Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Commercial and military transport

Power Plant:

One 179 kw (240 hp) Siddeley Puma six-cylinder liquid-cooled in-line engine

Specifications:

History:

The de Havilland DH.50 was designed as a successor to the DH.4 and DH.9 to meet the requirement of operators after World War I for a cost-effective passenger-carrying aircraft providing reliability and range. However, the type did not completely meet the requirements of European operators.

A total of 38 aircraft was built in the United Kingdom, and 23 saw service in this region. The first DH.50 G-EBFN (c/n 73) made its first flight at Stag Lane in north London on 30 July 1923 flown by Hubert Broad. Sir Hudson Fysh, founder of Qantas, stated “the DH.50 was the most successful and significant air transport aeroplane introduced into Australia in this single-engine era”. Accommodation was provided for a pilot and four passengers.

Licence production was carried out by SABCA in 1924 in Belgium (3) and in Czechoslovakia in 1926 (7) by Tovarna Letadel, the latter being fitted with the 179 kw (240 hp) Walter W4 engine.

First aircraft in this region was G-AUAB (c/n 106) for the Civil Aviation Branch of the Department of Defence. Between 7 and 29 August 1924 the aircraft was flown around Australian by E J Jones and R H Buchanan, with Colonel H C Brinsmead, Director of Civil Aviation, as a passenger, covering 12,324 km (7,658 miles) in 23 days. This aircraft was also flown from Melbourne, VIC to Darwin, NT from 25 July to 1 August 1926 (with Inspector Howard and Col Brinsmead on board) to brief British aviator Alan Cobham on landing fields in Australia, covering 7,411 km (4,605 miles) in 57 hours 15 mins.

On 7 May 1931 G-AUAB was transferred to the RAAF as A10-1, returning to become VH-UAB in May 1932 with the Civil Aviation Branch. It then went to Messrs O B Hall, H G Purvis and J T Pethybridge in May 1932, and to O B Hall and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in November that year. In March 1935 became the latter’s ‘Southern Cross Midget’. At some stage it was fitted with a Pratt & Whitney Wasp C engine. It then had a few more owners, including F T O’Dea in Port Moresby, PNG before being impressed by the RAAF, again as A10-1, in November 1942 but did not survive the war.

Major Australian user of the type was Qantas, its first aircraft being G-AUER (c/n 116 – ex G-EBIW). One VH-UMN (c/n 1) was built by the Larkin Aircraft Supply Company with a 246 kw (330 hp) ADC Nimbus engine. Initially named ‘Sunbird’ in 1931 it went to Australian Aerial Services Ltd of Melbourne, VIC. It was fitted with a Bristol Jupiter VI engine in June 1932, and was sold to Pacific Aerial Transport Company of Wau, PNG in September 1935, then was transferred to Mandated Airlines Ltd of Wau in October 1936 but crashed at Waipali on 16 October 1937.

Seven DH.50 aircrft were constructed by Qantas (G-AUFA, G-AUFW, G-AUGD, G-AUJS, all DH.50As; and G-AUHE, G-AUHI and VH-ULG, DH-50Js). G-AUFA (c/n 1 – ‘Iris’) was operated from August 1926 to March 1935 when it went to Austral Air Services of Toowoomba, QLD. It returned to Qantas in 1936 and then went to North Queensland Airways of Cairns but crashed, landing at Cairns, on 1 December 1937.

G-AUFW (c/n 2 – ‘Perseus’) operated with Qantas from June 1927 to December 1932 when it went to Rockhampton Aerial Services, QLD. On 1 April 1934 it force landed on a beach and overturned. On 29 December 1935 it was damaged after another forced landing on a beach; and on 19 July 1936 crashed at Capella, QLD.

G-AUGD (c/n 3 – ‘Pegasus’) was registered to Qantas in August 1927, was fitted with a Puma engine, and then went to the Aero Club of NSW in July 1930. Subsequent owners included Burnett Air Navigation Ltd of Brisbane, QLD, Leslie H Holden of Salamaua, PNG who fitted a Jupiter engine, and Holden’s Air Transport Services. It eventually was retired in October 1936.

G-AUHE (c/n 4 – ‘Atalanta’) was registered to Qantas in May 1928 and served until 3 October 1934 when it crashed at Winton, QLD.

G-AUJS (c/n 6) was registered to Qantas in January 1929 and continued in service until August 1937 when it went to Salamaua, with F T O’Dea. It returned to Brisbane with W O Weaber later that year but crashed at Yeppoon, QLD on 2 December 1937.

G-AUHI (c/n 5 – ‘Hermes’) was registered to Qantas at Longreach on 10 May 1928 but crashed at Golden Grove, SA on 4 September 1928 and was destroyed by fire.

VH-ULG (c/n 7 – ‘Hippomenes’) was a DH.50J with a Jupiter III engine and was registered to Qantas in August 1929. It served with them until it went to Eric Stephens of Wau, PNG in July 1935 but crashed at Chimbu, PNG on 10 November 1937.

Three were built by Western Australian Airways Ltd (G-AUFD, G-AUFE, and G-AUFN). G-AUFD (c/n 1) was registered on 1 December 1926 with a Puma engine, this being replaced later with a Nimbus. It crashed on 11 May 1929 at Geraldton, WA.

G-AUFE (c/n 2) was also built with a Puma engine, being registered on 22 December 1926. The engine was replaced by a Nimbus in 1930. In July 1936 it was sold to Adelaide Airways Ltd, later being transferred to Australian National Airways. In 1936 it went to J McClure of Melbourne but crashed at Condoblin, NSW on 26 August 1937.

