DAP – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB22/03/202321/05/2024

AHSA Melbourne Meeting March 2023 (Annie Floodin: Boeing History)

Our March 2023 Melbourne meeting featured a presentation by Annie Floodin, a historian from Boeing Historical Services who is currently visiting Australia connecting with...

1919 Consent for Aerial Services Limited to be registered as a company was granted by the Treasurer (Mr. Watt). This was the first aviation company registered in Australia. The company, headed by Mr Reginald Lloyd, intended to survey the route from Sydney to Darwin and link up with flights to London. Sources: Hobart Mercury 10 Jan 1919 p.5; The Sun (Sydney) 10 Jan 1919 p.5 (via Trove)

1942 A Lockheed Hudson Mk IV bomber from No 6 Squadron took off from Kavieng airstrip on the island of New Britain, before 6 am on 9 January 1942 to carry out an armed photographic reconnaissance of Japanese forces in the Truk Islands to the north. Arriving over the target, the pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Robert Yeowart, spent 25 minutes making two passes to photograph Toll Harbour and an island airfield, dodging anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters sent up to intercept him. Returning first to Kavieng, the Hudson flew on to Rabaul and, after a brief stopover, returned to Townsville on 10 January. The 2260 kilometres flown during the mission made this the longest sea reconnaissance undertaken by the RAAF in a land-based aircraft to that date. The enemy shipping and aircraft observed at Truk confirmed expectations that New Ireland and New Britain would soon be attacked. Source: Royal Australian Air Force airforce2021.airforce.gov.au website