One of the many unusual items on display in the Dinkum Anzacs exhibition, staged by the Magnetic Island History and Craft Centre , is this example of trench art , which is a now damaged model of the French Farman FM ll Shorthorn , used as a reconnaissance plane and as a light bomber, its propeller rear mounted . It is said to have been the first armed aircraft to engage in aerial combat in WWl. Another claim to fame is that the Shorthorn was the aircraft in which Captain W. E. Johns' fictional character , Biggles, first took to the sky in Biggles Learns To Fly .
 |
Flimsy Shorthorn with multiple wheels and twin tail.
|
The trench art plane has French coins for wheels and a bullet shell for the floating fuselage, made by Claud Melen , who at the age of 19 joined the AIF, fought at Gallipoli, was wounded in action in France and suffered from shellshock. He married in England , remarried again at 80, and died on Magnetic Island in 1981 .
At some stage in his life he worked for prominent airline and transport identity Reg Ansett, whom he held in high regard because he gave him work when jobs were hard to get. It is not known in what capacity he worked for Ansett , although it is known he had lots of panelbeating tools. (Nobody dare mention the unkind comment, Chanceit with Ansett ). His medals were proudly worn by a young granddaughter on Anzac Day and were eventually passed on to a male member of the family, along with his bayonet.
NEXT: Other gems from the exhibition including a superb postcard collection .
 |
Side view of Claud's model showing part of the tail structure missing and struts bent .
|
