Aircraft History
Built by Junkers, constructors Number 2044. Originally named ‘Tannenmeise’. Registered LVB-99 in the Luftvardighetsbevis Register (Aircraft issued with Swedish CoA but no Swedish registration).

Australian Service
Shipped aboard the S. S. Kernak from Hamburg to Melbourne, arriving on June 19, 1929. Assembled and test flown on June 25 by A. E. 'Pard' Mustar. Registered to Eyre Peninsula Airways Ltd. on June 25. "Mt. Wedge" and assigned VH-UKW.

This F.13 was painted white with black lettering with VH-UKW on the fuselage. The nose was painted black with "Mt. Wedge" on the side of the cockpit. The lower surface of the wings was painted black with large VH-UKW in large white letters.

Flown to Parafield Airfield on July 9, 1929. Flown on a charter flight from Parafield to Yorketown piloted by by O. Kenny by members of the Freemasons on November 6, 1929.

Eyre Peninsula Airways ceased operations October 1930. It was retained by director J. H. Moate. It arrived Kalgoorlie December 18, 1930.

Next owned by Goldfields Air Navigation Co. Ltd. (founded by J. H. Moate) in Kalgoorlie on January 7, 1931. Registered February 18, 1931. It was damaged at Merredin, WA, February 20, 1931 during a Perth-Kalgoorlie flight.

Purchased by Guinea Airways October 31. 1931 for £650. Registered VH-UKW to Guinea Airways Ltd. on November 5, 1931 (with 980 hours). Received by Guinea Airways in need of an overhaul, which cost £400. Flown to Sydney by Captain Charles W. Snook.

New Guinea Service
Flown Lae to Port Moresby on February 29, 1932. Its first scheduled service was March 23, 1932, operating between Port Moresby and Bulolo Airfield, at a fare of £15. Given Fleet Number '6' on March 27, 1932.

Operated the first Port Moresby to Kokoda Airfield service on September 28, 1932. It operated the first official Port Moresby-Lae-Wau air mail flight
on September 30, 1932 piloted by F. Drayton and operated mainly Port Moresby-Lae-Wau & later to Kokoda.

During August 1932, the engine was replaced with a 425hp Bristol Jupiter VI engine replacing the original the 310hp Junkers L-5 engine. Returned to service on December 1, 1932.

Forced-landed at Kokoda Airfield on August 28, 1932. Repaired it was afterwards fitted with an additional fuel tank during December 1932. After a forced-landing, due lack of fuel on December 1, 1933, it was fitted with an extra fuel tank.

It was struck off register on November 4, 1935. A Pratt & Whitney A2 engine was installed and registration renewed on November 11, 1935.

Another accident was after a landing, at Slate Creek on November 11, 1937 piloted by Syd W. Wiltshire and was badly damaged.

Repaired, it later crashed on October 15, 1938 at Salamaua Airfield when the undercarriage collapsed pilot by W. J. Robins who was unhurt.

Crashed at Narakapor Airfield (near Nadzab) August 26, 1939 after an engine failure, pilot Les H. Ross. It was damaged beyond repair & written-off. Struck off register on March 11, 1942.

Wartime History
One source states this aircraft was destroyed by the Japanese on January 21, 1942 and cancelled from the register on March 11, 1942.

It next movements are unclear, but was left derelict at Danip Airfield, near Alexishafen prior to the Japanese occupation of the area in 1943.

When the Australian Army occupied the Alexishafen area during late April 1944, a crated Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine, addressed to the Catholic Mission was discovered, likely intended for this aircraft. The crate was apparently ignored by the Japanese during their occupation.

Wreckage
After the war, only the fuselage section remained, without the wings or tail as of the early 1960s. The skin is badly corroded but the internal structure was in good order. The wreckage remained in situ until the the early 1980s.

Charles Darby adds:
"It was very close to the North Coast road, at the end of the fighter strip, nowhere near the main Alexishafen bomber strip."

Recovery
Bruce Hoy, then curator of the PNG Museum, authorized the salvage by the PNG Defense Force and to the nearby Madang Technical College for potential restoration. Sometime later, it was moved to Lae and stored at the TAA maintenance hanger.

After this move, the whereabouts of the wreck are unknown, and it doubtful that any restoration took place. Probably, it was forgotten and scrapped.

Bruce Hoy adds:
Recovered by a party from the PNGDF Air Transport Squadron based in Lae under an authority issued by the National Museum, as the group had offered to recover and conduct limited restoration. Outer wings and tailplane missing for years.. Have recently read correspondence on this subject typed by me in the early 1980s. Aircraft was in Lae as of 27 November 1985 when I photographed it. The unit moved to Port Moresby in the late 1980s or early 90s and am unaware if it accompanied the move."

References
Wings of Gold
Pacific Aircraft Wrecks, page 37 (lower)
Thanks to Bruce Hoy, Geoff Goodall and Ray Fairfield for additional information

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 1, 2009

Photo Archive

Ed Coates via Geoff Goodall Collection

November 6, 1929 Flight