[Aviation]. NOTT, Harry Carew

'Trip to Melbourne, May 1929' [cover title of an album of photographs]

[Adelaide, Harry Carew Nott, 1929].

A commercial photograph album (oblong quarto, 230 × 318 mm), comprising 4 card leaves cord-bound in overlapping card covers, with 21 gelatin silver photographs (84 × 136 mm or the reverse) loosely attached with photocorners on both sides of the leaves and the inside surface of the covers; all photographs are captioned in white ink on the mount.

Cord-bound commercial album stamped in blind ('Portraiture'); covers slightly marked and a little worn at the corners; the contents are in fine condition (the last photograph is creased and cracked at one corner).

A lengthy article related to this event appeared in 'The Advertiser', Thursday 23 May 1929: 'The Victorian section of the Australian Aero Club will conduct an aerial pageant at the Essendon Aerodrome, near Melbourne on Saturday afternoon. The programme of events includes the Aerial Derby, for which over 20 machines have been entered. Of these about eight will represent New South Wales, and eight Victoria. South Australia will also have a strong representation....

Seven planes will leave the Parafield Aerodrome for Melbourne this morning at 9.30 if the weather permits.... The following planes will comprise the formation: D.H. 60 Gipsy Moth G-AUIB, D.H. Moth V-HUAM, D.H. Moth V-EUAR, D.H. Gipsy Moth G-AUIV, D.H. Gipsy Moth G-AUKO, Avro Avian G-AUSY, and probably the De Havilland "Old Gold" passenger machine. The first three are Aero Club planes, and the others are privately owned....

Flying-Officer J.A. Mollison (Aero Club instructor) will be leader of the formation, and Mr. C.A. Hewitt will be deputy-leader. Others making the flight to Melbourne are Messrs. N. Birks, J.A. Jukes, A.H. Wilkins, E.B. Lawson, P. Knapman, F. Wellington, S. Hamilton, L. Wood, J. Churchill Smith (secretary of Aero Club), and Dr. H.C. Nott.... The flight to Essendon will be made via Nhill, Victoria. Friday will be spent by the airmen in tuning up engines for the races on the following day'.

The first eight photographs were taken at Parafield Aerodrome in outer-suburban Adelaide, with portraits of Nott and Wood identified. These are followed by two at Nhill Aerodrome ('Mollison refuelling' and 'Lawson'); two at Ararat Aerodrome 'on Racecourse'; and eight taken at Rockbank (28 kms west of Melbourne). These are captioned 'Mollison taking off in "1B"'; 'Hewitt'; 'Nott in "A5"'; Lawson, Mollison, Hewitt & Wellington éxamining "A17"'; 'Hewitt, Mollison, Lawson & Wellington'; 'Nott, Mollison, Lawson & Wellington'; and 'Mollison, Lawson & Hewitt'.

The last one, taken from the air, is captioned 'Crashed Aero at Nhill'. The Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre website records that on 23 May 1929 'J.A. Mollison arrived from Adelaide with 6 aircraft. One crash-landed at old Dimboola road aerodrome instead of landing at New site at Halpin Park'. The pilot was possibly Lin Wood.

Item #142560

Price (AUD): $1,250.00
other currencies