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Kookaburra (aircraft)

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to take off. After a public outcry for leaving the men in the desert, a second expedition with a Thornycroft truck returned to the site and exhumed the bodies. Again, due to a shortage of water, a runway could not be cleared so the aircraft was not moved. In July 1929 Anderson was re-buried in Sydney
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remained in the desert as it was not economical to recover it. It was unexpectedly discovered in 1961 by Vern O'Brien, a surveyor traveling through the area. It had been damaged by three decades of rain and bushfires. O'Brien did not ascertain an accurate location for the aircraft because the Tanami
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when the push rod on a valve on number two cylinder loosened, causing a loss of power. Hitchcock adjusted the push rod and the two men attempted to clear a runway. They were overcome by thirst and perished before they could clear a runway long enough. Their bodies were found on 21 April 1929.
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and buried the men where they lay. Due to a shortage of water for their horses, the ground party did not have time to clear a runway long enough for
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departed Richmond, New South Wales, on 10 April and headed for the north of Western Australia via Broken Hill, Maree, Oodnadatta and Alice Springs.
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but was unsuccessful. He searched again in 1978 and this time succeeded in finding the remains of the aircraft.
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Abandoned in the Tanami Desert until remains were recovered and preserved
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Down Under: Travels in a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. Chapter 17.
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Kookaburra, the Most Compelling Story in Australia's Aviation History
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and are currently at the Central Australian Aviation Museum.
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Aviation accidents and incidents in the Northern Territory
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is flat and featureless. Several expeditions searched for
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disappeared in 1929 in what later came to be known as the
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and mechanic Henry Smith "Bobby" Hitchcock flew the
379: 320:GEO Magazine Vol 1, No 2, 1979, pages 112 to 131 258:Australian businessman, pilot and adventurer 293: 262:mounted an expedition in 1977 to find the 287: 380: 194:light aircraft registered G-AUKA. 13: 273:were moved to a public display at 14: 409: 327: 28: 388:1920s in the Northern Territory 314: 94:The remains are on display at 1: 280: 255:after 1961 but to no avail. 235:A ground party traveled from 217:in an attempt to find them. 7: 10: 414: 227:was forced to land in the 175: 167: 159: 149: 139: 134: 126: 118: 113: 101: 90: 82: 77: 67: 59: 51: 41: 36: 27: 20: 244:and Hitchcock in Perth. 130:Tanami Desert, Australia 338:Aviation Safety Network 207:"Coffee Royal" incident 199:Charles Kingsford Smith 364:23.70222°S 133.86417°E 275:Alice Springs Airport 369:-23.70222; 133.86417 334:Accident description 201:and his crew in the 393:Individual aircraft 360: /  300:. Lansdowne Press. 294:Dick Smith (1980). 60:Construction number 37:General information 140:Aircraft type 307:978-0-7018-1357-4 237:Wave Hill Station 183: 182: 109: 108: 405: 375: 374: 372: 371: 370: 365: 361: 358: 357: 356: 353: 321: 318: 312: 311: 291: 192:Westland Widgeon 144:Westland Widgeon 111: 110: 46:Westland Widgeon 32: 18: 17: 413: 412: 408: 407: 406: 404: 403: 402: 378: 377: 368: 366: 362: 359: 354: 351: 349: 347: 346: 330: 325: 324: 319: 315: 308: 292: 288: 283: 269:The remains of 12: 11: 5: 411: 401: 400: 395: 390: 344: 343: 340: 329: 328:External links 326: 323: 322: 313: 306: 285: 284: 282: 279: 211:Keith Anderson 203:Southern Cross 181: 180: 177: 173: 172: 169: 165: 164: 161: 157: 156: 153: 147: 146: 141: 137: 136: 132: 131: 128: 124: 123: 120: 116: 115: 107: 106: 103: 99: 98: 92: 88: 87: 84: 80: 79: 75: 74: 71: 65: 64: 61: 57: 56: 55:Keith Anderson 53: 49: 48: 43: 39: 38: 34: 33: 25: 24: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 410: 399: 396: 394: 391: 389: 386: 385: 383: 376: 373: 341: 339: 335: 332: 331: 317: 309: 303: 299: 298: 290: 286: 278: 276: 272: 267: 265: 261: 256: 254: 249: 245: 242: 238: 233: 230: 229:Tanami Desert 226: 222: 220: 216: 212: 208: 204: 200: 195: 193: 189: 188: 178: 174: 170: 166: 162: 158: 154: 152: 148: 145: 142: 138: 133: 129: 125: 122:10 April 1929 121: 117: 112: 104: 100: 97: 96:Alice Springs 93: 89: 86:10 April 1929 85: 81: 76: 72: 70: 66: 62: 58: 54: 50: 47: 44: 40: 35: 31: 26: 23: 19: 16: 345: 316: 296: 289: 270: 268: 263: 257: 252: 247: 246: 240: 234: 224: 223: 218: 214: 196: 186: 185: 184: 151:Registration 91:Preserved at 69:Registration 21: 15: 367: / 355:133°51′51″E 83:Last flight 382:Categories 281:References 271:Kookaburra 264:Kookaburra 260:Dick Smith 253:Kookaburra 248:Kookaburra 241:Kookaburra 225:Kookaburra 219:Kookaburra 215:Kookaburra 187:Kookaburra 168:Fatalities 22:Kookaburra 352:23°42′8″S 197:When Sir 176:Survivors 209:, pilot 135:Aircraft 114:Accident 336:at the 78:History 304:  190:was a 155:G-AUKA 73:G-AUKA 63:WA1775 52:Owners 302:ISBN 160:Crew 127:Site 119:Date 102:Fate 42:Type 384:: 310:. 179:0 171:2 163:2

Index


Westland Widgeon
Registration
Alice Springs
Westland Widgeon
Registration
Westland Widgeon
Charles Kingsford Smith
Southern Cross
"Coffee Royal" incident
Keith Anderson
Tanami Desert
Wave Hill Station
Dick Smith
Alice Springs Airport
Kookaburra, the Most Compelling Story in Australia's Aviation History
ISBN
978-0-7018-1357-4
Accident description
Aviation Safety Network
23°42′8″S 133°51′51″E / 23.70222°S 133.86417°E / -23.70222; 133.86417
Categories
1920s in the Northern Territory
Individual aircraft
Aviation accidents and incidents in the Northern Territory

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