347592PD: Dousing in champagne as VH-MWJ Beech 70 Queen Air aircraft of the Royal Flying Doctor Service is christened Fred Ryle at Perth Airport April 1972.

Year

1972.

Warnings and disclaimer

This image has been preserved and made available by the Historical Records Rescue Consortium (HRRC) Project supported by Lotterywest. Title supplied by cataloguer. VH-MWJ Beech 70 Queen Air of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (construction number LB-29): First registered in USA as N4089A. Registered in Australia on 6.5.1970 as VH-MWJ to Masling Aviation & Engineering Ltd, Cootamundra, NSW. Registered to Hawker de Havilland Australia Pty Ltd, Yagoona, NSW on 22.10.1971. Registered to Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, Melbourne, VIC on 21.2.1972 (to Port Hedland 2.11.1977 and Kununurra on 2.4.1980). Christened "Fred Ryle" at Perth Airport in April 1972. Registered to Great Western Aviation Pty Ltd, Redcliffe, WA (based at Perth Airport) on 1.6.1989. Registered to Arnhem Holdings Pty Ltd, Perth, WA on 20.5.1992. Registered to J.J. Rundell, Hamilton, WA on 20.10.1994. Registered to C.D. Muir, Kununurra, WA on 10.8.1995. Crashed at 5.40pm on 24.06.2000, 2 kilometres northwest of Leonora Aerodrome, WA. The right engine cowling opened during take-off and the pilot, who was inexperienced on the type, did not apply full power. The aircraft continued flying at low level and low speed until it crashed into a mine site tailings embankment, causing serious injuries to the pilot and his five passengers. The destroyed aircraft was struck off the register on 11.9.2000. (information supplied by D. Eyre, August 2009) VH-MWJ Beech 70 Queen Air aircraft of the Royal Flying Doctor Service being christened "Fred Ryle" at Perth Airport, in front of the Hawker De Havilland hangar. 347591PD – other aircraft visible in the background (L-R) are a Cessna 182, Grumman Gulfstream I, and Boeing 707. 347592PD – In the background is a Hawker-Siddeley HS.125 business jet. 347593PD – On the right edge of the photo is a Hawker-Siddeley HS.125 business jet.

Subjects

• Fred Ryle (Airplane) -- Photographs.
• Christenings -- Western Australia -- Photographs
• Airplanes -- Western Australia -- Photographs.
• View more on SLWA catalogue

Terms of use

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