Aviation history Darwin, Northern Territory

darwin aviation heritage centre – 1st ultralight – hover bird

darwin has played host many of aviation s pioneers. on 10 december 1919 captain ross smith , crew landed in darwin , won £10,000 prize australian government completing first flight london australia in under thirty days. smith , crew flew vickers vimy, g-eaou , landed on airstrip has become ross smith avenue.

other aviation pioneers include amy johnson, amelia earhart, sir charles kingsford smith , bert hinkler. original qantas empire airways ltd hangar, registered heritage site, part of original darwin civil aerodrome in parap , museum , still bears scars bombing of darwin during world war ii.

darwin home australian , pilots during war, air strips being built in , around darwin. today darwin provides staging ground military exercises.

darwin compulsory stop over/check point in london melbourne centenary air race in 1934. official name of race macrobertson air race. winners of great race tom campbell black , c. w. a. scott.

the following excerpt time magazine, 29 october 1934, volume xxiv, number 18.

third day. biggest sensation of race came before dawn on third day, when burly lieutenant scott , dapper captain black flew scarlet comet darwin. had covered last 300 miles on water on 1 motor, risked death landing on field made soggy first rain in 7 months. said sandy-haired lieutenant scott: ve had devil of trip. had flown 9000 miles in 2 days, had broken england australia record of 162 hr. in unbelievable time of 52hr. 33 min., 2000 miles goal @ melbourne.

the australian aviation heritage centre located approximately 8 km (5 mi) city centre on stuart highway , 1 of 2 places outside united states b52 bomber (on permanent loan united states air force) on public display.