ADF Aircraft Serial Numbers
RAAF A34 De Havilland DH-84 Dragon
| Aircraft Serial | Const No. | Aircraft History |
| A34-1 | 6081 | Registered VH-URX 11/09/34 to 08/01/40. Impressed into RAAF Service 08/01/40. Ditched 140642 Dongarru. |
| A34-2 | 6088 | Registered VH-URU 09/11/34 to 08/01/40. Impressed into RAAF Service 08/01/40. Written off 11/11/40 Cootamundra NSW. |
| A34-3 | 6097 | Ex G-ADDJ. Registered VH-UZZ 21/06/37 to 11/01/40. Impressed into RAAF Service 11/01/40. Sold 29/06/45 to Airlines Ltd. |
| A34-4 | 6062 | Registered VH-ABK 27/10/38 to 04/07/40. Impressed into RAAF Service 04/07/40. Registered VH-ABK 21/05/43 to 31/08/43. Returned to RAAF as A34-4. |
| A34-5 | 6112 | Registered VH-AAO 15/02/40 to 20/07/40. Impressed into RAAF Service 15/07/40. Sold 28/01/43. Registered VH-AAO 30/07/43 to 03/05/48. Damaged beyond repair in storm 23/12/47 at Coonamble NSW. |
| A34-6 | 6082 | Registered VH-URY 11/09/34 to 22/07/40. Impressed into RAAF Service 22/07/40. Sold 24/05/43. Registered VH-URY 14/06/43 to 22/10/53. Crashed 22/10/53 at Cheviot Hills QLD. |
| A34-7 | 6037 | Previously VH-URD. Impressed into RAAF Service 31/08/40. At 1AD 02/09/40. Engine 82200 installed 12/12/40. To 1AOS 14/12/40. To 2AOS 26/04/41. Damaged in forced landing, Casterton 14/10/41 VIC. To ANA Camden for modification 23/03/42 to an air ambulance. To 2AD 19/04/42. To 33 Sqn 06/06/42. Aircraft being repaired from 04/12/42. To 3AD 07/08/43. To 1WAGS, intended for conversion to componants 18/08/43. Being converted 23/03/44. Still held by 1WAGS 13/09/44. Sold 05/10/44 and became VH-URD. As VH-URD to Qantas Oct 1950, Crashed, 24-04-51 Menyama TP&NG. |
| A34-8 | 6065 | Ex VT-AES. Registered VH-UZF 19/07/40 to 16/08/40. Impressed into RAAF Service 16/08/40. Written off 08/06/42. |
| A34-9 | 6045 | Impressed into RAAF Service 15/05/41, was VH-URF. Written off 03/03/42 Wyndham. |
| A34-10 | 6025 | Impressed into RAAF Service 17/04/41, was VH-AAC. Sold and became VH-AAC. |
| A34-11 | 6104 | Registered VH-UTX 17/04/36 to 09/04/41. Impressed into RAAF Service 09/04/41. Written off 15/02/43 Oodnadatta. |
| A34-12 | 6102 2001 | Serial allocated but not taken into service, was for VH-UVB c/n 6102 which was written off 09/12/43 at Berry Strip. Allocated to c/n 2001, First Australian built example. |
| A34-13 | 2002 | After being flown for test and performance purposes it was delivered 12/10/42 and on 02/43 to No. 6 Communications Flight ("Fenton's Flying Freighters") at Batchelor, NT. from where it flew about 700 hours. At about the end of the war it was overhauled by de Havilland at Mascot then was in storage at Evans Head when it was asked for to be the first aircraft for the Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service, being set up in Darwin by Jack Slade, who had operated it in 6 Comm. flt., for the Commonwealth Department of Health. Sold 24/05/46. It was converted to aerial ambulance configuration by de Havilland at Sydney in June - August 1946 and registered VH-ASK. It continued with NTAMS until replaced by a Drover on 4-1-1954. When sold by Dept of Health became VH-SNB. Mid-1950's flown in NSW in commercial category by owner/pilot Perry, then purchased by Rev. Les Nixon of Outback Patrol in July 1961 (in private category in passenger configuration) at Bankstown, and flown around 3000 hours in 14 years for mission work, inc. seven 3-month circumnavigations of the continent via Longreach, Mt. Isa, Darwin, Derby, Carnarvon, Perth, Albany, Esperance, Eucla, Ceduna, Adelaide, Moorabin and Bankstown. Several Bass Straight crossings to Tasmania and back. Sold from Camden to Baron William Roberts April 1974 for the Strathalan/Perth/Auchterauder Collection, UK, then acquired by the Museum of Flight, East Fortune, Scotland, on 14/07/81, and presently identified as VH-SNB, and occupies a place of renown in SNB livery located next to a Concorde. |
