ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 25645
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| Date: | Monday 29 January 1951 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.84 Dragon |
| Owner/operator: | Mandated Airlines |
| Registration: | VH-AAC |
| MSN: | 6025 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Slate Creek, Morobe -
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Lae, New Guinea (LAY/AYNZ) |
| Slate Creek, Morobe, New Guinea | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
c/no 6025: Dragon VH-AAC had an interesting history. Built by deHavillands at Stag Lane, it was the personal aeroplane of the "Prince of Wales". Registered as d G-ACGG [C of R 4335] 3.5.33 to Flight Lt Edward Hedley Fielden (as nominee for HRH The Prince of Wales); aircraft based at RAF at Hendon, Middlesex. C of A 3892 issued 6.6.33; delivered 12.6.33.
G-ACGG was the 2nd Dragon to be outfitted with the 'De Luxe Scheme 8' luxury interior which included a separate toilet, wash basin and luggage compartment (costing £190 extra). The first Dragon with the Scheme Eight interior was purchased by William Lindsay Everard, MP registered as G-ACEK.
The interior was also outfitted with leather armchairs that used an aluminum frame with taller back, padded leather with red and fawn piping. The interior upholstery followed the red and fawn leather scheme with red fittings and bulk heads; there was also a clock and 'aneroid' mounted on the cabin bulkhead. The passenger compartment was sound proofed and air ducts were provided for each seat.
The fuselage was painted in the Guards Regiment scheme of deep red and dark blue, which was the Prince's favorite. The wings and tail were silver. The aircraft was sold sold 5.2.35 and re-registered [C of R 5618] on 14.2.35 to Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth, who later created the Shuttleworth collection of historic aircraft. Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth, based the airframe at Heston (he paid £2,500 for G-ACGG) for planned operations by The Aeronautical Advertising Co Ltd with under wing neon signs fitted by Claude General Neon Signs Ltd. However, this scheme was abandoned following a change in government policy or law.
Re-registered 29.4.36 to Leonard H Stace, Heston (C of R 6960). Registration cancelled 9.12.37 as "sold abroad" following C of A renewal 30.11.37. Re-registered in Australia as VH-AAC [C of R 690/C of A 647] 18.2.38 to W.R. Carpenter & Co Ltd, Sydney; named “Alice” (based Salamaua, New Guinea). Sold 4.11.40 to Mandated Airlines, New Guinea.
Impressed into RAAF as A34-10 on 11.2.41; to 3 EFTS RAAF Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria 18.4.41 for modification for air observer work. Operated by 2 Air Observers School, RAAF Mount Gambier 19.8.41-20.11.41. To School of Photography, Canberra, ACT 5.11.43. Forced landed with engine failure 4.1.44 and transferred (unrepaired) to Director of Civil Aviation.
Struck off charge 21.6.44 on transfer to Director of Civil Aviation. Registration VH-AAC restored 29.8.44 to Aircrafts (Pty) Ltd, Brisbane, Queensland. Re-registered 4.11.44 to Mandated Airlines, New Guinea. Re-registered 15.6.48 to J Taylor, t/a Taylor's Air Transport, New Guinea. Damaged Slate Creek, New Guinea 27.7.48; repaired. Taylor's Air Transport taken over 15.3.49 by Guinea Air Traders.
Reverted 4.50 to Mandated Airlines [on failure/bankruptcy of Guinea Air Traders]; leased to Wewak Air Transport 23.5.50-12.11.50.
Crashed on landing at Slate Creek airstrip, Morobe, New Guinea 29.1.51; damaged airframe stored at Lae, New Guinea for repairs. On 18.10.51, Mandated Air Lines advised Director of Civil Aviation that VH-AAC is stored dismantled in damaged condition in their hangar at Lae. It had been damaged in an accident at Slate Creek. Requested that the airframe be struck off Register, because when it is rebuilt it will be registered in their VH-MA.. series. Letter signed D. W. Elphinstone. Sold in early 1952 to Territory Airlines, Goroka, New Guuinea. Not rebuilt and used as a source of spares for DH.84 Dragon VH-AIA [c/n 2086].
Registration cancelled 16.6.54; struck off register as "Withdrawn From Use". However, on 20.4.55, TAL DH.84 Dragon VH-AIA was damaged landing at Boana. Hit clump of grass at the runway threshold, ground-looped, damaging the tail. Spare tailplane from VH-AAC was fitted by Jack Gray - which proves that VH-AAC (or at least, some of this airframe) was still in existence as a source of spares in April 1955
Sources:
1. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p060.html
2. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ACGG.pdf
3. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/VH-AAC.html
4. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au//2a34.shtml
5. https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/prince-of-wales-private-aircraft-1933-dragon.6208/
6. http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh84-pt1/dh84-dragon-pt1.htm
7. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh84-dragon-i-slate-creek
8. http://www.maplandia.com/papua-new-guinea/morobe/slate-creek/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 01-May-2010 23:14 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 01-Jan-2012 10:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 04-Apr-2014 17:42 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 26-Oct-2022 21:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 26-Oct-2022 21:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Category] |
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