ADF Serials - D.H.9a

Aircraft Serial	RAF Serial	Aircraft History
A1-1	H5	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1924. Served with 1 FTS by 10/24 and at least until 07/26. Reconditioned by Pratt Bros, Geelong, Vic 03/28 to 06/28. Returned to 1 FTS. On 12/04/29 departed for Kookaburra search in northern Australia. Crashed 21/04/29 during forced landing near Tennant Creek NT (crew Flt Lt C Eaton and Cpl P Sullivan). Struck off 03/05/29.
A1-2	E793	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Reconditioned by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co Ltd, Balmain, NSW. Served with 1 FTS during 1927, and crashed at Canberra (possibly during the opening of Parliament House 05/27). To the RAAF Experimental Section at Randwick, NSW; Approved for conversion to components 20/03/28.
A1-3	E794	Long term storage at 1 AD until 1927. Reconditioned by Experimental Section 01/03/27. Served with 3 Sqn 'C' Flight. Crashed Canberra 06/05/27, total flight time was 12 hours. Overhauled by 3 Sqn 02/11/27; flight time by 15/02/28 was 23 hours. To Canberra 14/03/28to 17/03/28 for 3 Sqn escort for Bert Hinkler. To Brisbane 28/03/28to 05/04/28; Forced landed 30/03/28 after engine failure at Enoggera, Brisbane (crew Flg Off S deB Griffith). Approved for conversion to components 02/06/28.
A1-4	E795	Long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Reconditioned by Mort’s Dock 16/02/27. Served with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight, to Canberra for Parliament House flypast (05/27). Engine change 10/05/27. To Adelaide for new aerodrome opening at Parafield 26/11/27. Total flight time by 14/03/28 was 106 Hours. Engine change 23/04/28. Crashed 04/05/28 when taking off at Laverton VIC while with 1 Sqn, the engine failed at 200’ and the aircraft hit a pile of rocks (crew Plt Off L J Ryan and LAC P Sullivan). Approved for conversion to components 17/05/28.
A1-5	E900	Date of manufacture 10/04/19. Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow, arrived 03/12/19, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Received 12/08/20, and long term storage at 1 AD until 1925. Reconditioned by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co Ltd, Balmain, NSW 08/07/26. Served with 1 FTS, modified to dual controls 18/10/26. Crashed 08/01/27, total flight time was 46 hours, and recommended for reconditioning 19/07/27. Still U/S at 1AD 09/03/28. Believed reconditioned by RAAF Experimental Section, Randwick; Then served with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight 04/29. Departed 17/04/29 for Kookaburra search in northern Australia (crew Flg Off L J Ryan and Cpl D A Endean); Returned to Laverton 12/05/29 (crew Flg Off A G Gerrand and Sgt J A Campbell). Served with 1 FTS and in use until 01/30. Approved for write-off 04/02/30.
A1-6	E901	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow, arrived 05/12/19, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Reconditioned at Experimental Section 19/03/26. Served with 3 Sqn 'C' Flight, Crashed 23/11/27 at Wallis Lake NSW. Was being rebuilt by 3 Sqn 02/28, total flight time by 15/02/28 was 167 hours. A technical inspection on 05/12/28 found it was uneconomic for further repair; Approved for conversion to components 12/12/28.
A1-7	E903	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1924. Believed reconditioned by 1 FTS workshops, then served with 1 FTS by 11/24. Damaged 10/12/24 landing at Flemington (crew Flg Off L J Balderston). Forced landed 13/04/26 at Rochester Vic (crew Cdt G Jenkins), total flight time was 129 hours. Returned to service with 1 FTS by 07/26. Recommended for reconditioning 19/07/27, reconditioned by Pratt Bros 03/28 to 06/28. In service with 1 Sqn 'C' flight by 04/29. Departed for Kookaburra search in northern Australia 12/04/29 (crew Flg Off A G Gerrand and Sgt J A Campbell); Returned to Laverton 12/05/29 (crew Flt Lt C Eaton and Sgt E Douglas). Forced landed at Kyneton Vic 05/06/29, Returned to storage. In service with 1 FTS by 07/29 and until 02/30. Approved for write-off 04/02/30.
