G-AUIM  de Havilland D.H.51A                       (c/n 100)

                                 

                                      The above image comes to me courtesy of Wal Ives, whilst the shot immediately below was
                                      unearthed by Geoff Pogson (seen here courtesy of Phil Vabre).  This D.H.51A was the first
                                      of its breed and was formerly G-EBIM.  It was built in 1924 and exported to Australia in
                                      1927.   Its first owner was Bunny Hammond dba Golden Airways Co of Sydney in 1927,
                                      hence 'The Golden Wasp' titling on the nose as seen on the lower image   (Bunny Hammond
                                      was to go on to form Adastra Aerial Surveys following WW II).   G-AUIM was re-registered
                                      VH-UIM in 1930.  The image at the foot of the page is from Hood Collection Part II (Aviation),
                                      courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales collection.     It shows the machine on the
                                      floats with which it was later fitted.  Clearly the fin and rudder have had work done to them (or
                                      been completely replaced with the empennage from another aeroplane to compensate for the
                                      additional side area of the floats?).  The inscription and logo on the rudder reads 'The Texas
                                      Company - Australasia Limited', although the Moth was never registered to that corporate entity.
                                      Possibly the owners at the time, Messrs. A.S.Elkin and R.F. Walker of Sydney were agents for
                                      the oil company.   Anyway, on 3 February 1931 a float struck a submerged object while taking
                                      off and -UIM was damaged beyond repair after it overturned during the subsequent landing off
                                      Dobroyd Point.   At the foot of the page is an image of it as G-EBIM taken at Stag Lane in 1925.