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The Junkers F 13 was the world's first all-metal transport aircraft, developed in Germany at the end of World War I. It was an advanced cantilever-wing monoplane, with enclosed accommodation for four passengers, and a two seat open-air cockpit. 322 planes of the type were manufactured, which was exceptionally large number for a commercial airliner of the era, and were operated all over the globe. It accounted for over a third of air traffic in the early 1920s. It was in production for thirteen years and in commercial service for more than thirty. There were many versions including floatplanes for water landing, skis, mailplane, and different engines. Several survived in various states of repair in museums, and a replica of the type was put back in production in the 2010s;taking flight once again nearly a century after it first flew. The F 13 was a very advanced aircraft when built, an aerodynamically clean all-metal low-wing cantilever (without external bracing) monoplane. Even later in the 1920s, it and other Junkers types were unusual as unbraced monoplanes in a biplane age, with only Fokker's designs of comparable modernity. It was the world's first all-metal passenger aircraft and Junkers' first commercial aircraft. The designation letter F stood for Flugzeug, aircraft; it was the first Junkers aeroplane to use this system. Earlier Junkers notation labelled it J 13. Russian-built aircraft used the designation Ju 13. Like all Junkers duralumin-structured designs, from the 1918 J 7 to the 1932 Ju 46, (some 35 models), it used an aluminium alloy (duralumin) structure entirely covered with Junkers' characteristic corrugated and stressed duralumin skin. Internally, the wing was built up on nine circular cross-section duralumin spars with transverse bracing. All control surfaces were horn balanced. Behind the single engine was a semi-enclosed cockpit for the crew, roofed but without side glazing. There was an enclosed and heated cabin for four passengers with windows and doors in the fuselage sides. Passenger seats were fitted with seat belts, unusual for the time. The F 13 used a fixed conventional split landing gear with a rear skid, though some variants landed on floats or on skis. The F 13 first flew on 25 June 1919, powered by a 127 kW (170 hp) Mercedes D IIIa inline upright water-cooled engine. The first production machines had a wing of greater span and area and had the more powerful 140 kW (185 hp) BMW IIIa upright inline water-cooled motor. For more details of the development and design, operational history, variants and replicas under construction, click here. Three examples came to this region. An F 13ke VH-UTS (c/n 2074 – ex SE-AEC) was operated by the Lutheran Mission from 27 February 1935, later going to the Rheinische Mission in Dutch New Guinea in September 1939. The second aircraft, an F 13L, VH-UKW (c/n 2044), was imported by Eyre Peninsula Airways Ltd, arriving in Melbourne, VIC on 19 June 1929 from Hamburg. It was used on passenger services for a period, including a service to Broken Hill, NSW, which commenced on 15 January 1930. It was then used by Goldfields Air Navigation Ltd of Kalgoorlie, WA. In December 1931 VH-UKW was obtained by Guinea Airways for passenger and mail services between the Goldfields and Port Moresby, PNG. At about this time the 287 kw (385 hp) Junkers L-5 engine was replaced by a 336 kw (450 hp) Bristol Jupiter engine for fleet standardisation. It continued in service in New Guinea but was not evacuated at the time of the Japanese attacks, being destroyed by enemy action in March 1942. The third aircraft, also an F 13L, VH-UPL (c/n 2075), was imported by Bishop & O’Sullivan Aircraft Service which operated as Sky Travel (Australia) Pty Ltd. It arrived on board the ‘SS Tancred’ on 28 October 1930 and was assembled at Essendon, VIC. It was the first aircraft in Australia equipped for night flying. It was test flown on 1 November 1930 by Captains W Roethe and T R Young at Point Cook, VIC and, named ‘Glorious Queensland’, was flown to Brisbane, QLD, arriving on 1 November 1930. VH-UPL was flown to Sydney, NSW, then back to Eagle Farm, QLD, and commenced a weekly passenger service from Brisbane to St George, QLD and twice weekly services to a number of other centres, at Goondiwindi, QLD using a salt pan for a landing strip. It also made joyflights to promote the service. However, services were suspended on 15 February 1931 due to lack of patronage and the aircraft was flown to Melbourne. Whilst flying in bad weather over the Bethungra Ranges on 28 August 1931 the magneto drive on the engine failed and a forced landing was made at Illabo, NSW, where repairs were effected. After arrival in Melbourne it was dismantled and shipped to South Africa, where it became ZS-ADR in June 1932 with Union Airways.