A1-8	E904	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow, arrived 03/12/19, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Received 12/08/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Reconditioned by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co Ltd, Balmain, NSW 23/08/26. Served with 1 FTS and damaged 20/09/26, Overhauled at 1 FTS 01/04/27. Crashed 16/05/27, total flight time was 14 hours. Repaired and to 3 Sqn 'C' Flight 28/10/27, crashed Craigieburn Vic, To Mort’s Dock for repair 11/27. Test flown 08/12/27, then served with 1 FTS from 12/27. Crashed on landing 07/02/28 at Point Cook Vic (crew Leut P Bailhache RAN and Cdt T A Chadwick). On 06/03/28awaiting repairs at 1 FTS, total flight time was 55 hours. To 1 AD 03/05/28 for overhaul, but was assessed as unecomonic for reconditioning. Approved for conversion to components 14/02/29.
A1-9	E905	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 06/10/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1925. Reconditioned by Mathews & Hassell 30/12/25, Served with 1 FTS from 07/03/26. Damaged 19/05/26 when it collided on the ground with A3-39. Repaired and back at 1 FTS by 07/26. Condemned 29/07/27and recorded as unserviceable 19/10/27. Being overhauled by 1 FTS 06/03/28, total flight time was 241 hours. Served with 1 Sqn until 05/29. Served with 1 FTS 06/29 to 01/30. Approved for write-off 04/02/30.
A1-10	E906	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow, arrived 03/12/19, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Received 12/08/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1925. Reconditioned by Experimental Section 06/10/25. Served with 3 qn 'C' Flight in use by 04/26, fitted with side ladder 12/05/26 to enable parachute descents. In service with 1 FTS from 06/26 rigged for jumps, Crashed at 1 FTS and assessed as damaged beyond repair. Being overhauled by 1 FTS 06/03/28, total flight time of 27 hours. Approved for conversion to components 20/03/28.
A1-11	E907	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow, arrived 05/12/19, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Received 12/08/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Was to be reconditioned by Larkin Aircraft Supply Co, Coote Island, Melbourne, Vic, but sent to Mort’s Dock 11/06/26. To 3 Sqn 'C' Flight 04/07/27 for dispatch to 1 FTS, forced landed 19/07/27 (crew Flg Off V H Augenson); Forced landed 21/07/27 at Harefield NSW (crew Sgt G K Rice-Oxley) on delivery to 1 FTS; Again forced landed 22/07/27 at Rutherglen Vic. Damaged when landing near Violet Town Vic 28/07/27, undercarriage collapsed on landing. Reconditioned by 1 FTS ‘C’ Flt 15/09/27, total flight time was 59 hours. Operated by 1 FTS, total flight time by 06/03/28 was 96 hours. On 30/03/28 departed for Sydney as number ‘5’ for the NSW Aerial Derby. In use by 1 FTS till 05/28, when crashed 26/05/28 at Essendon VIC during Victorian Aerial Derby - hit power lines and lost undercarriage (crew Flt Lt G A Wells). Wreckage burnt 25/06/28 and formally approved for conversion to components 20/06/28.
A1-12	E908	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow, arrived 03/12/19, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Received 09/09/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Reconditioned by Experimental Section 06/12/26. To 3 Sqn 'C' Flight for delivery to 1 Sqn, and received by 1 Sqn 'C' Flight 23/12/26. To Adelaide for opening of new aerodrome at Parafield 26/11/27. Total flight time by 14/03/28 was 93 hours; total flight time by 20/04/28 was 134 hours. To Adelaide 18/10/28 for 1 Sqn aerial survey. Damaged 03/12/28 in forced landing at Yaouk, near Cooma, NSW (crew Flg Off L J Ryan). Inspected 12/03/29 and found to be uneconomic for reconditioning, approved for conversion to components 20/03/29.
