A Winjeel making an early morning takeoff on Runway 14.

Delivered to the RAAF as A85-434 in August 1956. Struck off RAAF charge in May 1970. Registered VH-AGP(3) on 5 August 1983 and named 'Edda' at some later time. Re-registered appropriately as VH-EDA(2) on 27 July 1993. Oddly, the aircraft is painted with RAF fuselage roundels, rather than RAAF kangaroo ones, which the two CA-22 prototypes wore but the first production CA-25s wore only very briefly.

Showing off her party-piece! Registered new in Australia on 29 November 1935 and still going strong. Withdrawn from use during March-April 1970, and between March 1978 and May 1992.

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.

Built at Mascot for the RAAF, BOC December 1942 as A34-30. Post-war acquired by Qantas Empire Airways for use in New Guinea and registered VH-AON on 26 March 1947. Sold to Territory Airlines in 1952, then into a succession of owners from 1960. It acquired the name Puff (The Magic Dragon) in the early 1960s, which it has retained ever since. Acquired by Joe Drage in 1977 and spent time at the Airworld Museum, Wangaratta 1985-2004. Acquired by well-known restorer Harvey McBain, this beautiful aircraft emerged from a 15-year rebuild in 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.

This Cirrus was registered new as VH-UAG(3) on 21 December 2005. It was re-registered as VH-TJX(2) on 26 July 2019. On 24 February 2021 the aircraft was acquired by Oz Runways who re-registered it a month later, appropriately, as VH-EFB(3). Just to confuse matters, this aircraft replaced their earlier Cirrus SR-20 VH-EFB(2), which became VH-OCV(4).

The exposed Continental C85 (O-190) of this lovely Klemm Swallow. Built in 1934 with a Pobjoy radial, the aircraft was initially registered in Germany as D-EHIV, then went to Switzerland as HB-XAL. It was re-registered in Australia as VH-UUR on 5 August 1935 for use in New Guinea by the Divine Word Mission (Roman Catholic). It escaped the Japanese advance during the Second World War by flying to Australia and after the war was sold into private hands where its first owner re-engined it with a C85. The aircraft recently underwent a beautiful restoration in the hands of Roy Fox.

This very rare Fox Moth was originally built in 1932 & registered G-ABXS. Sold to Australia in 1935 for MMA and registered VH-UVL on 6 Sept. Used on their Flying Doctor contract and also on scheduled services. Impressed by the RAAF in 1942 as A41-2. Used in New Guinea but 'scrapped' in 1943. Under rebuild from the 1990s to 2017 and re-registered as VH-UVL on 27 July 2000.

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.

Since last I saw it, this lovely Swift has been re-painted with its original British registration, though it still carries its correct Australian registration in small letters under the tailplane. Built in 1932 as one of 3 Gipsy-powered racers and registered G-ABWH. Raced in the 1932 King's Cup air race. Shipped to the USA in 1933 where it raced at Cleveland as NC27K. Returned to the UK in 1934, then to Australia and registered VH-ACG on 19 July 1939. Rebuilt over 16 years 1971-87 by Doug Muir in Perth. Now with Roy Fox in Sydney.

This Chippie has had a long and convoluted history. It was originally built for the RAF as WB616, then civilianised in the UK as G-AOSC. In 1957 it was imported by the Latrobe Valley Aero Club and appropriately registered VH-MOE(1) on 17 April that year. A year later it was sold to the Goulburn Aero Club, who re-registered it VH-GAH on 13 June 1961. The following year it was sold to the RACSA who re-registered it VH-BWM(2) on 24 August 1962. And another year later again it was sold to a private owner and re-registered VH-UEU(1) on 1 November 1963.

Manufactured in 1956, this aircraft was initially registered N6617A. It was exported to Australia a few years later and re-registered VH-CDY on 15 July 1960.

Built at Mascot for the RAAF, BOC December 1942 as A34-30. Post-war acquired by Qantas Empire Airways for use in New Guinea and registered VH-AON on 26 March 1947. Sold to Territory Airlines in 1952, then into a succession of owners from 1960. It acquired the name Puff (The Magic Dragon) in the early 1960s, which it has retained ever since. Acquired by Joe Drage in 1977 and spent time at the Airworld Museum, Wangaratta 1985-2004. Acquired by well-known restorer Harvey McBain, this beautiful aircraft emerged from a 15-year rebuild in 2019.

This Tiger Moth was built for the RAAF and saw wartime service as A17-385. It was one of the earlier Tigers on the civil Register, becoming VH-AKE on Christmas Eve, 1946. In the 1950s it was on the strength of the Canberra Aero Club, but now resides in private hands in Kerang, Vic.

The cn indicates that this RV-4 was built in Western Australia, where it was registered VH-DAT(4) on 23 May 1995. It was re-registered VH-DAX(4) on 30 April 1998.

Delivered to the RAAF as A85-434 in August 1956. Struck off RAAF charge in May 1970. Registered VH-AGP(3) on 5 August 1983 and named 'Edda' at some later time. Re-registered appropriately as VH-EDA(2) on 27 July 1993. Oddly, the aircraft is painted with RAF fuselage roundels, rather than RAAF kangaroo ones, which the two CA-22 prototypes wore but the first production CA-25s wore only very briefly.

This aircraft was built for the US Navy as an N2S-3 Stearman, Bu 07711. After military service it became N5047V. In 1982 it came to Australia, becoming VH-AGR(4) on 7 April. It was re-registered VH-PUD on 29 December 1989.