Brisbane Flying School was established by Qantas in 1927. VH-UIC arrived on the register as G-AUIC in January 1929 but by the end of the year it had adopted the VH- prefix. It arrived in Brisbane in 1938 after a string of NSW-based owners. Crashed in 1939 and shipped south to Sydney for repairs. Soon after returning to the air, -UIC was impressed by the RAAF as A7-115. Became an instructional airframe. Photo from: State Library of Queensland

Impressed by the RAAF as A17-674 in July 1940. Did not return to civil use. In 1991 another Tiger Moth was registered VH-UZV (ex VH-AZC). Photo from: State Library of Queensland

John Harrison photo of VH-UZK over Melbourne soon after delivery. In 1939 it was impressed by the RAAF as A30-2 for five months until other aircraft aircraft could be sourced overseas. -UZK was destroyed on November 8, 1948 when it flew into Mount Macedon. It had not long departed Melbourne for Deniliquin when the captain departed the approved track under IFR conditions.

The FK.50 eight-passenger airliner was ordered by the general manager of Alpar whom Frits Koolhoven had met in Davos in the spring of 1935. Three examples were built for this airline from Bern, this being the prototype. The second one, HB-AMO, soon crashed during blind-flying training but was replaced by the third, HB-AMA, an FK.50A with double tailfins. The type was well liked and operated Alpar's Bern-Paris-London service as late as 1946. HB-AMI was scrapped in 1947. The FK.50A even survived until 1962 when it crashed in Liberia as EL-ADV. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

22 (City of Sydney) Squadron Ansons based at RAAF Richmond. A4-6 was involved in a mid-air collision near Mallala, South Australia, on February 13, 1942. The crew of A4-6 and the other Anson, A4-31 (3rd from camera in this photo), were killed. No. 6 Service Flying Training School was operating both aircraft at the time. Photo from: State Library of Victoria

Small airliner designed to carry six to ten passengers. Clad with the Timm company's Aeromold, plastic-bonded plywood. Tricycle landing gear, wing slots and slotted flaps and ailerons for easy take-offs and landings. Wheel fairings not fitted at time of first flight in February 1938. No production. Photo by: Ralph Johnston / Glendale Public Library

In 1937 flown solo by Lores Bonney from Australia, where she lived, to South Africa, where she had been born. VH-UVE shipped back to Australia and destroyed in a hangar fire at Archerfield on June 28, 1939. Photo from: State Library of Queensland

The Fokker C.V served in the Dutch navy from 1926 until 1938. Trials with floats were unsuccesful and the type was used only as a landplane. Z-16 reported scrapped on 1 November 1938. Photo from: Jaap de Moor collection

Withdrawn from use 1946 and scrapped at Essendon in 1948

The sole Avro 642/2m twin. There was also a four-engine version but again only one was built. VH-UXD was destroyed in a Japanese air raid at Salamaua on January 21, 1942.

This 12-passenger amphibian was owned by William K. Vanderbilt of New York City. George Vanderbilt had a Douglas Dolphin 12, and Harold Vanderbilt had a Lockheed 14-N. It is in dark blue and silver. I would say it was no coincidence that this was the special color scheme for Navy aircraft of that period used by an Admiral.

Battle 1 being prepared for delivery by Fairey employees in late November 1938. First served 63 Squadron at RAF Upwood, then 52 Squadron, crashing at Pewsey (Wilts) on 23 August 1940 whilst with No.12 Operational Training Unit. Ringways 1938-built terminal and hangar is in the background. Obtained from Faireys 60 years ago.

Newly-built Battle I light bomber at Fairey's factory at Manchester Ringway in December 1938 before delivery to No.63 Squadron at RAF Upwood. Later shipped to the Royal Canadian Air Force as No.2063 in August 1941. Obtained from Faireys 60 years ago.

KLM's Super Electra "Lepelaar" is operating the Schiphol-Doncaster-Ringway-Speke scheduled service on 12 August, shortly after delivery on 30 June 1938, replacing the usual DC-2. Sold to the first British Airways in August 1939 as G-AFYU and crashed off Malta on 21 December 1939.

The experimental Batwing was designed by Walter F. McGinty and built by his Batwing Aircraft Corp of Alameda. The aircraft did not gain enough altitude during the first flight and the project was eventually abandoned.

Some of the 1,165 Battle light bombers which were built at Fairey's Stockport factory between June 1937 and November 1940. They were taken in sections to Ringway for final assembly and air testing. From Fairey Aviation 60 years ago.

KLM's scheduled DC-2 inside Ringway's 1938 hangar when operating KLM's schedule from Schiphol. Ringway's new Austin ambulance poses alongside. From the airport archive 40 years ago.

Swissair's first DC-3 and flagship of the fleet. Fitted with right hand door. Delivered from the Fokker DC-2/3 assembly line at Schiphol on 10 June 1937. Has the prewar style of titling below the cabin windows when operating to Croydon in 1938. Sold to Ozark in 1955 as N2815D. Image obtained over 50 years ago.