G-AUFN (c/n 3) also was built with a Siddeley Puma engine, later replaced by an ADC Nimbus, and was registered on 8 July 1927. The registration lapsed in July 1933.

A variety of engines was installed in the series, including the Puma, Nimbus, Wasp C and Jupiter XI and VIIF, ranging in power from 172 kw (230 hp) to 284 kw (515 hp). Aircraft with the Puma and Nimbus engines were known as the DH.50A; those with the Jaguar or Jupiter engines being known as the DH-50J.

In addition one famous DH.50 visited this area, G-EBFO flown by Alan Cobham (later Sir). This aircraft, fitted with a 287 kw (385 hp) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar radial engine, between November 1924 and March 1925, flew from London, UK to Rangoon in Burma and return; and flew from England to Capetown, South Africa in November 1925, a distance of over 25,000 km (15,534 miles). On 30 June 1926 flying the same aircraft he left for Australia and returned in 78 days (328 hours flying time). Part of the journey was as a landplane and part as a seaplane. This aircraft (c/n 74) later became VH-UMC.  It was registered to WA Airways Ltd of Perth, WA but crashed at Mia Mia Station between Carnarvon and Onslow, WA on 1 March 1934.

Other Australian DH.50s were: G-AUEY (c/n 73 – ex G-EBFN) registered in June 1926 and operated by Western Australian Airways, which had a 172 kw (230 hp) Siddeley Puma engine. It was initially allotted registration G-AUEX but this was not taken up. It was sold to G V Chapman of Melbourne in October 1926 but crashed at Glenroy, VIC on 1 December 1926.

G-AUEL (c/n 127) was Puma-powered and registered in October 1924 to Western Australian Airways. It subsequently had a number of owners including Adelaide Airways and Australian National Airways. It was damaged at Morwell, VIC on 10 April 1938, placed in storage and never registered again.

G-AUEM (c/n 128) was also registered to Western Australian Airways in October 1924. It crashed on 6 August 1927 and was rebuilt with a Nimbus engine. It overturned at Whelans Lake, WA on 22 December 1932 and was rebuilt. It was written off when it crashed shortly after take-off from Coode Island, VIC and was destroyed by fire on 28 January 1940.

G-AUEJ (c/n 130) was registered to Larkin Aircraft Supply Company of Melbourne as ‘Wattle Bird’ on 5 November 1924 and at some stage had a Jupiter engine installed in lieu of the Puma . It force landed and was destroyed by fire at Methul, NSW on 9 June 1932.

G-AUEK (c/n 131) was registered to Larkin Aircraft Supply Company as ‘Bellbird’ on 17 December 1924. It also had its Puma engine changed for a Jupiter XI of 343 kw (460 hp). In October 1935 it was sold to Pacific Aerial Transport Ltd of Wau, where a 317 kw (425 hp) Jupiter VI was installed. It crashed, landing at Wau, on 28 May 1936.

One DH.50 saw service with the New Zealand Permanent Air Force between March 1927 and 1931. Obtained for photographic work serial 135 (c/n 135) was used for experimental passenger services between Christchurch and Dunedin. It was initially fitted with a 224 kw (300 hp) ADC Nimbus engine but was sold to Holden’s Air Transport Services Ltd of Sydney on 4 May 1933. It became VH-UQX and at some stage had a 280 kw (375 hp) Bristol Jupiter VI engine installed. It was eventually destroyed at Ramu, PNG aerodrome on 21 March 1937.

G-AUAY (c/n 137) had a 246 kw (330 hp) Nimbus engine and was registered to the Civil Aviation Branch of the Department of Defence on 1 March 1928. Subsequent owners included Northern Airlines Ltd of Sydney, with which it was named ‘Codette’; Reliable Air Travel Ltd of Brisbane; and E J Stephens of Wau, where the engine was replaced with a Jupiter VI. It crashed on take-off at Wau on 21 December 1941 and the remains were destroyed by enemy action.

One other DH.50 saw service in Australia. C/n 134 was taken on charge by the RAAF as A8-1 at Point Cook, VIC on 11 September 1926, publicity indicating it was being purchased for use by the Governor General, Lord Stonehaven. On 25 September it left, after being fitted with floats, to carry out a survey of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Flown by Group Captain Richard Williams (later Sir), with Flight Lieutenant I E McIntyre, it returned on 7 December after travelling 19,134 km (11,890 miles) in 112 flying hours. The following year it, now with the floats removed, flew around Australia on a reconnaissance flight, covering 21,000 km (13,049 miles). On 24 March 1926 it was damaged in an accident at Cootamundra, NSW when it hit a fence on take-off and was not repaired.

DH.50A G-AUEI (c/n 129) was built for the Larkin Aircraft Supply Company and named ‘Lyre Bird’. It was later operated by Australian Aerial Services, and Centralia Airways Ltd. In September 1928 as VH-UEI it was fitted with floats, the latter being imported from Short Bros in the UK. The Puma engine then fitted was found to lack power with the floats fitted and it was fitted with an ADC Nimbus engine. It was used for a period operating tourist flights from the Myall Lakes on the NSW north coast.

Construction commenced in about 1996 of a non-flying replica of a DH.50 for display at the Qantas Founders Museum at Longreach, QLD, it being noted in 1997 as being constructed from wood. However, it seems this replica was never completed and has been placed on display at the museum in a diorama showing a DH.50 of the time under construction. Another replica with a steel tube framework with wood and fabric covering, with a replica Puma engine, was built for the museum, being completed in early 2011 and being painted as Qantas aircraft VH-UFA (c/n 1).