Not quite an epic single flight, it took a couple of months. Flying from South East Australia to Egypt in 1941 in a DH86
When the RAAF decided to send 1 Air Ambulance Unit to the Middle East two ex civil airliner De Havilland DH86 aircraft the unit had were flown there, this is the report of the ferry flight by A31-3 and A31-7. The following is from the unit history verbatim. All dates are 1941.
Crews of the aircraft were,
A31-7 Pilot F/LT. J. G. MACDONALD, W/Opr. No.4277 CPL. J. CLARK, Fitter, No.12300 Cpl. Jones, passenger/Medical Officer Gr.Cpt. S. DALSY.
A31-3 Pilot P/O B. D. BATES, W/Opr. No.8332 A.C.1 R. J. Bauld, Rigger No.9090 CPL. S. E. BAKER
LAVERTON 30 April 1330. Unit's aircraft No. A31-7 and No. A31-3 departed LAVERT0N for the MIDDLE EAST and made an overnight stop at RICHMOND. Flying time 3h.40m. Weather - fine.
RICHMOND 1 May 0900. A fog delayed departure of Aircraft until 0800 hours. Aircraft then departed RICHMOND for CHARLEVILLE refuelling at BRISBANE. An overnight stop was made at CHARLEVILLE. Flying time 7h.20m. Weather - fine.
CHARLEVILLE 2 May 0800. Both aircraft departed CHARLEVILLE for CLONCURRY, refuelling at LONGREACH - an overnight stay was made at CLONCURRY. F.T. - 4h.40m. Weather - Fine.
CLONCURRY 3 May 0800. Both aircraft departed CLONCURRY for DALY WATERS, refuelling at CAMOWEEL. An overnight stop was made at DALY WATERS. F.T. 4h.15m. Weather - Fine.
DALY WATERS Both aircraft departed DALY WATERS for WYNDHAM, where they remained for two days as fuelling arrangements were not complete at WAINGAPORE. N.E.I. F.T. 2h.40m. Weather - Fine.
WYNDHAM 6 May 0800. Both aircraft departed WYNDHAM for DRYSDALE where an overnight stop was made. A Lockheed Hudson and crew from Darwin, in charge of F/O. Sattler met the aircraft and arranged refuelling for the 'planes, and messing for the crews of A.31-7 & A.31-3 at A.O.B DRYSDALE MISSION. F.T. 1h.5m. Weather - Fine.
Magneto trouble was encountered on A.31-7 and the crews worked for the majority of the night getting the machine serviceable. Fine weather and light tail winds were encountered throughout the Australian section of the flight.
DRYSDALE 7 May 0655. The two machines departed DRYSDALE at 0655 W.S.T. for BALI ISLAND, refuelling at KOEPANG and WAINGAPORE. Favourable weather was encountered across the Timor Sea. D/F. bearings were obtained from KOEPANG and Darwin - the DARWIN H/F D/F bearings were not accurate, showing a continual large error to port. The machines arrived at KOEPANG at 1005 hrs. W.S.T., where the Dutch Military Commandant and party accorded the crews a semi-official reception. The machines departed KOEPANG at 1125 hrs., arriving WAINGAPORE 1305 hrs. Hand fuelling from drums was necessary. The aerodrome being boomerang-shaped with the prevailing wind across both the available runways, made cross-wind landings and take-offs necessary. The aircraft departed from WAINGAP0RE at 1425 hrs. L.M.T., arriving at Denpassar (Civil & Military aerodrome) at 1705 hrs. L.M.T. The engines of A.31-3 were misfiring on arrival at Denpassar, and the following day was spent rectifying the trouble. FT. 7hrs.30m.
BALI ISLAND 9 May 0900 Departure was made at 0900 hrs. L.M.T. for BATAVIA, with a refuelling stop at SOURABAYA. Arrival at BATAVIA being made at 1450 hrs. L.M.T. FT. 5h.5m. Medium tail-winds and scattered cloud were encountered on this section of the route. Care was observed when approaching SOURABAYA and BATAVIA along the specified corridors as the prohibited zones near these towns cover very large areas.
BATAVIA 10 May 0945. The aircraft deported from BATAVIA at 0945 L.M.T. for SINGAPORE via PALEMBANG where refuelling was carried out. Light tail winds and scattered rainstorms were encountered between BATAVIA and PALEMBANG and shortly after leaving the latter aerodrome, the aircraft ran through a severe tropical rainstorm - off the coast of SUMATRA which later contributed to the magneto trouble encountered later at SINGAPORE. Inspections were carried out on both aircraft at SINGAPORE and it was found that the magnetos and wiring were water-logged. Arrival was made at SEMBAWANG (SINGAPORE) at 1545 L.M.T. F.T. 4 h.45m. Satisfactory W/T & D/F facilities were available at every aerodrome used in the N.E.I. with the exception of WAINGAPORE here no wireless station exists.
SINGAPORE 16 May F/LT. Woodward joined A.31-7 as a passenger at SINGAPORE. Both machines departed SINGAPORE, but returned awing to missing motors on A.31.3.
SINGAPORE 21 May 0920. Departure from SINGAPORE was delayed until today, owing to carburettor trouble in A31.3 and magneto trouble in both aircraft. A supply of spare sparking plugs was obtained from Wearne's Air Services Ltd., as many plugs had become unserviceable during the flight to SINGAPORE. The aircraft left SEMBAWANG at 0920 hrs. L.M.T. for ALOR STAR, which was reached at 1255 L.M.T. (FT. 3h.35m.). Light tail winds and scattered rain storms were encountered along the Malayan coast.
