the early 1950’s a piece of the airframe was noted in the back garden of a Connellan engineer, holding up his tomato plants. After 21 years on the Australian register VH-UNW was officially struck off on 30 March 1951.
Hawk Moth 706, VH-UOY.
This aircraft was sold to Aircrafts Pty. Ltd, (APL) being registered to them on 18 September 1930. Aircrafts Pty was founded by Ronald Shafto Adair, an ex Australian Flying Corps pilot from WWI. His company started a service from Brisbane to Toowoomba on 4 October 1929, and with the addition of the DH-75, named The Hawk, APL were able to expand their regular services in Queensland and undertake charter operations.
At Coffs Harbour Aerodrome on 19 March 1933 when the Hawk Moth taxied over a recently filled in area an undercarriage leg was pulled out, the fuselage damaged and the propeller bent. Ron Adair wrote the following letter to the Controller of Civil Aviation:
“Confirming dispatch of C.A. Form 42, to your Department, referring to recent accident at Coff’s Harbour, we wish to advise that the aeroplane VH-UOY is en route to Brisbane by rail for repair, as facilities for carrying out the work at Coff’s Harbour are not available.
We feel that the cause of the accident –the taking out of an underground tank and not properly filling in the hole – created an obstacle that a pilot has no control over, especially when on the main runway, and that someone is liable for negligence, when a ground is licensed and landing fees collected.We would be glad to have your opinion and advice as to obligations regarding licensed aerodromes of private ownership.”
No reply from the Department to the above letter is recorded.
Another taxying incident occurred at Archerfield Aerodrome on 24 September 1933 when VH-UOY taxied into Avro Avian VH-UHZ. On 29 April 1935 Ron Adair made a safe forced landing in VH-UOY on Bribie Island after experiencing engine trouble. Parts to enable the Hawk Moth’s engine to be repaired were flown to Bribie Island in DH.60 VH-UFU, which in turn was damaged when landing.
Mystery Fire
Sadly VH-UOY came to a fiery end on 12 May 1936 at Archerfield Aerodrome. In this detailed statement made to the Controller of Civil Aviation, Ron Adair wrote:
“I am a ‘B’ licenced pilot of 18 years experience (6500) hours and am also a ground engineer licenced in Divs. A.B.C.&D. On Saturday May 11th VH-UOY was tested in the air, and then filled with petrol at about 4.30 pm, flight Certificate of Safety was signed in readiness for early flight next morning. At 5.0 am May 12th, VH-UOY was loaded with ‘Truth’ newspapers (750lbs) engine started and warmed up for approx. 15 minutes, then tested for R.P.M., everything right.
At about 5.25 am dawn started to break. Mr. A. Cameron in VH-UER taxied up the aerodrome and took off at 5.30 am in a Northerly direction, there being no wind. As soon as he had passed overhead I taxied out up to the Southern end of the aerodrome and took off at 5.35 am. The machined climbed off as usual and when a couple of minutes later at about 1500’ altitude the (engine) commenced to miss and I at once began a left hand circuit , the misfiring developing alarmingly and I began losing height. I knew that Mr. A. Spence in VH-UFW would be taxing out to take-off if not already in the air, and I was endeavouring to keep out of his away so swung over there on the Western boundary, rapidly losing height. Finally I was forced to make a landing in the semi-darkness and being unable to see the ground, and the machine being fully loaded, together with a certain amount of personal strain under the circumstances the landing was a rough one probably on one wheel, as the machine swung to starboard the undercarriage V strut crumpled.
The machine came to rest having damaged the undercarriage and bent the propeller tips. The fuselage however, was not crumpled or apparently damaged, and the wings were entirely intact and unaffected by the landing.
There was strong smell of petrol with fumes everywhere, obviously from the petrol line or through flooding of the carburettor, which always occurs for a minute or so when the engine is first stopped. I thought of fire, switched off the engine and jumped out, I felt that the danger of fire had now passed so walked around the plane to make a rough survey of the position and estimate the probable damage. I felt that I had done everything to prevent fire. I was waiting for a car to come over and set off to walk towards the hangar as I was anxious to do something immediately about arranging another machine to carry my load. I estimate I was 50 yards away from the plane when with a roar it burst into flames. I should say that if I had been within 10 yards of the plane at the time I would have been drenched with blazing petrol.
I cannot account for the engine trouble as it functioned so well on the previous afternoon, and ran up satisfactorily a little while previously. The misfiring appeared to me to be caused by a starving carburettor due to petrol blockage or air lock and so increased as to lose practically all power.
The cause of the plane catching fire is not clear, there are several possible solutions, one is that the long exhaust pipes running underneath the cabin retain a certain amount of burning oil especially when firing unevenly as when coming into land, sooty substances may still have been glowing or even burning for some minutes in the exhaust pipes or exhaust ring and leaking petrol coming into contact after becoming vapourised and highly volatile would cause an explosion, this could quite easily be delayed for some time after landing.
The destruction of the plane is a distinct loss to the company as we have recently renewed our paper contract on the Rockhampton service, and together with the one to Cracow our engagements average 50 pounds ($100) per week.
(Signed) R.S. Adair. May 16th 1935”
Three Hawk Months were sold to the RCAF, but were so unpopular they were used for welding practice in 1935. None survive.
