VH-UNF de Havilland D.H. 60M Moth                                    (c/n 1368)

                           

                                    This D.H. 60 Moth was imported in 1930.  After several private owners it became the
                                    personal "mount" of famed entrepreneur Reginald M. Ansett in 1934 whilst he was
                                    residing in Hamilton, Victoria.  R.M. Ansett, of course, was later to start Ansett Transport
                                    Industries, a subsidiary of which became one of Australia's largest airlines.  Unfortunately
                                    this Moth was destroyed in a hangar fire at Essendon Airport, Melbourne in 1939. 
                                    Long before that, on 9 July 1932 -UNF overturned during a cyclonic storm.   It was
                                    owned by H.F. Broadbent at the time and sold soon afterward to A.T. Cridland who
                                    in turn sold it in 1934 to Reg Ansett.  The picture below from the Fairfax collection
                                    shows it after the storm   At the foot of the page is a photograph from the family album
                                    of Maria Anstis, daughter of Ted Longeran who was the original owner of -UNF from
                                    January 1930 to May 1932.  The Longerans had extensive pastoral interests in the
                                    Mudgee, NSW area and also operated motor garages and a large department store
                                    in the town.   The Moth was named "Happy Days" and was replaced, in 1932 with
                                    the Avro Avian VH-UQE (as 'Happy Days II').   The Longerans owned a long series
                                    of aircraft up to the present time, and the prewar fliers had RAAF careers during WWII.