Uiver Collection facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Uiver Collection |
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![]() Univer airliner being pulled from the mud by volunteers at Albury Racecourse, 24 October 1934
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Location | 553 Kiewa Street, Albury, City of Albury, New South Wales, Australia |
Built | 1984–2016 |
Owner | Albury City Council |
Official name: The Uiver Collection; Uiver DC-2 Collection; The Uiver Memorial Collection - Albury Library and Museum | |
Type | state heritage (movable / collection) |
Designated | 28 August 2017 |
Reference no. | 1995 |
Type | Community Objects |
Category | Collections |
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The Uiver Collection is a special group of items kept at 553 Kiewa Street in Albury, New South Wales, Australia. It's like a treasure chest of history about an amazing airplane called the "Uiver". This collection was put together between 1984 and 2016. It's also known as the Uiver DC-2 Collection or the Uiver Memorial Collection. The Albury City Council owns it, and it was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on August 28, 2017, meaning it's a very important part of history.
Contents
The Great Air Race of 1934
In 1934, a huge airplane race called the MacRobertson International Air Race took place. It was a race from London, England, all the way to Melbourne, Australia! This race was organized to celebrate 100 years since the settlement of Victoria. A rich chocolate maker named Sir Macpherson Robertson sponsored the race. He wanted to show that airplanes could fly regularly between Europe and Australia.
The "Uiver" Takes Flight
More than 70 planes wanted to join, but only 20 actually started the race. They took off from a Royal Air Force base near London. One of the most interesting planes was a Douglas DC-2 called the "Uiver". It belonged to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. "Uiver" means "stork" in Dutch. This plane was the biggest in the race and was the only one carrying several passengers, plus its crew of four. KLM wanted to prove that their new, comfortable, all-metal plane could fly to Australia regularly.
The "Uiver" had Captain Koene Dirk Parmentier as the chief pilot and Jan Johannes Moll as the co-pilot. They knew the route well because they often flew to the Dutch East Indies. Three passengers were also on board.
Other Race Competitors
Many planes were in the race, but some were specially built for speed. The de Havilland DH.88 Comet planes were super fast. A famous flying couple, Jim and Amy Mollison, flew one called "Black Magic". Another red Comet, named "Grosvenor House", was flown by Charles Scott and Tom Campbell Black. These Comets were designed for speed, but they were noisy and uncomfortable.
The Race Unfolds
The race began on October 20, 1934. The "Uiver" was slower than the Comets, but it was much more comfortable. The Mollisons had to stop often and were very tired. The "Uiver" crew, however, seemed fresh and ready to go.
The race was tough! Many planes had problems or crashed. The Mollisons had to pull out in India because of a broken oil line. Other planes crashed or were damaged. Soon, the race became a close fight between the "Grosvenor House" Comet and the "Uiver".
The race covered 16 countries and three continents. Pilots flew day and night over mountains, jungles, and deserts. It was very dangerous. Lloyd's of London even said there was a 1 in 12 chance of a pilot being killed!
Near Darwin, the "Grosvenor House" Comet had engine trouble but kept going. The "Uiver" was right behind it. Even though the "Uiver" was very reliable, it had to stop in Darwin to replace one small part. The Comet reached Melbourne first, winning the speed section and the big prize money.
The Albury Rescue
On October 23, 1934, the "Uiver" was on its last leg to Melbourne. But a huge thunderstorm hit eastern Australia. The plane lost radio contact and drifted off course. People in Albury were listening to the race on their radios. They heard a plane circling low over their town.
A Town Comes Together
Clifton Mott, a newspaper editor, called race officials in Melbourne. They confirmed the "Uiver" was lost and in danger. Arthur Newnham, a radio announcer, rushed to the Albury Post Office studio. He had a brave idea: ask car owners to go to the Albury Racecourse and light up a landing strip with their headlights!
Meanwhile, Mott, with electrical engineer Lyle Ferris and postal inspector Reginald Turner, tried to signal the plane. They used the town's streetlights to flash "ALBURY" in Morse code. They hoped the pilots would see it and know where they were.
Newnham went on the radio at 12:55 am. He asked everyone with a car to drive to the racecourse and turn on their headlights. Soon, people heard cars rushing to the racecourse.
A Perfect Landing
The "Uiver" pilots, Captain Parmentier and First Officer Moll, had been flying blind in the storm. They had tried to reach Cootamundra but saw the flashing lights of Albury. Then, they saw a crescent shape of car headlights lighting up the racecourse.