A1-13	E909	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlowby 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 06/10/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1925. Reconditioned at Mathews & Hassell 06/10/25. To 1 FTS by 02/26, forced landed 13/04/26 at Woodend Vic (crew Flg Off W A Holtham and AC1 Allen), total flight time was 105 hours. Repaired by 1 FTS, and crashed again in 1927; Undergoing overhaul 06/03/28with 1 FTS, total flight time was 241 hours. Having been reconditioned twice, assessed as uneconomic for further repair, and approved for conversion to components 20/03/28.
A1-14	E910	Date of manufacture 16/04/19. Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 06/10/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Reconditioned by Mathews & Hassell 07/03/26. To with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight by 05/26, Grounded 20/09/27; Unserviceable at 1 AD 09/03/28, total flight time to date was 169 hours. Reconditioned, to 1 FTS by 05/29, Forced landing 01/08/29at Point Cook Vic. Approved for write-off 04/02/30but was in use until 05/03/30.
A1-15	E916	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 06/10/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1924. Reconditioned at 1 FTS workshops 15/12/24, to 1 FTS by 05/25; Undergoing overhaul at 1 FTS 06/03/28, total flight time was 101 hours. Damaged 21/11/29 at Point Cook Vic, Used by 1 FTS until 01/30. Approved for write-off 04/02/30.
A1-16	F2776	To RAF 2 Aircraft Acceptance Park Hendon 12/04/19, To 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow 03/12/19 for packing, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Received 01/05/20, To CFS AAC and first flown 14/05/20 (Capt A T Cole). Forced landed Point Cook 29/06/20(Capt A T Cole). In use CFS AAC 1920/21 as F2776; To 1FTS AAF 31/03/21, became A1-16. Reconditioned by 1 FTS workshops from 20/04/22 to 23/08/22, To 1 FTS 'E' Flight by 11/22 until overhauled by 1 FTS workshops 27/10/27, To Experimental Section for repair 11/27. To 1 FTS 'C' Flight by 03/28, total flight time 06/03/28was 245 hours, Damaged 17/20/28 landing at Point Cook Vic (crew Plt Off A N Evans), Collided on the ground 24/10/28 when taxyed into S.E.5a A2-36 (crew Cdt R C Jordan), Repaired and in use again by 11/28. Forced landing at Point Cook 19/12/28 with a broken camshaft. Back in use 01/29, Forced landed 19/02/29 with a broken crankshaft at Point Cook (crew Flt Lt A Hepburn). Served with 1 FTS again by 03/29, forced landed at Point Cook 12/04/29. In use again by 1 FTS by 06/29, Recommended for overhaul 25/07/29. 05/08/29assessed as uneconomic for repair, and approved for conversion to components 09/08/29.
A1-17	F2779	To RAF 2 Aircraft Acceptance Park Hendon 12/04/19, To 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow 03/12/19 for packing, apparently shipped 09/01/20. To CFS AAC, first flown 24/05/20 as F2779 (Capt A T Cole), Set Australian altitude record of 27,000’ on 17/06/20 (Capt A T Cole and Capt H De La Rue); From CFS A Flt to ARS 17/10/20; To 1FTS AAF 31/03/21, became A1-17. Served with 1 FTS 'E' Flight from 01/07/22to 1923, then to board of survey 1 AD 06/03/24. Served again with 1 FTS by 01/25, then to Matthews & Hassell for reconditioning. Possibly to 1 Sqn 1926, Recommended for further reconditioning 19/09/27 and completed by Pratt Bros 03/28 to 06/28. Served with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight by 02/29, Damaged 03/05/29 landing at Laverton Vic; Damaged 05/06/29 at Keilor Vic after the engine seized on the way to Sydney.. Forced landed 07/06/29 at Laverton; In service 1 FTS, forced landed 31/10/29 at Point Cook when the camshaft drive broke. In use with 1 FTS until 01/30, Approved for write-off 04/02/30. This aircraft was the longest serving Imperial Gift aircraft.
