VH-ABV/RMA Gascoyne/VH-MMD and more!

VH-ABV

VH-ABV was one of two Lockheed Electra 10A aircraft imported by MMA for the North West run.

Both VH-ABV and its sister ship VH-ABW were Lockheed Electra 10A aircraft imported by MacRobertson Miller Aviation Co. (MMA) in 1938 for the North West run.

Both VH-ABv and VH-ABW were constructed by Lockheed at Burbank in California, then shipped as deck cargo on the SS Tolken to Port Adelaide. They were assembled at Parafield under the supervision of Captain Horrie Miller, Managing Director of MMA and Frank Colquhoun, Chief Engineer of MMA, test flown at Parafield, then delivered to MMA in Perth. They were used on the 12-stop, 2, 300 mile Perth-Darwin route.

VH-ABV/RMA Gascoyne

VH-ABV was named RMA Gascoyne. The letters RMA indicated that it was a Royal Mail Aircraft.

In 1942, VH-ABV made a forced landing near Derby due to engine failure. While the aircraft sustained minor damage, there were no injuries to its passengers or crew. Its five passengers comprised 3 women and two children who had fled the Japanese invasion of Singapore. As it was the wet season and one of the children had a fever, the passengers were evacuated by air. You can view MHPA member Kris Brimmell’s presentation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNVOuON61A8) on the 31-day mission (involving Frank Colquhoun, Jimmy Woods, the Cessna VH-UZU and 27 donkeys plus construction of an airstrip and a bridge) to evacuate the passengers and then repair VH-ABV and fly it back to Maylands Aerodrome.

VH-ABV had acquired camouflage paint and was being used on east coast services.

In 1943, it had a night landing collision with the anti-invasion barriers erected across the Port Hedland airstrip by the Army, without any prior notice to either the MMA aircrews or the Department of Civil Aviation. Its five passengers were uninjured.

In 1945, it sustained damage to its port wing, tailplane and undercarriage at Halls Creek.

In 1946 it was based at Derby, operating operate MMA’s services to remote cattle stations in the Kimberley and sometimes carrying a doctor for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. In July 1946, VH-ABV, provided free-of-charge by MMA, flew 4 unchilled bullock carcasses from Mt. House to Perth to prove the viability of such flights and the Air Beef Scheme.

VH-MMD

In 1948, VH-ABV was reregistered as VH-MMD in keeping with MacRobertson Miller’s VH-MMx theme.

VH-MMD was repaired after damage sustained in a 1949 forced landing at “Napier Downs” Station and after damage on a landing at Nookenbah in 1952.

N4886V/ N19HL/U.S.NAVY R2O-1 1130

In 1954, the aircraft was sold and registration for VH-MMD was cancelled. The aircraft was shipped to the United States and registered as N4886V and then as N19HL.

Registration for N19HL was later cancelled and the aircraft is now restored and on display as U.S.NAVY R2O-1 1130 at National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida

VH-ABV in our Frank Colquhoun Collection

Our Frank Colquhoun collection includes:

MHS/FC 303. B&W photograph. Nov 1938. VH-ABW, along with sister ship VH-ABV were two Lockheed Electra 10A aircraft imported by MMA for the North West run.
FC 345. B&W photograph. 1942, Port Hedland. The MMA Lockheed Electra VH-ABV beside the airstrip following a night landing collision with the anti-invasion barriers. The anti-invasion barriers were erected across the airstrip by the Army, without any notice to MMA aircrews or DCA [Department of Civil Aviation]. This image also appears on page 105 of Frank Colquhoun’s 2001 book Cockpit and Spanner.
FC 404. 1937. Adelaide. Lockheed Electra VH-ABW and VH-ABV being unloaded prior to being assembled, test flown and then delivered to MMA in Perth. This image also appears on page 95 of Frank Colquhoun’s 2001 book Cockpit and Spanner.
FC 409. B&W photograph. Perth Airport tarmac. The MMA Lockheed Electra VH-ABV taxying. This image also appears on page 112 of Frank Colquhoun’s 2001 book Cockpit and Spanner.
FC 429. Perth Airport. Electra VH-MMD (ABV) on early morning engine run prior to departure for Sydney and USA.
This image also appears on the front cover and page 113 of Frank Colquhoun’s 2001 book ‘Cockpit and Spanner’

For more information

See:

our VH-ABV Flickr Album for digitised images and other digitised information,
MHPA member Kris Brimmell’s presentation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNVOuON61A8) on the 31-day mission (involving Frank Colquhoun, Jimmy Woods, the Cessna VH-UZU and 27 donkeys plus construction of an airstrip and a bridge) to evacuate the passengers and then repair VH-ABV and fly it back to Maylands Aerodrome.