The Wonga Monoplane was kept under guard at a paddock on the rural fringe of Sydney. That did not stop it being wrecked in a storm. The aircraft was rebuild with an Australian Harkness Hornet engine in place of the Curtiss OX-5 seen here. The registration was cancelled after the storm but the Wonga continued to be test flown after its rebuild. It fatally crashed on June 16, 1932. Photo from: Powerhouse Museum

The Wonga first flew on June 4, 1930 from Burdekin's Paddock, a rural property at Quakers Hill on what was then Sydney's rural fringe. Such was the secrecy, the aircraft was under 24-hour guard to keep away the curious. On August 13 a storm broke the aircraft's back and the registration cancelled. The Wonga was rebuilt with a Harkness Hornet engine and made several long flights. It was never registered again. On June 16, 1932 it crashed on approach to Burdekin's Paddock killing the pilot and passenger. The photo shows it with the Harkness engine. Photo from: City of Ryde Library