At 1:17 am, the "Uiver" dropped two flares to check the ground. Then, with its powerful landing lights on, it made a perfect emergency landing! The plane landed in a muddy area of the racecourse and got stuck.
It took only 22 minutes from Newnham's radio call to the "Uiver"'s safe landing. The quick thinking of the Albury people saved the plane and everyone on board. Captain Parmentier later said they saw the Morse code signals, but the storm was too wild to read them clearly.
Freeing the "Uiver"
The next morning, a huge crowd gathered at the racecourse. Everyone wanted to help. People tried to pull the plane out of the mud. Cecil Meredith, who was 12 at the time, remembered seeing hundreds of people. Wireless operator Cornelis van Brugge asked Cecil's father to lead the effort. About 50 to 60 people pulled on each of two ropes. It took about 25 to 30 minutes to free the plane!
To make the plane lighter, they took off all the passengers and their luggage, including 35,000 letters from Holland. Passenger Thea Rasche was very sad to be left behind.
At 9:55 am, Captain Parmentier took off and flew the "Uiver" to Melbourne. It arrived second in the speed section of the race and won the first prize in the handicap section! Out of 20 planes, only nine finished the race.
The "Uiver"'s Legacy
The pilots were very thankful to the people of Albury. Captain Parmentier said, "I am very grateful for all the things that the national broadcasting commission has done to make our landing last night possible at the racecourse in Albury."
In Holland, people were overjoyed! They issued special "Uiver" postage stamps, wrote songs, and made souvenirs. Babies were even named "Uiverjay" (little stork). Queen Wilhelmina sent a message to Albury's Mayor, Alfred Waugh, and later met him in Scotland.
The "Uiver"'s success showed the world that all-metal planes like the Douglas DC-2 were the future of air travel. They were better than older wooden planes, flying boats, or zeppelins.
A Sad Farewell
A few days later, the "Uiver" flew low over Albury on its way back to Europe. The crew dropped a cigarette case with a small Dutch flag and a message: "To all our good friends in Albury, we salute you and say farewell."
Sadly, this farewell was true. Just eight weeks later, the "Uiver" crashed in the Syrian Desert in Iraq, and everyone on board died. However, none of the people who died were on the "Uiver" during its famous flight to Australia.
To remember those who died and to thank the Dutch people, Albury raised money for a bronze statue. It was given to the Mayor of Amsterdam in 1935.
The original crew members of the "Uiver" also passed away later in separate incidents or old age. But their bravery and the amazing story of the "Uiver" and Albury will always be remembered.
The "Uiver" Flies Again
In 1984, to celebrate 50 years since the famous flight, a special event took place. A new Douglas DC-2 plane was found in the United States. It was fixed up, painted to look exactly like the original "Uiver", and named "Uiver II".
This "Uiver II" flew the same route from London to Australia, just like the original! The journey took five weeks because they were also filming a documentary. The events at Albury were even recreated for the film.
When "Uiver II" landed at the new Albury airport, thousands of people were there to greet it. The pilot, Captain Jan Plesman, was the grandson of Dr. Albert Plesman, who decided to buy the original "Uiver" plane. He said, "In Holland, Albury is on the map and everybody knows where it is." The "Uiver II" then flew on to Melbourne, just like its famous predecessor.
About the Uiver Collection
The Uiver Collection has 286 items, including old papers, videos, and objects. It's all about the "Uiver Story", the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race, the Douglas DC-2 plane, and the special friendship between the Netherlands and Australia.
Collection Condition
The items in the Uiver Memorial Collection are in good shape. Experts at the Albury Library Museum take care of them, following the best national standards.
Why the Collection is Important
The Uiver Collection is very important to the history of New South Wales. It tells the story of the "Uiver" flight in the 1934 air race, which was the first commercial passenger flight between Europe and Australia.
The "Uiver"'s emergency landing in Albury and its success in the race helped air travel grow in Australia. This unique event also led to a strong friendship between Australia and the Netherlands. It even helped create Australia's first agreement with a foreign country about people moving here, signed in 1939.
The collection helps us understand:
- How international air travel started in Australia.
- How the Douglas DC series of aircraft became popular.
- The special bond between Australia and the Netherlands that grew from the "Uiver" incident.
The Uiver Collection is the largest collection of items about the "Uiver Story", the Douglas DC-2 plane, and the 1934 MacRobertson International Centenary Air Race in New South Wales. It shows us important things about aviation history and the strong connection between a plane and the people of NSW.