VH-AFY  Avro 643 Cadet II                                       (c/n  1066)

                                      

                                           Some 34 Avro Cadets were on RAAF strength.   About half of them were civilianized after the
                                           war.  VH-AFY was the former A6-31, acquiring its civil rego on 21 January 1946.  Dick Hourigan
                                           took the above shot at Archerfield in January 1964 by which time the aircraft had been fitted with
                                           a Jacobs engine.  It was fitted with spray bars and the Jacobs circa 1960 and was used as an ag
                                           machine in the latter stages of its career.   VH-AFY lasted until 13 February 1971 when it crashed
                                           at Murwillumbah, NSW during spraying.  The aircraft stuck a power cable and crashed in a farm
                                           dam, with the result that the lower wings were submerged  The wreck is now stored in the Mothcair
                                           hangar at Murwillumbah awaiting long term restoration.           The interesting shot below is from the
                                           Elizabeth Leckie collection and depicts -AFY in a line up of Cadets featuring -AFY alongside -AFX,
                                           -AFW and -AHW.  These machines were privately owned but collectively formed the Yarram Aero
                                           Club in the Latrobe Valley area of Victoria.  The photo below was probably taken at the old Latrobe
                                           Valley Airport, Morwell.