The Polikarpov Po-2 (also U-2, for its initial uchebnyy, 'training', role as a flight instruction aircraft) served as an all-weather multirole Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik (Russian: Кукурузник,[3][N 1] NATO reporting name "Mule"). The reliable, uncomplicated design of the Po-2 made it an ideal trainer aircraft, as well as doubling as a low-cost ground attack, aerial reconnaissance, psychological warfare and liaison aircraft during war, proving to be one of the most versatile light combat types to be built in the Soviet Union. As of 1978 it remained in production for a longer period of time than any other Soviet-era aircraft. Production figures for Polikarpov U-2 and Po-2 bombers and trainers combined are between 20,000 and 30,000 with production ending as early as 1952. Precise figures are hard to obtain since low-rate production by small repair shops and air clubs is believed to have continued until 1959. The aircraft was designed by Nikolai Polikarpov to replace the U-1 trainer (a copy of the British Avro 504), which was known as Avrushka to the Soviets. The prototype of the U-2, powered by a 74 kW (99 hp) Shvetsov M-11 air-cooled five-cylinder radial engine, first flew on 7 January 1928 piloted by M.M. Gromov. Aircraft from the preproduction series were tested at the end of 1928 and serial production started in 1929 in Factory number 23 in Leningrad. Its name was changed to Po-2 in 1944, after Polikarpov's death, according to the then-new Soviet naming system, usually using the first two letters of the designer's family name, or the Soviet government-established design bureau that created it. Production in the Soviet Union ended in 1953, but license-built CSS-13s were still produced in Poland until 1959. Only two examples made theeir way to Australia/New Zealand, both to New Zealand,one of which is shown in the photo above.This aircraft has been rebuilt from a wreck occurring in Russia. For operational history and a large number of variants, click here.

The Curtiss O-52 Owl was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II. They were used for anti-submarine searches in Americas and by lend-lease also used on the Eastern Front in Europe by the Soviets. Developed in 1939, the Curtiss O-52 was the last "heavy" observation aircraft developed for the US Army Air Corps. The concept of the two-seat observation aircraft, classed as the "O" series aircraft, dated to World War I, and in 1940, the Army Air Corps ordered 203 Curtiss O-52s for observation duties. Curtis designed it the Curtiss Model 85, and it was powered by a Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine. Upon delivery, the aircraft was used in military maneuvers with the USAAC, but following America's entry into World War II, the USAAF determined that the aircraft did not possess sufficient performance for "modern" combat operations in overseas areas. As a result, the O-52 was relegated to courier duties within the U.S. and short-range submarine patrol over the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. O-52 were used by the 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, which flew them out of Puerto Rico and Trinidad, to search for Nazi U Boats. The O-52 was the last "O" type aircraft procured in quantity for the Air Corps. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the "O" designation was discontinued and the "L" series for liaison-type aircraft was adopted instead. In November 1942, the USSR ordered 30 O-52 Owls through the Lend-Lease program. Twenty-six were shipped, with only 19 delivered as a number were lost on the North Arctic Route. Of these only ten were accepted into service. They were used operationally for artillery fire spotting and general photographic and observation platforms in north and central areas on the Russian Front during spring–summer 1943. One O-52 was shot down by Luftwaffe fighters. In the report on military tests, the Soviet pilots recognized that the American machine was superior to the outdated Polikarpov R-5, and Polikarpov R-Z spotters used at the front. The aircraft was generally disliked in Soviet use although some were still flying into the 1950s.

The Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II is a turboprop twin engine utility aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna. The F406 Caravan II is a twin turboprop engined, fourteen-seat low-wing monoplane of conventional aluminium and steel construction. It is a development of the Cessna 404 Titan with two Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engines. The aircraft first flew on 22 September 1983, and was produced by Reims Aviation until the company's 2013 demise. The F406 is aimed at passenger and small cargo transport, and civilian and military surveillance. For extra cargo capacity, a cargo pod can be fitted to the belly of the aircraft. Though the F406 is more expensive to operate than single-engine aircraft of the same passenger capacity such as the Cessna 208 Caravan, having two engines makes it comply with European regulations regarding commercial operations, which only allow multi-engine aircraft for commercial instrument flight. In March 2014, Reims Aviation was acquired by Chinese-owned Continental Motors Inc and renamed ASI Aviation, two remaining incomplete airframes were finished in France before a shift to Mobile, Alabama, with new avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, a new autopilot and an engine choice of current P&WC PT6A-135 or pistons : Continental GTSIO-520 and/or Continental CD-310 diesel. The Type Certificate transferred only had approval to produce spare parts and not the whole aircraft.