[Miss Gwen Stark's flying days Camden Aerodrome 1937-1938]

Accession Number F04786
Collection type Film
Measurement 25 min
Object type Home movie
Physical description 16mm/b&w and colour (Kodachrome)/silent
Maker Stark, Amy Gwendoline
Place made Australia: New South Wales, Camden
Date made 1937-1938
Access Open
Conflict Period 1930-1939
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Description

Camden, NSW circa late 1930s. Shows activities mainly at the Macquarie Grove Aerodrome which was established by Edward Macarthur-Onslow on his property. He started a flying and gliding school there in 1937 on the land that is now Camden Airport. In the late 1930s Miss Gwen Stark (married name Caldwell) transferred her flying activities there and and photographed these scenes. Scenes include: 'Doc' Heydon and his Slingsby Gull sailplane in flight. Other aircraft shown are an Aviar, a DH60, a Comper Swift and a Genairco. Various members of the flying fraternity swinging propellors, refuelling aircraft. taking off and landing. A silver RAAF Wirraway arrives at the airfield. Wirraway takes off and flys over airfield. a medium shot of two seater monoplane and crew - 'Gordon Elliot Bowral' is stencilled below the second cockpit. Brief scene of the Minister for Aviation Mr Fairbairn speaking on a podium infront of the hangars at the airfiled. A wrecked Douglas DC-2 engines and wings missing. Men working around DC-2 digging and stacking sandbags to prop up the aircraft. [Colour section] Medium shot of fuel pump and aviators. Close up of Miss Gwen Stark adjusting flying helmet. Medium shot of Miss Stark climbing into biplane. [Adapted from information supplied by Mr Gordon Lasslett to donor]

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