| A34-14 | 2003 | Delivered 12/10/42. Written off 17/01/43 Popendetta TP&NG. |
| A34-15 | 2004 | Delivered 25/10/42. Written off 19/06/43 Terapo. Struck off 30/05/44. |
| A34-16 | 2005 | Delivered 28/10/42. Struck off 14/06/44. |
| A34-17 | 2006 | Delivered 05/11/42. Struck off 24/01/46. Became VH-AOS. |
| A34-18 | 2007 | Delivered 10/10/42. Written off 01/11/43 Katherine Strip. |
| A34-19 | 2008 | Delivered 11/11/42. Written off 17/09/43 Toogoolawah. |
| A34-20 | 2009 | Delivered 16/11/42. Written off 25/08/43 Marami Station. Struck off 14/09/43. |
| A34-21 | 2010 | Delivered 16/11/42. Sold 24/01/46 and became VH-AOP. |
| A34-22 | 2011 | Delivered 22/11/42. Sold 24/01/46 and became VH-AOQ. |
| A34-23 | 2012 | Delivered 22/11/42. Written off 21/03/46 Darwin. Sold 29/05/46. |
| A34-24 | 2013 | Delivered 25/11/42. To 2AD 25/11/42. To 5CF 18/12/42. Crashed 07/03/43, Freshwater Gorge QLD. To 12RSU 02/04/43. Approved for conversion to componants 04/06/43. |
| A34-25 | 2014 | Delivered 26/11/42. To 2AD 26/11/42. Completed at 2AD 03/12/42. To 3CF 04/01/43. To 12RSU 15/01/43. To 3CF 17/01/43. To 13 RSU 20/02/43. To 3CF 05/04/43. To 12 RSU 09/04/43. To 3CF 11/04/43. To 5CF 06/06/43. Aircraft posted as missing transporting radar equipment from Garbutt. Crashed 06/12/43 Croydon QLD. The wreckage was located 15 miles south of Croydon later on the 06/12/43. A34-25 was purchased by Dept of health in 1946 as spares for A34-13 and A34-31. It was not registered. |
| A34-26 | 2015 | Delivered 03/12/42. Written off 16/01/44 Merets Island. |
| A34-27 | 2016 | Delivered 30/11/42. Written off 02/12/44 Darwin NT. Struck off 19/03/45. To Civil Aviation. |
| A34-28 | 2017 | Delivered 02/12/42. Sold 29/09/45 and became VH-AGI. |
| A34-29 | 2018 | Delivered 06/12/42. To 2AP 06/12/42. To 33 Sqn 09/01/43. To 15ARD 21/06/43. To 33 Sqn 27/06/43. Damaged in landing accident 12/09/43 at Terapo, repair was beyond capacity of unit. To 15ARD 21/09/43, considered repairable. Approved for conversion to componants 12/01/45. Completed 21/01/45. |
| A34-30 | 2019 | First flight 08/12/42. Delivered 14/12/42. Sold 27/05/46 and became VH-AON. On display at Air World, Wangaratta and currently registered as VH-AON. |
| A34-31 | 2020 | Delivered 14/12/42. Sold 14/06/46 and became VH-ASL. A34-31 was brought down from Darwin 14-8-1946 and, like A34-13, converted by DH. It was registered VH-ASL, returning to Darwin for the NTAMS on 5-9-1946. It operated from Darwin until transferred to Alice Springs from 1-1-1952 where it operated until replaced by Drover in January 1953, returning to Darwin until retired from NTAMS 27-7-1955. On 19-11-56 it was reregistered VH-SJW. |
| A34-32 | 2021 | Delivered 14/12/42. Written off 17/01/44 Bulldog Strip. Struck off 14/02/44. |
| A34-33 | 2022 | Delivered 16/12/42. Sold 22/02/44 and became VH-ALL. |
| A34-34 | 2023 | Delivered 17/12/42. Sold 10/10/45 and became VH-AMB. |
| A34-35 | 2024 | Delivered 17/12/42. Sold 08/10/45 and became VH-AFK. |
| A34-36 | 2025 | Delivered 22/12/42. Written off 13/05/44 Higgins. |
| A34-37 | 2026 | Delivered 26/12/42. Written off 14/10/43 Lime Burner. |
