Northrop Delta VH-ADR

This Northrop D.1 Delta was owned by American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth for his fourth and last Antarctic expedition in 1938/39. The expedition left New York on 16 August 1938 on board the expedition’s ship Wyatt Earp. In Antartica the big Northrop (NR14267, c/n 42) was fitted with skis and operated alongside a smaller Aeronca (later VH-ACK) on floats.

When the Wyatt Earp docked in Australia at the end of the expedition, the Australian Government purchased the ship and the two aircraft on board. This photo shows the aircraft in storage at Sydney/Mascot on 22 February 1939.

In 1940 the Northrop was taken out of storage and allocated to the Department of Civil Aviation to assist in the task of calibration of radio navigation aids. It was added to the Civil Register as VH-ADR on 16 August 1940.

(Photo: Sydney Morning Herald/Geoff Goodall collection)

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Northrop D.1 Delta VH-ADR

This Northrop D.1 Delta was owned by American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth for his fourth and last Antarctic expedition in 1938/39. The expedition left New York on 16 August 1938 on board the expedition’s ship Wyatt Earp. In Antartica the big Northrop (NR14267, c/n 42) was fitted with skis and operated alongside a smaller Aeronca (later VH-ACK) on floats. When the Wyatt Earp docked in Australia at the end of the expedition, the Australian Government purchased the ship and the two aircraft on board. This photo shows the aircraft in storage at Sydney/Mascot on 22 February 1939. In 1940 the Northrop was taken out of storage and allocated to the Department of Civil Aviation to assist in the task of calibration of radio navigation aids. It was added to the Civil Register as VH-ADR on 16 August 1940. (Photo: Sydney Morning Herald/Geoff Goodall collection) Back to Departmental Aircraft index page