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| One of the earliest MAF planes, circa 1956. Believed to be VH-BVJ, pilot Bob Hutchins. |
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| Ruth Blowers, in co-pilot seat of MAF. |
These photos are from Blowers Memories DVD collection.
(The following comments were kindly contributed by Ian W. Stacey, previously MAF pilot.)
I tried to reduce the brightness of the picture, hoping to be able to read the registration letters of the aircraft, but without success.
If the time was 1956 to 1960, I'd have to say that the aircraft was probably VH-BVJ and the pilot, probably Bob Hutchins.
Bob was one of the two "first" pilots for MAF in PNG. He and Harry Hartwig (an Aussie from South Australia who had flown Liberators [B23 aircarft] with the Coastal Command out of the UK during WW2) flew to PNG from Australia in April 1951 in an English built Auster "Autocar" single engine, four place aircraft, starting the work at the Madang base. Their wives came to Madang by ship. Harry was killed in the August of that year in an accident in the Asaloka Gap, apparently flying in cloud.
Some of the stories of those early days are found in Vic Ambrose's book "Balus Bilong Mipela" (published by MAF Australia, ISBN 6 7316 1082 2). I think it is out of print.
Bob Hutchins was from the USA. While Bob and Betty were at Banz, Bob's father was the Pastor of Lake Avenue Congregational Church at Altadena CA and that church "passed around the hat" and was able to buy a new Cessna 180 aircraft for Bob to use in the Banz program (and that was VH-BVJ).
Later, MAF Australia bought the aircraft from MAF USA and Harold and Hope Morton used it in the MAF operation out of Tari in the Southern Highlands.
Joan and I visited PNG in July 1958 soon after I started learning to fly, I had not flown "solo" by that stage. I worked for Qantas in their Engineering School as an Instructor on the technicalities of the Constellation, Super Constellation and Boeing 707 aircraft. Being eligible for some cheap fares and being interested in (even felt "called" to) MAF, Joan and I took the opportunity of flying up to Wewak from Sydney by Qantas, staying for a week in Wewak with an MAF family, and having a good look around and seeing what the work of MAF was all about. It was not until April 1960 after a few more adventures (flying in the Kimberly of Western Australia and other things) that we eventually made it to Wewak PNG, and then on to Banz for the last six months of 1961 (staffing that base between Ron and Judith Robertson and Doug and Joyce McCraw). Lots more stories to tell in all that lot.
Hope this is helpful, the Lord be with you,