| A34-38 | 2027 | Delivered 27/12/42. Sold 15/03/46 and became VH-BAF. As VH-BAF to Qantas. Crashed, 14-7-1947 Zenang TP&NG. |
| A34-39 | 2028 | Delivered 04/01/43. Sold 12/02/46 and became VH-ARI. |
| A34-40 | 2029 | Delivered 03/01/43. Written off 16/06/43 Milne Bay. |
| A34-41 | 2030 | Delivered 10/01/43. Written off 03/07/43 Mile Strip PNG. Struck off 04/08/44. |
| A34-42 | 2031 | Delivered 01/01/43. Sold 26/02/44 and became VH-AYM. |
| A34-43 | 2032 | Delivered 10/01/43. Written off 12/07/43 Terapo. Struck off 04/08/44. |
| A34-44 | 2033 | Delivered 15/01/43. Written off 26/07/43 Berry Strip. |
| A34-45 | 2034 | Delivered 17/01/43. Written off 01/04/43 Tennant Creek NT. |
| A34-46 | 2035 | Delivered 17/01/43. Written off 27/07/43 wedau. |
| A34-47 | 2036 | Delivered 19/01/43. Crashed 17/04/43, Disappeared whilst on a flight from Mascot to Melbourne. It is believed that the aircraft crashed in the Burragorang Valley, NSW, and could possibly be submerged under the waters of Warragamba Dam. Crew & Passengers; SGT Douglas Brian Doyle 412236 (Pilot), FLGOFF Geoffrey Hugh Lester 409154, SGT Francis Joseph Doyle 420615, LT Umstead (USMC), LT Teague (USMC). |
| A34-48 | 2037 | Delivered 22/01/43. To 2AP 22/01/43. To 34 Sqn 25/01/43. Landing Accident 26/01/43, causing damage to wing tip. Written off in an accident 11/03/43 Parafield SA after aircraft appeared to stall. Killed were P/O Milton Hubert Conkey (413741) and Leading Aircraftman Bernard James Hovey (54621). |
| A34-49 | 2038 | Delivered 29/01/43. Written off 02/03/43 Toowoomba QLD. |
| A34-50 | 2039 | Delivered 29/01/43. Sold 27/05/46 and became VH-ASN. |
| A34-51 | 2040 | Delivered 29/01/43. Written off 31/05/43 Goulbourn Island. |
| A34-52 | 2041 | Delivered 04/02/43. Written off 03/09/44 Mindil Beach Darwin NT. |
| A34-53 | 2042 | Delivered 04/02/43. Sold 24/01/46 and became VH-AOR. |
| A34-54 | 2043 | Delivered 04/02/43. Sold 12/02/43 and scrapped for spares. |
| A34-55 | 2044 | Delivered 07/02/43. Coded BK-d. Sold 26/02/46 and became VH-BJH. |
| A34-56 | 2045 | Delivered 11/02/43. Sold 27/05/46 and became VH-ASO. |
| A34-57 | 2046 | Delivered 11/02/43. Sold 24/09/45 and became VH-AGJ. |
| A34-58 | 2047 | Delivered 02/03/43. Written off 20/03/44 Toowoomba QLD. |
| A34-59 | 2048 | Delivered 03/03/43. Coded XJ-A. Sold 13/12/45 and became VH-AQU. |
| A34-60 | 2049 | Delivered 05/03/43. Sold 20/12/45 and became VH-GAU and later VH-BMX. |
| A34-61 | 2050 | Delivered 09/03/43. Sold 24/01/46 and became VH-AOT. |
| A34-62 | 2051 | Delivered 21/03/43. Sold 15/02/46 and became VH-APL. |
| A34-63 | 2052 | Delivered 15/03/43. Written off Bathurst Island. |
| A34-64 | 2053 | Delivered 16/03/43. Sold 14/02/46 and became VH-AYZ. |
| A34-65 | 2054 | Delivered 19/04/43. Written off 05/01/45 Mount Druit NSW. |
| A34-66 | 2055 | Delivered 28/03/43. Sold 24/05/46 and became VH-BAH. |
| A34-67 | 2056 | Delivered 28/03/43. Sold 23/11/45 and became VH-AOK. |
| A34-68 | 2057 | Delivered to the RAAF in 1943, for No.1 Wireless Air Gunners School, Ballarat, Victoria. Sold in 1945 to Butler Air Transport as VH-AEF. To Qantas in 1948 for use in New Guinea. Chartered to TAA and used in New South Wales. To Fawcett Aviation. Exported to New Zealand in 1953 and joined the New Zealand Civil Aircraft Register as ZK-AXI. Used by Rolvin Airways based at Palmerston North. To Nelson Aero Club in 1954 where it flew on charters and ambulance work until being grounded in 1963 when it’s C of A required renewal. Purchased by Arthur Bradshaw in “as is where is” condition in 1964. Flew