| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Registration / Serial: | VH-UHU |
| Alternate Registration: | G-AUKA |
| Aircraft Original Type: | Westland Widgeon III |
| Aircraft Generic Type: | Westland Widgeon III |
| Aircraft Version: | Westland Widgeon III |
| C/n (msn): | WA.1695 |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| City / Airport: | Wangaratta / VictoriaMap |
| Region / Country: | Victoria, Australia |
| Airport Codes: | ICAO: YWGT IATA: WGT Local: - Other: - |
| Collection: | Drage Airworld |
| Photo Date: | 29 March 1986 |
| Photo by: | David Tanner (via Daniel Tanner) |
| Photo ID: | 14197 |
| Photo Comment |
|---|
|
VH-UHU masquerading as G-AUKA, nicknamed "Kookaburra". The story of G-AUKA is one of the most famous in Australian aviation history. Two men set off in G-AUKA in 1929 to search for the missing Fokker "Southern Cross" and disappeared themselves. By the time they were found in the desert, both men had died of dehydration. Their bodies were recovered but when they went back for the Widgeon, it had been destroyed by a grassfire. A new search for the Kookaburra in 1978 resulted in its metal remains being recovered . They are now displayed in a diorama at the Central Australian Air Museum in Alice Springs. As for the Southern Cross, it and its crew were found safe. This photo is copyright © David Tanner, and may not be used or published in any way without permission. It was added on 11 October 2017, and has since been viewed 949 times. |