VH-UQJ  de Havilland D.H.61 Giant Moth                  (c/n  331)

                                  

                                        This aircraft was acquired by West Australian Airways in 1932 from the U.K. where it had been
                                        G-AAAN.   Ten of these large single engine transports were built.  They were in the same general
                                        class as the Boeing 40-B4, although somewhat larger, insofar as the Giant Moth's cabin could acc-
                                        ommodate 8 passengers.   WAA used it on their North West Air Mail route segment from Perth to
                                        Carnarvon.   It was sold in 1935 to Guinea Airways at Salamaua when WAA lost out on the air
                                        mail contract to MacRoberston Miller Aviation.  VH-UQJ was badly damaged during a landing at
                                        Wau, New Guinea on 20 August 1935 and officially withdrawn from service the following year.
                                        The above photograph is from the Ted Fletcher collection and is show here courtesy of the Civil
                                        Aviation Historical Society/Airways Museum archives.