Afc Presentation Aircraft Help!, History of this D.H.9

[setter1]

So I am researching an RAAF / RFC D.H.9 A6-2? probably 21 This aircraft bears the inscription in the photos NSW No 13 The Tweed Armidale which was worn first by a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2d B1897 which was replaced after damage by an unidentified aircraft. This would make this aircraft D3220 however in the book The Imperial Gift there is a photo of A6-16 with a similar inscription which is D3191 so which is it and is it an actual presentation aircraft or merely applied post war for publicity purposes.
Kind regards
John parker

[Brendan Cowan]

Hi John,

I'll look into it and confer with JB too.

It was not uncommon for presentation aircraft to pass their names on to other airframes once the original was dropped from inventory (from any cause).

It might take me a few days given work commitments.

Cheers

BC


A6-21 (Ex D3220)

Shipped to Australia on SS Australmad,
To CFS AAC 24/09/20 as D3220;
To 1 FTS AAF 31/03/21,
To 1 AD 01/08/21, became A6-21.
To 1 FTS by 04/22,
NSW Aerial Derby 24/04/22 to 12/05/22 (crew Flg Off S G Brearley);
To Adelaide 15/06/22. 1 FTS ?D? Flt 01/07/22,
In use until at least 05/24.
To 3 Sqn ?A? Flt 07/25 until 1926,
Repaired by Larkins and engine replace 06/27,
Returned to 3 Sqn and withdrawn from service 05/29.
Sold 08/10/29 to Australian Aero Club Queensland as VH-UML,
Crashed 24/07/32 at Archerfield Qld, and withdrawn from use.

[batman]

JP and BC

First up, these RFC/RAF (AFC) Presentation names were repeated over and over, from 1916. As the life of a "battleplane" might have been only 2 months, the names were re-used, so that the good patriotic citizens stumping up their money could rest assured their donation for the presentation a/c was doing something for the war effort.

Isaacs and Alma Baker only tend do give one aircraft number for an inscription. I am working at the moment on all Australian presentation a/c for a future edition of Gordy's Newsletter. Some names have been used up to 6 times. Isaacs (p.176) gives "Aus 14 NSW 13" as FE.2d B1897 "Tweed and Armidale Districts". These inscriptions were then re-issued, so that then Camel B6433 became NSW 13 "The Tweed Armidale". Undoubtedly there will be other aircraft, but haven't finished my research yet.

The DH.9 was obviously one, probably applied by the RAF in 1918-19. It flew at PCK with AAC in 1920 as D3191 (note, not the number you have given), and then as A6-16 from 1921.

[setter1]

"The DH.9 was obviously one, probably applied by the RAF in 1918-19. It flew at PCK with AAC in 1920 as D3191 (note, not the number you have given), and then as A6-16 from 1921."

Hi Gentlemen
I have three photos which show the inscription and one of them shows the partial serial A6-2? which I assume to be A6-21 but it may be otherwise - its definitely 2 something though so it cant be A6-16?

If you send me your emails I will send the pics
Kind regards
John

[batman]

John

PM sent. cheers

JB

[Brendan Cowan]

Many Thanks Batman,

We will have to update our AFC Pages with the fruits of your research!

Happy to work with you on that.

Cheers

BC

[batman]

Sure BC,
Revisiting the D.H.9 I see that I had a typo in the previous identity for A6-28 in my book - I had "C6343", but it has been corrected in the adf-serials list as C6323.

It remains to be seen if the 'presentation inscription' for my A6-16 picture is the same as for John P's pic of A6-2x (?).

JB

This post has been edited by batman on Nov 9 2018, 08:42 AM

[batman]

John P,

Many thanks for pics. Have sent you detailed email.
Will update you on other "Tweed-Armidale" a/c when I have finished.
Will also look into the Half Flight MFSH '67'.

JB