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62 | FLIGHTPATH

Marshall in 1947 and stored in his com-
pound bordering Bankstown Airport.
It was acquired by the Dutch Dakota As-
sociation in February 1987 from Ralph Cu-
sack, and transported to the Netherlands on
board HMS Zuiderkruis in December 1988,
an appropriate month and year for an air-
craft with a c/n of 1288. It was stored in vari-
ous locations, but it is now at Lelystad, in an
unrestored condition and is currently for
sale to interested parties. The Dutch CAA
has formally given it the registration PH-AJU
for historical reasons, and has indicated that
the registration cannot be withdrawn. Some
photos of it in an unrestored condition show
‘Uiver’ painted on its nose and the registra-
tion PH-AJU chalked on the fuselage.
The Douglas DC-2, c/n 1292, ex A30-9
(VH-CRK), NC13782 was originally operated
by Eastern Airlines in the USA and was pur-
chased by the RAAF in 1941. It was one of

several acquired by Sid Marshall after W.W.II.

In the eighties, a private syndicate acquired

the aircraft with the intention of restoring it

to airworthiness. Restoration began at Es-

sendon Aerodrome, but extensive corrosion

in the centre-section left the aircraft perma-

nently grounded. It was on display at Tyabb

airfield for some time before being donated

to the Moorabbin Air Museum. In 2009 the

aircraft, minus wings, was painted in mark-

ings to commemorate the 75th anniversary of

the original “Uiver” flight of 1934.

The odd one out is Douglas DC-3, c/n

6021, VH-AES. Ex 41-18660, VH-SBA. This

aircraft originally served with the USAAF

before coming onto the Australian register

in September 1944, as VH-AES, being oper-

ated by Australian National Airlines. It was

transferred to Trans Australian Airlines

(TAA) and named ‘Hawdon’, when TAA was

formed in 1948. It operated in New Guinea

on TAA’s Sunbird Services as VH-SBA from

1960 to 1970, and again from 1971 until

1973. It was displayed at Melbourne’s Tul-
      lamarine Airport from 1979 until 1987,
      mounted upon a pole, after which it was
      then restored to flying condition, one of a
      very few aircraft to escape back to the air
      from such a display.
      In 1990, ‘Hawdon’, was repainted as ‘Uiv-
      er’ to portray the KLM DC-2 in the television
      production Half a World Away, the story of
      the 1934 Melbourne Centenary Air Race.
      “Hawdon” again donned Uiver’s markings
      in 2009 to make a commemorative return
      flight from Melbourne to Albury to mark the
      75 th anniversary of the original race.
      It is interesting to note that of the eight
      DC-2s still thought to exist, five of them
      have an Australian connection and four
      have masqueraded as ‘Uiver’, the most fa-
      mous DC-2 of them all.

The Dutch CAA has formally given it

the registration PH-AJU for historical

reasons, and has indicated that the

registration cannot be withdrawn.

VH-AES in part ‘Uiver’ markings for a 75th anniversary flight from Melbourne to Albury. [Roland Jahne]

During the re-enactment flight and a visit to Albury

Aerodrome, two of the five ‘Uivers’ meet.

The original “Uiver”, PH-AJU, soon after landing at

RAAF Laverton on 24 October 1934. [Tom Reynolds]