again on 01 June 1965 painted red with a white dragon on the nose and named “Puff”. Used on aerial mapping for over 500 hours flight time before being sold to Auckland Flying School on 05 April 1967. Crashed at Ardmore after suffering engine failure on takeoff with a load of parachutists on 23 April 1967. The remains gathered dust in an Ardmore hangar for some years before being sold to MOTAT. Stan Smith gained possession of the aircraft in 1982 after a swap with MOTAT and transported the remains to his workshop at Dairy Flat Airfield. On 23 April 1997, thirty years to the day after it’s accident the aircraft flew again. These days it is painted blue and bears the name “Taniwha”, a Maori word for a dragon type creature. |
| A34-69 | 2058 | Delivered 08/04/43. Sold 13/12/45 and became VH-AOE. |
| A34-70 | 2059 | Delivered 08/04/43. Sold 25/10/45 and became VH-AMN. |
| A34-71 | 2060 | Delivered 08/04/43. Written off 21/07/44 Daylesford VIC. |
| A34-72 | 2061 | Delivered 08/04/43. Sold 15/02/46 and became VH-AKX. |
| A34-73 | 2062 | Delivered 08/04/43. Written off 19/09/43 Maryborough. |
| A34-74 | 2063 | Delivered 08/04/43. Sold 21/02/46 and became VH-DBD. |
| A34-75 | 2064 | Delivered 13/04/43. Sold 12/02/46 and becmae VH-APJ. |
| A34-76 | 2065 | Delivered 15/04/43. Sold 21/02/46 and became VH-AYB. |
| A34-77 | 2066 | Delivered 15/04/43. Sold 07/11/45 and became VH-AOM. |
| A34-78 | 2067 | Delivered 20/04/43. Sold 15/10/45 and became VH-AMO. |
| A34-79 | 2068 | Delivered 20/04/43. Sold 15/10/45 and becmae VH-AQW. |
| A34-80 | 2069 | Delivered 22/04/43. Written off 21/09/43 Wentlock Strip. |
| A34-81 | 2070 | Delivered 26/04/43. Written off 22/12/43 Vivigani. |
| A34-82 | 2071 | Delivered 28/04/43. Sold 14/06/43 and became VH-AXL. As VH-AXL to Qantas. Crashed 21-9-1951 Koranka TP&NG. |
| A34-83 | 2072 | Delivered 28/04/43. Sold 09/04/43 and became VH-APP. |
| A34-84 | 2073 | Delivered 01/05/43. Sold 08/10/45 and became VH-AHY. |
| A34-85 | 2074 | Delivered 07/05/43. Sold 21/02/46 and became VH-UVU. |
| A34-86 | 2075 | Delivered 17/05/43. Sold 22/02/46 and scrapped for spares. |
| A34-87 | 2076 | Delivered 17/05/43. Sold 21/02/46 and scrapped for spares. |
| A34-88 | 2077 | Delivered 13/05/43. Written off 23/12/43 Coffs Harbour. |
| A34-89 | 2078 | Delivered 20/05/43. Written off 03/02/45 Batchelor. |
| A34-90 | 2079 | Delivered 20/05/43. Sold 21/02/46 and became VH-ASU. |
| A34-91 | 2080 | Delivered 25/02/43. Sold 12/02/43 and became VH-ARJ. |
| A34-92 | 2081 | Delivered 30/05/43. Sold 15/02/46 and became VH-BDS. Flying as VH-AML in 1996. Located at Point for some maintenance in 05/2003. |
| A34-93 | 2082 | Delivered 30/05/43. Sold 25/09/45 and became VH-AGM. |
| A34-94 | 2083 | Delivered 10/06/43. Sold 15/02/46 and became VH-BDC. |
| A34-95 | 2084 | Delivered 11/06/43. Sold 20/12/45 and became VH-AOL. |
| A34-96 | 2085 | Delivered 20/06/43. Sold 01/11/45 and became VH-AFH. |
| A34-97 | 2086 | Delivered 24/06/43. Sold 03/09/45 and becmae VH-AIA. |
| A34-98 | 2087 | Delivered 23/06/43. Written off 27/09/44. |
The Author of this page is Darren Crick.
Source: Townsville at War Website, Australian Aviation Magazine, Flightpath Magazine, National Archives, Aviation Heritage, CASA Aicraft Records, RAAF Status Cards.
Emails: Dean Norman, Daniel Leahy, Tjalling Boelman, Warwick Henry, David Jones, Grahame Higgs, Gordon Birkett, Ivan Prince, Daniel Nixon, Les Nixon, Dick Hutchinson.
Main Photograph: Martin Edwards.

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