You don't see this every day...G-AUAE is 100 years old in 2025. It was the first D.H.60 Moth to be exported from the UK, and the first of many to be imported into Australia. Re-registered VH-UAE in 1929, this un-airworthy fuselage was left over from a 1980s rebuild and is preserved as a non-flying relic. In the background is the 'new' VH-UAE, rebuilt from the airworthy parts and carrying on this identity as the longest-registered, still flying aircraft in Australia. See my detailed histories on other images of each aircraft.

All is not what it seems! This aircraft started life as a D.H.82A Tiger Moth in 1940 for the RAAF as A17-142. Civil registered as VH-BAR on 24 Feb 1947, it changed to VH-BJI a year later, on 22 Nov 1948. De-registered in 1955, it has been resurrected as a straight-wing D.H.60MIII Moth Major in accordance with DH design drawings uncovered by Stanfield Smith in NZ. De Havilland designed but did not build this model, however the metal tube fuselage designed for the D.H.60MIII became the D.H.82 Tiger Moth. Re-registered VH-UUX(4) on 27 Jun 2019.

This historic aircraft is 100 years old in 2025. It was the first D.H.60 Moth to be exported from the UK, and the first of many to be imported into Australia. It was registered to the Civil Aviation Branch of the Department of Defence as G-AUAE on 5 November 1925, the first of at least 36 Moths loaned to the Aero Club movement to support pilot and engineer training. Re-registered VH-UAE in 1929 and impressed into the RAAF as A7-88 during the Second World War. This un-airworthy fuselage was left over from a 1980s rebuild and is preserved as a non-flying relic. It's recently gained a nose-bowl.

The oldest airworthy aeroplane in Australia, this was also the first Moth to be exported from the UK, being first registered in Australia as G-AUAE on 5 November 1925 to the Civil Aviation Branch, Department of Defence. It was re-registered as VH-UAE in 1930. In later years it was re-built to D.H.60G standard, with a Gipsy engine in place of the original Cirrus, and is preserved in immaculate condition today at Walcha, NSW.

Photo by: Aarne Pietinen / Finnish Heritage Agency

Later OH-ILD, MO-103, OH-ILD and VH-SSC. Photo from: Finnish Heritage Agency

An interesting way of presenting two paint schemes on one plane - on the left (in the photo) in Republican colors, on the right - in Nationalist ones.

This historic aircraft is 100 years old in 2025. It was the first D.H.60 Moth to be exported from the UK, and the first of many to be imported into Australia. It was registered to the Civil Aviation Branch of the Department of Defence as G-AUAE on 5 November 1925, the first of at least 36 Moths loaned to the Aero Club movement to support pilot and engineer training. Re-registered VH-UAE in 1929 and impressed into the RAAF as A7-88 during the Second World War. This un-airworthy fuselage was left over from a 1980s rebuild and is preserved as a non-flying relic.

This historic aircraft is 100 years old in 2025. It was the first D.H.60 Moth to be exported from the UK, and the first of many to be imported into Australia. It was registered to the Civil Aviation Branch of the Department of Defence as G-AUAE on 5 November 1925, the first of at least 36 Moths loaned to the Aero Club movement to support pilot and engineer training. Re-registered VH-UAE in 1929 and impressed into the RAAF as A7-88 during the Second World War. This un-airworthy fuselage was left over from a 1980s rebuild and is preserved as a non-flying relic.

Built 1930. Ex CH 217, HB-OKI. Allocated retro registration G-ABEV 10 March 1977. Cancelled -2 January 1981 on sale in the USA as N4203E. Cancelled from the USCAR 30 July 1981 on export to the UK and restored as G-ABEV -5 August 1981. Still registered March 2025 but with Permit expired 15 May 2009.

Built 1929. Ex NC585M. Cancelled -9 May 1980 on export to the UK, where it had been registered G-AAMY -2 May 1980. Cancelled 24 December 2014 on transfer to Kenya, where it became 5Y-CFH in 2015.

Unknown photographer

Showing signs of a serious leak from the fuel sight gauge. Current in 2025.

A 'No Flight Declaration' was made in November 2023

Registered in February 2016. Its previous identity is given as A7-67 which crashed in August 1936. The wreckage was reportedly stored and resurfaced around 2008 to be rebuilt as VH-UMI.

Later OH-ILD, MO-103, OH-ILD and VH-SSC. Photo by: Aarne Pietinen / Finnish Heritage Agency

Nicely displayed in the impressive Reynolds Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin Alberta

The opening ceremony of Malmi Airport 15 May 1938. Photo from: Hugo Sundström / Finnish Heritage Agency

Built by the American Moth Corporation in 1929 and registered as NC585M, N585M in 1949 then G-AAMY in 1980 and 5Y-CFH in 2015.

Built by the American Moth Corporation in 1929 and registered as NC939M, N939M in 1949 and G-AADR in 1986. Current on the register in 2025.