Historic remnants of Douglas Mawson’s mono-plane uncovered in Antarctica
While looking for suitable shore-side landing spots for guests travelling onboard the visiting expedition ship Orion, Mawson's Huts Foundation team member Mark Farrell has uncovered remnant metal piping from Douglas Mawson’s single-propeller mono-plane, taken with Mawson almost a century ago on his 1911 Antarctic expedition.Built just eight years after the Wright brothers' first flight, this aircraft was the first produced by the Vickers factory in Britain, and the first taken to either polar region.
The plane was last seen in the mid-1970s when Antarctic researchers photographed the ice-encrusted fuselage. Unusually low tides, in combination with unprecedented melting of ice had exposed the rusty remnants, found on New Year’s Day 2010.
It is understood that remains of the larger segments of the plane, which have been immersed in sea water possibly as long as 30 years, are still visible and clearly identifiable from archival photos as part of the aircraft.
Taking advantage of excellent weather, Orion’s guests were ashore at Cape Denison at 1600 to take a rare look inside the historic Mawson’s Huts and surrounding environs, including seeing the tail plane/rudder of Mawson’s plane, left in the hut by Mawson when he departed in 1913.
Further information on all Orion Expedition Cruises to Antarctica, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, Asia, New Zealand, the Kimberley and Arnhem Land can be obtained by visiting the website www.orionexpeditions.com News about Orion Expeditions can also be found at Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine.
Photo by Frank Hurley
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