1934 Qantas Hangar

qantas hangar darwin nt northern territory 2007

History of the Qantas Hangar caravan trip 2007 In the early twentieth century, when moves to establish an aviation route between England and Australia became a reality, part of the Fannie Bay Gaol prison farm area was resumed to construct an airstrip for Darwin. On 10 December 1919, Ross and Keith Smith, together with Wally Shiers and Jim Bennett landed at the Darwin Aerodrome after winning the first England to Australia contest and £10,000. A memorial to that historic flight stands at the end of Ross Smith Avenue by the cliffs at the edge of Fannie Bay, marking the spot where the plane landed. Darwin soon became the first port of call into Australia for all aircraft coming to Australia through Asia. As part of their tender for the Brisbane to Singapore route, Qantas proposed to construct a new hangar at Darwin, as part of what would become known as, the Ross Smith Aerodrome. The plan for the hangar was closely modelled on the No1 hangar at Brisbanes Archerfield Aerodrome. The building, a pre-fabricated steel frame Comet building from the Sidney Williams workshops, was purchased and built for the sum of £6,114. Construction took four months and the hangar was completed by early August 1934, with the wall and roof cladding installed by the end of that year. The hangar was part of a complex of buildings that included an Administrative building and a Caretakers cottage, which were completed in 1935. These buildings were in close proximity to the airstrip, on the site of the present day Ross Smith Avenue. Timing of the construction of the hangar was driven by 1934 Centenary Air race, which carried a £10,000 prize sponsored by Sir MacPherson Robertson of MacRobertsons chocolates fame, and attracted world wide aviation interest. Competitors left England on 20 October, finishing in Melbourne. The race was won in just under three days by the scarlet purpose-built de Havilland DH.88 Comet racer Grosvenor House , piloted by Flight Lieutenant Charles Scott and Captain Tom Campbell Black. By February 1935, the hangar was being used as a staging point for Qantas Empire Airways aircraft and the first passenger service began using the hangar from April of the same year. CARAVAN TRIP 2007 FANNIE BAY MINDIL BEACH CULLIN BAY COASTAL WALK NORTHERN TERRITORY AUSTRALIA

Qantas Hangar Darwin NT Northern Territory 2007

History of the Qantas Hangar caravan trip 2007
In the early twentieth century, when moves to establish an aviation route between England and Australia became a reality, part of the Fannie Bay Gaol prison farm area was resumed to construct an airstrip for Darwin. On 10 December 1919, Ross and Keith Smith, together with Wally Shiers and Jim Bennett landed at the Darwin Aerodrome after winning the first England to Australia contest and £10,000. A memorial to that historic flight stands at the end of Ross Smith Avenue by the cliffs at the edge of Fannie Bay, marking the spot where the plane landed. Darwin soon became the first port of call into Australia for all aircraft coming to Australia through Asia.

As part of their tender for the Brisbane to Singapore route, Qantas proposed to construct a new hangar at Darwin, as part of what would become known as, the Ross Smith Aerodrome. The plan for the hangar was closely modelled on the No1 hangar at Brisbane’s Archerfield Aerodrome. The building, a pre-fabricated steel frame Comet building from the Sidney Williams workshops, was purchased and built for the sum of £6,114. Construction took four months and the hangar was completed by early August 1934, with the wall and roof cladding installed by the end of that year.

The hangar was part of a complex of buildings that included an Administrative building and a Caretaker’s cottage, which were completed in 1935. These buildings were in close proximity to the airstrip, on the site of the present day Ross Smith Avenue.

Timing of the construction of the hangar was driven by 1934 Centenary Air race, which carried a £10,000 prize sponsored by Sir MacPherson Robertson of MacRobertson’s chocolates fame, and attracted world wide aviation interest. Competitors left England on 20 October, finishing in Melbourne. The race was won in just under three days by the scarlet purpose-built de Havilland DH.88 Comet racer Grosvenor House , piloted by Flight Lieutenant Charles Scott and Captain Tom Campbell Black.

By February 1935, the hangar was being used as a staging point for Qantas Empire Airways aircraft and the first passenger service began using the hangar from April of the same year. CARAVAN TRIP 2007 FANNIE BAY MINDIL BEACH CULLIN BAY COASTAL WALK NORTHERN TERRITORY AUSTRALIA

DON PUGH