de Havilland DH50 Iris (Replica)

On 20th November 2010 Her Excellency, the Governor General Quentin Bryce christened the museum's replica DH50 'Iris'. This was a case of history repeating itself as on 18 August 1926 Lady Stonehaven, the wife of the Governor General, christened the original Qantas built DH50A named 'Iris'. This DH50A was the first of eight aircraft constructed by Qantas at Longreach. A proud engineering staff, dressed in their very best clothes, were on hand to watch the Governor-General's wife make her speech, cut the ribbon and break a bottle of champagne on the aircraft's propeller boss. Lady Stonehaven and her husband then departed in 'Iris' for Newcastle Waters.

In early 1924 Qantas had placed an order with de Havilland's for a DH50. The type was the first aircraft used by Australian airlines that was not a converted military aircraft. The DH50 revolutionised passenger transport in Australia and, aside from Qantas, it was also used by Western Australian Airlines, the airline operated by Jimmy Larkin and the Civil Aviation Branch. With its enclosed cabin, for the first time a good number of passengers (that is up to four) could be carried and they no longer needed to wear helmets and goggles when flying. Nor would passengers have to worry about being spattered in engine oil, sunburnt or soaked by rain. The advent of the DH50, with its space for a stretcher, also enabled Qantas to help the Reverend John Fynn in the formation and operation of what eventually became the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

DH50 - photo taken in the 1920's

In 1924, Stanley Bruce had become the first Australian prime minister to fly when he travelled in a Qantas DH50A between Winton and Longreach after rains made the road impassable.

The new aircraft certainly brought increased comfort to passengers. But comfort is all relative. Qantas pilot Arthur Affleck remembered that when the Normanton to Cloncurry DH50A service began in August 1927:

After the success of its first English built DH50, Qantas wanted more of these aircraft but instead of importing them from de Havilland's, the Company decided to build them itself in its hangar using the skills of Arthur Baird and his engineers.

In May 1926 Major Geoffrey de Havilland, head of the de Havilland Company, arrived at Longreach to discuss the Qantas aircraft production program. His arrival coincided with a surge in passenger traffic between Charleville and Longreach. On 24 May, no less than three aircraft had to be used to carry a grand total of nine - yes nine - passengers to Longreach! Even then, one would-be passenger had to be left behind as there were no seats available for him! This incident highlighted the need for DH50s and their larger carrying capacity.

Building aircraft in the 1920s was not an especially difficult task as the Qantas engineers were highly skilled and adaptable and the hangar itself well fitted out for wood and fabric working. It was hot and hard work, however. Qantas was - and remains - the only airline in the world to manufacture its own airliners! The aircraft were built to the de Havilland design with only minor modifications made to suit western Queensland conditions.

The engines, fuel tanks, radiators, instruments and all metal parts were imported from England. Linen for the wings came from Ireland and the dope to tauten them from England. Spruce and oregon timber for the wing spars and longerons came from Canada and the maple timber for the propellers and three-ply from Queensland.

To ensure the highest level of quality control, Arthur created Qantas' first 'employee incentive scheme'. Those who worked on the new aircraft were always the first to go on their test flights! This was a great incentive to ensure high quality work!

When an aircraft was completed it became a tradition that Hudson Fysh would take the engineers down to the Imperial Hotel in Duck Street and buy them several rounds of drinks.

After the success of 'Iris', a further two DH50As were begun but before either was finished, the sole DH9C built 'Ion' - a smaller aircraft built with a cabin for three passengers - was completed and entered service.

In June 1927 the second DH50A Perseus was completed and on 1 July Hudson Fysh flew this brand new airliner on the new Cloncurry-Normanton service. While no passengers were carried on this initial flight a batch of newspapers 'only three days old' were delivered to Normanton which created a sensation at the small town. Qantas' new aircraft continued to reduce the isolation of the outback

On 1 August 1927 DH50A Pegasus was delivered. Atalanta was the first DH50J completed on 28 March 1928 and this was followed by DH50J Hermes in April 1928. An un-named DH50A, VH-UJS, followed in June 1929 and finally a DH50J Hippomenes was completed in September 1929.

The Siddeley Puma engined DH50A had proved only just equal to the Company's needs, especially in summer. It had a climb rate of just 180 metres a minute and a speed of 128 kilometres per hour. But by substituting the Bristol Jupiter Mk VI 336 kilowatt engine - Arthur Baird's preferred power plant - for the Puma, available power was nearly doubled! The rate of climb went from 180 to 300 metres per minute and speed from 130 to 170 kilometres per hour. The greater cost of the DH50J was countered by the better performance and greater reliability of the Jupiter powered aircraft.

Of the DH50J Hudson Fysh remembered:

The last of these Longreach built aircraft was not retired until 1936. When Qantas decided to supplement its DH50 fleet with the much larger DH61 Giant Moth, it was found that the new aircraft were too big to be built by the Company. And so ended an enterprise unique among all the world's airlines.

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