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First Flight of an Australian Made AeroplanePrint Page Print this page

19-September-2013 (Graeme Saunders)
19-September-2013 (Graeme Saunders)

Photographs supplied by Kent Watson / Graeme Saunders / Ian Sheil

The monument commemorates the first flight of an aeroplane built and flown by an Australian in 1910. 

John Robertson Duigan, with the collaboration of his brother, Reginald C. Duigan of Spring Plains, built and flew the first Australian made aeroplane to achieve controlled flight in Australia.

In July 1910, John Duigan flew the aeroplane at James Cullen`s property `Spring Plains` at Mia Mia, taking off under its own power and flying 7 metres. Within two months, this had been extended to 90 metres, and soon thereafter to 180 metres at an altitude of 3.5 metres. By the end of the year, Duigan had made a flight of 1 kilometre at an altitude of 30 metres.

This is acknowledged as the first powered, controlled flight of an all Australian designed and built aeroplane and occurred less than seven years after the Wright Brothers` `Flyer` lifted off at Kittyhawk, North Carolina. In the five countries where powered flights were achieved, considerable technical resources were available making Duigan`s effort all the more remarkable because he accomplished the flight with little outside help other than several texts, the magazine Aero and the engineering skills of his younger brother Reginald Charles.

Location

Address:Mia Mia - Lancefield Road, Mia Mia, 3444
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -37.029121
Long: 144.602731
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Technology
Sub-Theme:Industry
Actual Event Start Date:16-July-1910
Actual Event End Date:16-July-1910
Designer:Terence Duigan

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Saturday 28th May, 1960
Front Inscription

This pylon commemorates the first flight of an aeroplane built and flown by an Australian about one mile east of this
spot on 16th July 1910.

John Robertson Duigan first flew the aeroplane which he and his brother Reginald built on their father`s property "Spring Plains".

Unveiled by Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams KBE CB DSO

28th May 1960

Source: MA,RUMV,VMR
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au