A1-18	H3459	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1925. Believed reconditioned at Experimental Section, To 1 FTS by 06/25. Crashed 09/12/26 at Cootamundra NSW (crew Flg Off T W Shortridge). To Experimental Section for repairs 13/12/26. Board of Survey 17/08/27, and approved for conversion to components 29/11/27.
A1-19	H3460	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1924. Served with 1 FTS from 05/24, Reconditioned by Matthews & Hassell possibly in 1925. To 1 FTS by 02/26, when destroyed in Bessoneau hangar 12/03/26 at Point Cook by D.H.9 A6-11 which crashed on takeoff. Total flight time 88 hours. Approved for conversion to components 31/03/26.
A1-20	H3461	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow, arrived 05/12/19, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1927, reconditioned by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co Ltd, Balmain, NSW05/04/27. Served with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight, engine change 16/10/27. To Adelaide for opening of new aerodrome at Parafield 26/11/27. To 1 FTS 03/28 total flight time 14/03/28 was 39 hours. To 1 Sqn, 20/08/28 to Brisbanefor the opening of the Queensland Aero Club and participation in Aerial Services Air Race. Under repair 11/28, then served with 1 FTS from 12/28 to 04/29; 17/04/29 departed for Kookaburra search in northern Australia (crew Sgt E Douglas and LAC W J Smith), Engine fire on startup at Wave Hill NT 07/05/29, Uneconomic to recover and repair, so destroyed, total flight time 323 hours. Formerly struck off charge 15/05/29. The Liberty engine used by this aircraft is on display at the Darwin Aviation Museum.
A1-21	H3462	Date of manufacture 08/02/19. Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 09/09/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Reconditioned by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co Ltd, Balmain, NSW05/01/27. Served with 1 FTS, engine change 05/01/27. Crashed 11/03/27, repaired, To 1 FTS workshops 09/04/27 due to rough running engine. Recommended for reconditioning 19/07/27, Unserviceable at 1 AD 09/03/28 and total flight time was 49 hours. Served with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight by 04/29, Then to 1 FTS from 05/29 to 02/30. Approved for write-off 04/02/30.
A1-22	H3463	Date of manufacture 08/02/19. Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 09/09/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1925, Reconditioned by Matthews & Hassell 19/11/25. Forced landed 27/07/26 at Albert Park Melbourne; Crashed 04/12/26, Recommended for reconditioning 19/07/27. Unserviceable at 1 AD 09/03/28 when total flight time was 55 hours, Technical examination 29/11/28. Served with 1 Sqn 'C' flight by 03/29 then with 1 FTS 17/05/29 to 01/30. Approved for write-off 04/02/30.
A1-23	H3464	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Long term storage until 1924, To 1 FTS, forced landed near Marulan NSW enroute to Sydney 06/08/24(crew Flg Off E Wilson and AC1 Hammond) with engine failure, badly damaged To Board of Survey 11/08/24 at Experimental Section Randwick. Approved for conversion to components 09/10/24.
A1-24	H3465	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 09/09/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1927. To Experimental Section 06/05/27for reconditioning. Served with 3 Sqn 'C' flight from 27/07/27; Then to 1 FTS 'C' Flight from 24/08/27, total flight time on 14/03/28 was 171 hours. Damaged 10/11/28 in forced landing at Point Cook (crew LAC C H Scott), Under repair 11/28. Served with 1 FTS from 01/29 to 08/02/29. Approved for conversion to components 14/02/29.
A1-25	H3502	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian imperial Gift. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1926. Served with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight from 18/02/26; Overhauled by Experimental Section 02/03/26. Served with 3 Sqn 'C' Flight 09/03/26, engine change 20/04/27, total flight time on 15/02/28was 162 hours. Ditched 01/08/28 into Sydney Harbour (crew Flg Off S deB Griffith and Mr E B Cremer), total flight time 207 hours. Salvaged, and approved for conversion to components 05/09/28.
