Miscellaneous

Lot 863    Session 4 (4.30pm Tuesday 22 November)    Miscellaneous

Estimate $500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,800

AVIATION TROPHIES, Aero club of NSW, made in silver and brass, wooden bases, winning 50 and 75 mile race, highest aggregate competition score, path finding, treasure hunt, inter club handicap and bombing competition, all named to, F.McKeahnie; S.Smith & sons, Cricklewood works, London, 1933, wind key on back of clock face, clock face on hinge out of protector, four screw holes for mounting to plane cluster; Aviators cap and goggles, circa 1925-1940, cap and googles made in leather, goggles with tinted glass and elastic with sliding clip for adjustment when worn, cap with chin strap, radio input tubes in ear covers with leather case, radio input pipe; Propeller, 1929, made of wood, metal leading edge caps on blades held in by screws and clout nails, propeller from the de Havilland DH.60 (Gipsy) Moth, belonging to F.McKeahnie, made by General Aircraft Company Ltd, Works Mascot, Sydney, 5.30kg (194cm x 27cm); Flag, 1930, made of linen, made by Stonewall, flag belonging to F.McKeahnie plane; Yoke, made in steel, black plastic handle, all mounting points intact; Plane guiding paddles, made in wood, painted orange, stickers on one side The Royal Aero Club of NSW. Very fine. (16)

Frank McKeahnie was the son of a prominent, pioneering pastoralist from 'Aberfoyle' at Yarra near Goulburn, NSW. After leaving school he was apprenticed to the engineering trade at Goulburn. On 1 June 1906 his wife Ivy, aged 25, died of typhoid. Then, in 1925, he purchased, Sydney Machine Co, based at Botany Road, Waterloo, not far from Mascot Aerodrome, as it was called at that time. Frank was a qualified pilot with the NSW Section of the Australian Aero Club and it was reported in 1930 that his father, George, had a nice surprise when Frank flying on his way to Canberra landed in a paddock at Yarra to visit him. Frank knew the surrounding area well as he grew up and camped on the Canberra Plains on many occasions when droving cattle, little knowing that one day the Federal capital would be built on that site.

On another occasion in June 1931, while flying over Yarra, Frank dropped a letter by parachute to a local resident to advise him that his father, George McKeahnie, was undergoing medical treatment in Sydney. Scrawled across the envelope were the words, 'Gee, it's cold up here--a cup of coffee would go good.' This was the first letter delivered to Yarra by medium of an aeroplane and the local resident stated that he was going to preserve the envelope, letter and silk parachute as a souvenir.

In Jan 1932 Frank McKeahnie was elected as a member of the committee of the Australian Aero Club (NSW). In the same year he presented an Essex truck, used for towing aeroplanes about the 'drome, to the Aero Club (NSW). He also was president of the air tourney committee for the Lady of the Air Tourney held at Hargrave Park and in that capacity he presented the trophy to the winner, Miss Valmal Jenkins. Hargrave Park at Liverpool, NSW was an area of about 70 acres acquired by the Royal Aero Club and they created an airfield there which opened in 1930. It was closed in about 1945.

In November 1934 Frank McKeahnie once again was the Aero Club's representative when three aircraft, three pilots and an instructor were sent from Sydney to Bombala to assist in celebrations to greet the King's son, HRH Prince Henry, when he visited the area. In 1935 he was elected Vice-Chairman of the Aero Club.

Vendor advises that Frank McKeahnie piloted one of the planes that flew over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on its official opening day but this has not been confirmed.

See also lots 866, 870 and 891.

Please note: No mail out for this lot, collection only from the Sydney Office.