G-AUBG Avro
504K
(c/n AAEC/D1)
The Australian Aircraft and
Engineering Company was established in 1919 by H. E. Broadsmith
and N. Love and was Australia's
first aircraft manufacturing concern. Broadsmith and
Professor
Warren of
Sydney University, performed studies to determine the suitability of
Australian timbers
for the
manufacture of aircraft and came to the conclusion that mountain ash
was probably the
best
material. A licence agreement was reached with the A.V. Roe
Company to produce the
504K in
Australia. In 1920/21 six 504Ks were produced for the
embryo RAAF
and seven were
built for civilian market, the
first of which is seen above in this Qantas photo (from the John Hopton
collection). G-AUBG was delivered to Qantas in June of
1921. It was sold in 1926 to a private
owner in
Victoria, but by 1931 had been re-engined with a 120 hp Airdisco,
re-registered VH-UBG
and owned by F.A. Silverthorne and M.Condie. These individuals
were trading as Newcastle Air
Services and -UBG was named 'Newcastle's Own'. Its
Certificate of Registration lapsed in April
1932
and it was struck off the register.