Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 22 November 1937, page 2


PLANE CRASH

R.A.A.F. Machine

Tilts on Nose

SQUADRON'S VISIT TO

CANBERRA

When the brakes of an R.A.A.F. Hawker Demon fighting plane failed when landing at Duntroon Aerodrome, the plane went into a violent skid and tilted forward on its nose, causing damage estimated at £100 to the pro-peller and one wing. The occupants, two members of the 21st City of Mel-bourne Squadron, escaped injury.

The plane was one of a flight of 10 which visited Canberra on a training flight from Melbourne, almost the en-tire personnel of the planes' crews comprising members of the citizen air forces. The squadron included seven Anson bombers and three fighters.

The damaged plane was the last to land. The brake wheel had given trouble at Cootamundra, where a short stop was made en route to Canberra. When the pilot attempted to land at Canberra, he had finished his run and applied his brakes, but only one brake gripped, and the machine turned round sharply, canting over on one wing. Immediately the wing hit the ground the machine tipped forward on its nose.

A new propeller will have to be brought from Richmond and the dam-

aged wing repaired before the damag-

ed plane can take to the air again. It will be some days before the repairs can be affected.

The 500 Canberra residents who turn-ed out to see the squadron arrive saw an impressive array of machines such as will be permanently stationed at the Federal Capital, when the Federal Government's defence plans are com-plete, as they provide for a squad-ron of nine reconnaissance planes to be stationed here.

The chief figure with the squadron was the Governor of Victoria (Lord Huntingfield), who is honorary com-modore of the 21st City of Melbourne Squadron, He was met on arrival by Captain Bracegirdle, the official and military secretary of the Governor-General (Lord Gowrie), Captain Pal-mer, A.D.C., and the chief of the R.A.A.F., Vice-Air Marshal Williams, who flew from Richmond to attend the welcome. Flight-Lieutenant Hely, one of the best personalities in the Air Force, who has figured in several aer-ial dramas in the centre of Australia, flew the Richmond machine, an Anson bomber.

Lord Huntingfield was the guest of the Governor-General at luncheon. He had left the aerodrome by car only a moment before the mishap occurred to the fighting plane accompanying him, and the news was conveyed to

him at Government House.

The crews of the squadron partook of a picnic lunch at the aerodrome, and three hours after arrival the flight took off for the return journey to Mel-

bourne.