VH-SML
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| Type: | L-414-08 Hudson Mk IVA |
| Msn: | 6049 |
| Previous Identities: | 41-23190 A16-120 [VH-RBC] |
History:
| 08DEC41 | Received 1 AD ex USA. |
| 09FEB42 | Received 7 Sqn ex 1 AD. |
| 28APR42 | Landed on punctured tyre. Main fitting from centre section buckled. |
| 04MAY42 | Received 1 AD ex 7 Sqn. |
| 23MAY42 | Issued 5 AD ex 1 AD for undercarriage repairs. |
| 22MAY43 | Received 6 Sqn ex 5 AD. |
| 24AUG43 | Allotted 7 AD ex 6 Sqn for modification to transport aircraft. |
| 04SEP43 | Proceeding to Ward's for use by General Blamey. |
| 18NOV43 | Allotted for use by CAS. Seats ex A16-98 to be installed. |
| 07DEC43 | Issued 1 CU ex 7 AD. Reportedly issued with radio callsign VH-RBC but this is not reflected on the aircraft's record card. |
| 03AUG44 | Allotted for use by CAS. |
| 23MAR45 | Allotted 2 AD ex 1 CU for fitment for use by 1 OTU. Seats to be removed for fitment to Lodestar A67-8. |
| 28JUN45 | Above allotment suspended in view of recent grounding of Lodestars. |
| 10SEP45 | Received 2 AD ex 1 CU for storage. |
| 10DEC46 | Sold to H. Ellis, Skerman's Motors, Dubbo for £1,000. |
| 04SEP47 | Previous sale cancelled. |
| 10FEB48 | Sold to Macquarie Grove Flying School Pty Ltd, Camden for £150. |
| 18MAR48 | Issued to purchaser. |
| 28FEB49 | Added to register as VH-SML. The photo of VH-SML which appears at the head of this page, despite its poor quality, suggests that this aeroplane had a "solid" nose (i.e without windows). That this was so has been confirmed by John Laming who was working for Herald Flying Services at the time. John personally witnessed the HFS foreman, Arthur Bone, performing the necessary sheet metal work to remove the windows. |
| 10AUG51 | Ownership amended to Herald Flying Services, Camden. |
| 27MAY52 | Herald Flying Services ceased operations. Aircraft to remain registered to Sydney Morning Herald but will not be used for regular operations. |
| 18MAR53 | Struck off register as withdrawn from service. |
| 06SEP54 | Returned to register as VH-SML in name of John Fairfax & Sons Pty. Ltd., Sydney. |
| 14SEP54 | On his first newspaper delivery flight after the resumption of services, Captain Doug Swain with First Officer A.S. Cole-Milne and one passenger Captain D.C. Burns took off from Mascot at 1400 bound for Taree, Kempsey, Armidale, Glen Innes and Tamworth. (Captain Burns, who was from the aerial survey division of Brown and Dureau, was on board to familiarise himself with the Hudson prior to his company leasing one of the HFS Hudsons - presumably VH-SML as VH-SMM was still in storage at the time). Nothing was heard from the Hudson after a position report near West Maitland. The search was abandoned after two weeks. |
| 06OCT54 | Struck off register. |
| 22DEC55 | A Butler Air Transport Heron flown by Captain W. Jenkins (ironically a former HFS pilot) sighted the wreckage of the Hudson in the foothills of the Barrington Ranges six miles north of Chichester Dam, fifteen miles north-north-west of Dungog, NSW. |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 23JUN13 |
Added
an image of a Herald Flying Services Hudson which is almost
certainly VH-SML. Thanks to John Laming.
|
| 3 | 08MAY02 |
Added
more detail of the disappearance and subsequent discovery.
|
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