Description
Australia 1941 Darwin – Brisbane First flight cover. (Eustis 919).
Under agreement with the Department of Civil Aviation, QEA inaugurated a service between Brisbane and Darwin, departing Brisbane on Thursdays and Darwin on Saturdays with an overnight stop at Cloncurry in each direction.
On Thursday 3 July 1941 the QEA Lockheed 10A VH-AEC The Inlander departed Archerfield, Brisbane at 1100 on its first service to Darwin under the command of Captain S K Howards with C H C Swaffield as First Officer.
On 5 July on the return flight again with Captain Howard and First Officer Swaffield, VH-AEC met with engine trouble near Cloncurry. Because of this no aircraft from Darwin arrived at Archerfield on 6 July. Spares for the Lockheed were flown from Brisbane on 5 July and a DH86 airliner picked up the six stranded passengers and mail.
Cover addressed to son of Hudson Fysh (Managing Director of Qantas) with special Inaugural flight label. (With letter).
