VH-AZE  de Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth                      (c/n  '534')

                            

                                 This is the second Tiger to bear the rego VH-AZE (the first became VH-DDU in 1955).  It was
                                 rebuilt in 1958 by the Royal Queensland Aero Club with a serial number quoted as 'RQAC534'. 
                                 Unfortunately this has no connection to de Havilland of Australia's constructor's number 534
                                 which became DX445 and was shipped to South Africa under the Empire Air Training Scheme
                                 during WW II.    This VH-AZE remained with the RQAC in Rockhampton until it was struck
                                 off the register in January 1963 due to an accident.  It was then rebuilt by Ces (Cecil) Heit of
                                 Ipswich, Qld and sold to John Forsell in June 1965.  John flew it for some 164 hours (mainly
                                 over Victoria and NSW) and then sold it on 30 April 1967.  It was finally withdrawn from use
                                 in March 1973..   The above photo is by David Johnson (via the Geoff Goodall collection) and
                                 was taken at Rockhampton in September 1962..