
This Airspeed AS.5 Courier, flown by Squadron Leader D.E. Stodart and Sergeant K.G. Stodart, came sixth in the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race with an elapsed time of 9 days 18 hours.

Lockheed DL-1A Vega, G-ABGK named ‘Puck’ being refuelled before the 1934 MacRobnertson Air Race.

The unusually configured, Pander S.4, PH-OST, was crewed by (left to right) Mr Pronk, G.J. Geysendorffer, ex K.L.M. chief test pilot, and Mr Asjes and was to finish it’s participation in the 1934 MacRobertson Air race at Allahabad, Iraq when it suffered a ground collision and burnt out.

The Bellanca 28-70, ‘The Irish Swoop’, was withdrawn from the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race but was still destined to have an adventurous life, being destroyed in the Spanish Civil War serving with the Republican Government.

Some of the competitors for the 1934 Mildenhall to Melbourne MacRobertson Air Race.

The MacRobertson Air Race committee severely restricted the amount of fuel to be carried and here, de Havilland DH.88 Comet, G-ACSR is being topped up. She was to come fourth with an elapsed time of 108 hours 13 minutes.

This DC-2, PJ-AJU, came overall second and winner on handicap in the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race with an elapsed time of 90 houres 13 minutes.

Paramount Sound News camerman films the take off of Lambert Monocoupe 145, NR501W ‘Baby Ruth’, in the Mildenhall to Melbourne MacRobertson Air Race, 1934.

Bellanca 28-70, EI-AAZ, ‘The Irish Swoop’ being weighed in one of Mildenhall’s hangars, days before the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race. It was to be flown by Colonel Fitzmaurice, but had to withdraw before the race as the aircraft had not completed official load testing for fuel capacity.

This Fairey Fox I, G-ACXX was to crash during the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race near Palazzo San Gervasio in Italy, killing the crew of Harold D. Gilman and amateur pilot J.K. Baines.
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Aircraft like Handley Page HP.45 G-AAXE, ‘Hengist’, are icons of the land-based planes of Imperial Airways. This example was destroyed in a hangar fire in Karachi, 31 May 1937.
Skydiving – especially early skydiving – is not paratrooping.
I don’t think anyone suggested it was.
C47’s have been used in skydiving operations with both doors removed.
Below is a picture of a DC3 used as a jump platform.

VP 962 G-OPLC wont be doing any pleasure flying for the forseeable future, however VP 981 most certainly will be, out of Goodwood through Conciair, the even better news is that you still get to fly with me.:cool:
I’m looking forward to doing just that on August 12th.
I would be interested to know the names of Sgt. Bousfield’s crew if anyone can help.