Altair VH-USB at Essendon, possibly on 30 August 1934 when Smithy demonstrated the aeroplane over the city of Melbourne. The aviator in the photo is unidentified but it may be Eric Chaseling who occupied the co-pilot's seat on the demonstration flight. P.G. Taylor was not available for this flight as he had been required to dash back to Sydney to deputise for the bed-ridden Smithy to honour a long-standing commitment to fly the Southern Cross to a fund-raising event at Crookwell on 29 August. There was nobody available at Mascot to fly the Southern Cross so Bill Purton flew down to Melbourne in a Gipsy Moth to collect P.G. Taylor who returned to Melbourne in "the Gull" (presumed to be VH-CKS, pilot unknown) in time to join Smithy on the return flight of the Altair to Sydney on 31 August. Picture: Ben Dannecker Collection

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