Relic of Antarctica's first plane found on ice-edge | FerrariChat

Relic of Antarctica's first plane found on ice-edge

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by DMC308, Jan 2, 2010.

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  1. toggie

    toggie F1 World Champ
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    #2 toggie, Jan 2, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Interesting article. I did a google search to learn some more about Sir Douglas Mawson and his Antarctica expedition.

    "Australian polar explorer and geologist Douglas Mawson led two expeditions to Antarctica in the early 1900s, on the first one bringing along a single-propeller Vickers plane.
    The wings of the plane, built in 1911, had been damaged in a crash before the expedition, but Mawson hoped to use it as a kind of motorized sled.
    Stewart said the 1911-14 Australian Antarctic Expedition used the plane to tow gear onto the ice in preparation for their sledging journeys.
    But the plane's engine could not withstand the extreme temperatures and it was eventually abandoned."

    First pic is one of the Vickers "air tractor" with its wings removed and skis mounted.
    The second pic is Sir Douglas Mawson and Flying Officer Campbell leaving their ship named Discovery (on a later expedition) in a Gipsy Moth plane to survey newly discovered Antarctic Lands.
    The third pic is the ship Discovery.
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  2. DMC308

    DMC308 F1 Rookie

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    I wonder if they will try to restore any of it?
     

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