There are two in Australia and a third in NZ being restored for her Perth WA owner. (This one used to be in the Joe Drage collection at Wodonga then Wang.) VH-UTV is Sydney based . . . as noted . . . and VH-UXZ Melbourne based.
vh-utv - Google Search
Coincidentally this landed only today. Maybe someone here reading this will know something of use to Mr Seznec.
Corentin Seznec <
[email protected]>
To Whom It May Concern:
Kaye Caplin of the Connellan Airways Trust mentioned I should get in touch with you as I am currently researching information related to Connellan for a book that my family will publish in the US in the next several months.
The book is actually a travel chronicle written by my great uncle George Thackray "Bee" Weems, about a 1950 ferry flight of a de Havilland Dragon Rapide "VH-AIK" from England to EJ Connellan in Alice Springs for use on his outback air services.
With my uncle were three others - Captain PVH Weems, Lieutenant Commander Willie Eddins, and a British aircraft engineer, James William Henry "Smitty" Smith. We currently have very little information on the latter, aside from the fact that he was apparently leaving England to work for Connellan Airways.
If you have any biographical information at all about Smitty, including photos or any other documents, we would be most grateful if you could share them with us. He is currently the "unknown" in the story, so it would be most helpful!
You can reach us by email.. Many thanks!
Sincerely,
Cory Seznec
coryseznec.com