The Accident Report is available from The National Archives here – http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2684828

North-East War Memorials Project has a page on the crash listing names – http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9769

Great photos! Looks like a very interesting museum, Nice to see so many British types on display in foreign places (even if the Comet does make me feel a little bit sad!)

Those old timetables were nice items of memorabilia. I rather miss them in this internet age!

I just checked on the Qantas website. It’s just the way it’s written and how the “chapters” are divided up that’s confusing. The chapter “Constellations Span The World” starts with 1954 but if you look at the previous chapter “Post War Expansion” it tells you they began service in 1947.

Pleasure, Bob. It was a bit earlier than that for the Connie though. From Flight December 1948 –

“During the first twelve months of operation on the London route the Qantas Constellations have flown 2,054,480 miles in 8,250 flying hours and carried 7,650 passengers and 330 tons of mail and freight. Next year four Constellation services will operate in each direction each week.”

I must say I envy your uncle! It must have been quite an adventure!

Just found a nice old timetable, dated just a couple of years after your uncle’s trip, showing flight EM502 being flown by Constellations –

http://www.aussieairliners.org/time%20tables/Qantas/001-1954%20May%2015,%20Qantas%20timetable.pdf

Missed your article first time round, Wallace. It really is an excellent write-up on the progress of the Sopwith. It looks fantastic and from Robert’s photo it looks very near completion. It’s going to be a wonderful sight when it takes to the air!

Well done on your progress so far, civil aero, and thanks for the update 🙂