VH-UVU
Tugan
LJW.7
Gannet (c/n TA.54)
This is a sister aircraft to VH-UVY.
The photo above, from the John Oxley Library, State Library
of Queensland shows the
aircraft when new as delivered by Tugan Aircraft in February
1936. It
was sold to W.A.S.P. Airlines a
month later and evidently the outboard tailplane fins were dispensed
with (see photographs
below). The upper, nice color shot, showing -UVU at
Wilcannia in 1936 is
from the State Library of NSW
collection, whilst the B&W following that was at Mascot, at around
the same time.
The inscription on
the nose of the original of this latter photograph below says
'Western W.A.S.P.
Airlines'. Finally, at the foot of the page it is seen in a shot
via Bruce Robinson
wearing a race/rally
number. Incidentally, all RAAF Gannets for
which I have
observed
images
have retained the triple
fins. VH-UVU had a variety
of owners in its lifetime
including Airlines of
Australia and Butler
Air Transport. It was withdrawn from use in
1945 and appears never to have
been
impressed into military service during WW II.