VH-CEA  CAC CA-28 Ceres A                       (c/n  1)

                                 

                                         The Ceres was developed from the famous WW II Wirraway trainer which was built at CAC's
                                         plant at Fisherman's Bend, Victoria between 1939 and 1945.    Many new features were incorp-
                                         orated,  not the least of which was a 40 cu ft stainless steel hopper which could accommodate
                                         both solid and liquid agricultural spraying mixes.   The prototype, rebuilt from the Wirraway
                                         A20-680, was first flown at CAC's Fisherman's Bend field on 13 February 1958 by company
                                         test pilot Roy Goon, who is the pilot seen in the publicity photograph above.    After certification
                                         flight tests, it was handed over to the first Ceres customer, Proctor's Rural Services, on 17 April
                                         1959.   Richard Hourigan saw it in Proctor's titling at Alexandra, Vic and took the photo below.
                                         Both images seen here are from the Geoff Goodall collection.   After crashing near Seymour, Vic
                                         on 22 March 1961 it was rebuilt as an upgraded Ceres B with the new c/n CA28-18 and re-regis-
                                         tered VH-CEX, remaining with Proctor's Rural.   It then eventually became VH-SSV with Super
                                         Spread.