A1-26	E8590	Date of manufacture 09/11/18. To RAF 2 Aircraft Acceptance Park Hendon 12/04/19, To 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow 03/12/19 for packing, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Received 16/06/20, Exhibited by AWM in Exhibition Building, Nicholson St, Melbourne over 19/06/20 to 03/07/20. In use CFS AAC 1920/21 as E8590; To 1FTS AAF 31/03/21, to 1 AD for storage 01/08/21, and became A1-26. Served with 1 FTS 'E' Flight from 01/07/22, Crashed 10/12/24 at Flemington Racecourse (crew Flt Lt A Hempel), To Board of Survey at 1 AD 21/04/25. Reconditioned by 1 FTS workshops 22/02/26. On 09/03/28noted as unserviceable at 1 AD due to a crash, total flight time was 251 hours. To 1 Sqn 'C' Flight by 05/29, Crashed at Laverton Vic when hit an electricity pole and was destroyed. Approved for conversion to components 10/05/29.
A1-27	E8597	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Received 01/05/20, long term storage at 1 AD until 1926, Reconditioned by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co Ltd, Balmain, NSW 07/10/26. Served with 3 Sqn 'C' Flight, Crashed 10/27 landing at Warwick Qld. To Mort’s Dock 11/27 for reconditioning, To 1 FTS 'C' Flight by 03/28, total flight time by 06/03/28 was 199 hours. Completed flight time by 08/02/29, and approved for conversion to components 14/02/29.
A1-28	E9692	To RAF 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow 03/12/19 for packing, apparently shipped 09/01/20. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1925, Reconditioned by RAAF Experimental Section, Randwick, NSW 25/03/26. Served with 3 Sqn 'C' Flight, Crashed 30/07/26, total flight time was 7 hours. Overhauled by 3 Sqn 01/03/27. Total flight time by 15/02/28 was 111 hours, and rigged as a single seater to win the 1928 NSW Aerial Derby at Mascot NSW 03/28 as number “22” under the command of Flg Off N Mulroney. Under repair at 3 Sqn 10/28, to Point Cook 23/10/28. Served with 1 Sqn 'C' Flight, 17/04/29 departed for Kookaburra search in northern Australia (crew Flg Off M B Allen and Cpl G W Allen), Unserviceable at Tennant Creek NT 20/04/29 to 08/05/29 with engine problem. Uneconomic to recover, total flight time 282 hours. Struck off charge 15/05/29.
A1-29	E9694	Allocated by RAF to 5 Aircraft Repair Depot at Henlow by 01/20 for Australian Imperial Gift. Long term storage at 1 AD until 1924. Served with 1 FTS, acceptance test 05/05/24. Crashed 08/24 at Woodford-Leigh, near Grafton NSW; Board of Survey 11/08/24 at Experimental Section and approved for conversion to components 09/10/24.
A1-30	n.k.	This aircraft was not gifted to Australia, it was purchased to replace E8616, by the approval of the Air Council on 14/06/21, at an estimated cost of 2953 pounds. This aircraft was reconditioned by de Havilland at Stag Lane (aircraft c/n 42) and was delivered in mid 1923. Served with 1 FTS from 07/23, crashed at Point Cook 16/08/26. (crew Cdt K M Frewen), To 1 AD 19/08/26 for storage. Approved for conversion to components 12/07/27.
Not Allocated	E8616	Note that one Imperial Gift D.H.9a was E8616. Aircraft was packed in UK 03/12/19 and apparently shipped on 09/01/20. In service with CFS AAC in 1920, when it crashed in Bass Strait on 23/09/20 (crew Capt W J Stutt and Sgt A G Dalzell killed). Struck off charge 31/12/20 before the RAAF ‘A series’ started in 08/21.