VH-AEQ      'Hartog'            c/n  6024                Previous Identity:   41-18663

                                              Essendon, 1956

                                              Ron Cuskelly states the status of this aircraft as:

                                                 VH-AEQ is stored dismantled on Alvin Petersen's property "Xanadu" in the Kwambatook
                                                 State Forest near Bendigo, Victoria. The aircraft still carries the remnants of the markings
                                                 acquired when it was an advertising sign for the Great Aeroplane Car Company in Brisbane.
                                                 The aircraft is in poor condition and for sale.
                                                 February, 2006:  Phil Vabre forwards the photograph on the bottom of the page taken from
                                                 Tiger Moth VH-FAH of poor old VH-AEQ as she now is.

                                             Color shots of TAA aircraft of this era are not common.  The one below was taken by Barrie Colledge
                                             in July of 1956 (I was around but we never met!).  It was originally named 'Blaxland' but was changed
                                             when Viscount VH-TVB took that name.  (It later became 'Wills').   Following that is an image by
                                             Greg Banfield showing -AEQ in the livery of TAA's latter-day  "Inland Charter" services taken at
                                             Mascot in April 1963.   It was withdrawn from TAA service in Novemmber 1969 and acquired
                                             by Bush Pilots Airways of Cairns in February 1970.   It carried the name "Lakeland Downs".
                                             The fourth shot below is a rare one by Norm Weeding of it at Eagle Farm in BPA livery.  Bush
                                             Pilots held it for only one year and it was sold to Lakeland Downs Ltd of Brisbane.