ALOR STAR 22 May 0745 Departure was made at 0745 for MERGUI - a landing being made at VICTORIA POINT for refuelling. The C.I.C. of the aerodrome, VICTORIA POINT, F/LT. Booth-Russell, had received no signal regarding the arrival of the aircraft from ALOR STAR which resulted in unnecessary delay in refuelling. A cyclonic depression was centred in the Bay of Bengal, causing almost continuous poor visibility at RANGOON. This resulted in a delay of four days at MERGUI before a favourable weather report was obtained. F. T. 4h.15m.
MERGUI 28 May 0945. At 0945 L.M.T. the aircraft let MERGUI and almost immediately ran into heavy rain over the sea making it necessary to part company. Visibility improved nearing RANGOON and arrival was made at 1220 L.M.T. (F.T. 2h.35m). A delay of two days at RANGOON was caused by the unserviceability of the artificial horizon and the altimeter of A31-7 and the fracture of a brake cable on A31-3.
RANGOON 29 May 0910. The aircraft departed from RANGOON for CALCUTTA at 0910 L.M.T. - a refuelling stop being made at AKYAB. Arrival was made at CALCUTTA at 1600 L.M.T. Light tail Winds and a low overcast sky obtained on this section of the route. It was noticed that DUM DUM aerodrome was hard to find owing to a humidity haze which generally exists for the best part of the year. (F. T. 5h.10m.) The aircraft were unable to leave CALCUTTA until 14 June owing to the illness of three members of the crew, namely: F/LT MACDONALD & AC1. BAULD (fever), and CPL. BAKER (tonsillitis).
CALCUTTA 14 June 0700. Departure was made for DELHI, but owing to the unserviceability of the artificial horizons of both aircraft return was made to CALCUTTA, causing a further delay until 19 June.
CALCUTTA 14 June 0700. Machines departed CALCUTTA for DELHI - a refuelling atop was made at ALLAHABAD, and DELHI was reached late the same afternoon. (F.T.8h.5m.). Strong head winds and a heavy dust haze were encountered on this section of the route. A stay of four days was made at DELHI to enable Gr.Cpt. Daley and F/Lt. Macdonald to visit R.I.A.F. headquarters at SIMLA.
DELHI 23 June 0600 Departure was made from DELHI, and the aircraft were forced to make an overnight atop at JODHPUR, owing to reports of heavy dust-storms between JODHPUR and KARCHI. (F.T.3h.25m.)
JODHPUR 24 June 0800. Departed JODHPUR for KARACHI which was reached about mid-day, and it was found necessary to remain there two days to carry out inspections on aircraft and to make repairs to the radio receiver on A31-7.
KARACHI 26 June 0700 Both machines departed KARACHI for SHARJAH, but had to return owing to oil pressure trouble on A31.3 (F.T. 55 Mins)
KARACHI 27 June 0700 Departed KARACHI for SHARJAH, refuelling at JIWANI. The machines remained one (1) day at SHARJAH owing to the oil pressure again falling on an engine of A31-3 (F.T. 6 hrs. 5 mins.)
SHARJAH 29 June 0600. Departed SHARJAH for SHAIBAH, refuelling at Bahrain Islands. The machines remained at Bahrain Islands overnight owing to severe sandstorms over the SHAIBAH area (F.T. 3 Hrs. 25 mins)
BAHRAIN ISLANDS 30 June 0700. Both machines departed Bahrain Islands for Habbaniya - delay was caused at Shaibah owing to tyre blowing out on A31-3. Heavy sandstorms and headwinds were encountered throughout this section, the visibility being particularly poor in the vicinity of Shaibah. (F.T. 2 Hrs 55 mins)
SHAIBAH 1 July 0800. Departed Shaibah for Habbaniya, where sandstorms delayed machines one (1) day (F.T. 2 hrs. 50 mins)
HABBANIYA 3 July 0600 Both machines departed Habbaniya, refuelling at Rutba Walls and Lydda - arriving at Cairo at 1715 hours (F.T. 7 Hrs. 50 Mins)
NOTE: It was found during the trip that the best flying conditions prevailed from dawn to mid-day.
End of report.
Later A31-8 was also flown from Australia to Egypt, starting sometime after 22 August and arriving on 10 November. Pilot F/O A J R Duffield and crew of 1 W/T operator and 1 Fitter.
Fates:
A31-3 While at parked dispersal burnt out 19 April 1942 after being hit by a Beaufighter that suffered engine problems while taking off
A31-7 Withdrawn from operations in September 1943 due to unavailability of 77 octane fuel, last operational sortie in unit records on 02 September 1943 Foch to Castel Benito and return. Flown from El Aouina, Tunisia, to B.A.R.U. Heliopolis by F/O Lowrey, along with 2 crew, starting at 0900 hours 18 February 1944 and finally landing there at 1130 hrs 25 February 1944 after a 20 minute flight from 'Cairo West' where it had landed at 1420hrs on 21 February 1944, RAAF status card says for disposal.
A31-8 Shot down by enemy aircraft 08 December 1941 (the report of the loss arrived at 1 AAU at 16.20 by RAF clocks). Ofw. Helmut Haugk 7./ZG 26 claimed a Vickers Valentia at 12.42 by Luftwaffe clocks.