The Australian Women's Register

25 min 16mm/b&w and colour (Kodachrome)/silent 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 transferred her flying activities there 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 propellers, refuelling aircraft. Taking off and landing. A silver RAAF Wirraway arrives at the airfield. Wirraway takes off and flies over airfield. A medium shot of 2 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 airfield. 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]