ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS - Adastra Hudson Liveries

HUDSON COLOUR SCHEMES

Adastra Aerial Surveys operated a total of seven Hudsons from 1951 until the company closed in 1973. During this time, the Hudsons carried four basic colour schemes which can be categorised as follows:

The Natural Metal Scheme	1951	to	c. 1953
The Grey Scheme	c. 1953	to	c. 1959
The Green Scheme	c. 1959	to	c. 1970
The Orange Scheme	c. 1970	to	1973

The so-called Natural Metal Scheme did not come to light until January 2021, prompting a major revision of this page.

In addition to these colour schemes, the two Hudsons acquired from John Fairfax & Sons (VH-SMM & VH-SMO) carried other variations which will be discussed separately.

All images on this page are linked to larger versions.

The Natural Metal Scheme


VH-AGG in a natural metal scheme with a white top. This is a still from a 1954 film. (Photo: Dept of Main Roads NSW)	VH-AGG from the same film showing the name Frank Follett on the nose. Note the reflection from the natural metal. (Photo: Dept of Main Roads NSW)

Adastra's first Hudson, VH-AGG, was test flown on 30th March 1951 after its survey conversion. When it entered service it carried the Natural Metal Scheme as described below. This is understandable because the aeroplane, formerly VH-BLA, was polished bare metal when Adastra purchased it from Lionel Van Praag. Given the areas in which Adastra operated, it is speculated that unpainted metal was not suitable from a maintenance standpoint, leading to the introduction of the Grey Scheme. It is likely that only VH-AGG carried this scheme because Adastra's second Hudson, VH-AGO, did not enter service until May 1953 and by this time VH-AGG was wearing the grey scheme.The existence of this natural metal scheme did not emerge until 2021 when a New South Wales Department of Main Roads film came to light. This film can be viewed at the following link. VH-AGG appears at 15:18.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZAgLgEbz3g

Fuselage	Natural metal with white top and black cheat line. Black anti-glare panel.
Wings	Natural metal
Tail Group	Natural metal
Cowlings	Scallop marking which appears to be black although it could have been red. See Cowling Embellishments
Markings	ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS on fuselage in black but without the later shadowing. Registration on rear fuselage in black. Wing markings are uncertain but it is presumed that the registration would have been carried in black on top of the right wing and under the left wing. There were no markings on top of the left wing. The Lockheed emblem was carried outboard on the fins.
Applicable	VH-AGG
Variations	VH-AGG carried the name Frank Follett on the left side of the nose (VH-AGG was the only Adastra Hudson to carry a name).

The Grey Scheme


VH-AGO with grey tail and Lockheed emblem which appears to be black and white or even coloured. (Photo: Gus Grulke)	VH-AGG with white tail still retaining the Lockheed emblem but apparently in black only. (Photo: John Hopton)

VH-AGX with the Adastra emblem on the nose. (Photo: Ed Coates)	VH-AGX with grey tail and Lockheed emblem, evidently in black. ( Photo: Gus Grulke)

VH-AGS soon after its conversion for aerial survey in 1956. (Photo: Ed Coates)	An exceptionally rare colour photo of VH-AGS in the Grey Scheme. (Photo: Jack Howard)

The Adastra emblem which was carried on both sides of the nose in the early years of the grey scheme. In the above colour image of VH-AGS, the Adastra emblem appears to have been in black and gold. This emblem was accompanied by the inscription: Adastra Airways Pty. Ltd. Air Survey Unit No. ? See here for a list of known Unit Numbers.

Fuselage	Grey with white top and black cheat line. Black anti-glare panel.
Wings	Grey
Tail Group	Grey. VH-AGO was photographed in June/July 1955 seemingly freshly painted and with a white tail. It is possible that this represents the debut of the white tail.
Cowlings	Black scallop. In the above colour image of VH-AGS the black scallop is outlined in red. See Cowling Embellishments
Markings	ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS on fuselage in black with grey shadowing. Registration on rear fuselage in black. Registration under left wing in black. Registration on top of right wing in black. ADASTRA under right wing in black. There were no markings on top of the left wing. Lockheed emblem outboard on fins. Appears to be black and gold in the above colour image of VH-AGS. The Adastra winged emblem was carried on both sides of the nose in the early years of the grey scheme. Appears to be black and gold in the above colour image of VH-AGS.
Applicable	VH-AGG, VH-AGO, VH-AGS, VH-AGX
Variations	VH-AGG carried the name Frank Follett on the left side of the nose (VH-AGG was the only Adastra Hudson to carry a name).

The Green Scheme


VH-AGX at Essendon in December 1961 with white tail and no Lockheed emblem. Note the elaborate cowling markings in red, white and black. The registration is now outlined in white. Earlier it was believed that the aircraft was wearing the grey scheme in this view, but it is now known that VH-AGX was wearing the green scheme as early as 1959. (Photo: Chris O'Neill)	VH-AGX at Mascot in December 1962. Note the dual pitot heads and the retired Adastra Anson in the background. Also note that the aircraft does not carry ADASTRA under the right wing at this time. Earlier it was believed that the aircraft was wearing the grey scheme in this view, but it is now known that VH-AGX was wearing the green scheme as early as 1959. (Photo: John Hopton)

VH-AGS with elaborate cowling markings in black and white. It is not known when or where this photo was taken but it is possible that it was soon after the aircraft was first painted in the Green Scheme. (Photo: Jack Howard)	VH-AGS in the markings of Adastra subsidiary company Westralian Aerial Surveys circa 1959. (Photo: Chris O'Neill)

VH-AGE with a magnetometer bird at an unknown location in late 1965. (Photo: Greg Thom Collection)	VH-AGX at Mascot in May 1971. Note that the elaborate cowling markings have been replaced by a simple black leading edge. (Photo: Mike Madden)

By 1959, Adastra's Hudsons were noted wearing a green colour scheme. This scheme was almost identical to the modified Grey Scheme but with the grey replaced by a teal green colour. It is claimed that this shade of green was chosen to mask fuel leaks on the wings! Another view is that the green colour was first used on the Percival Prince VH-AGF as early as 1957. Please refer to: It's Not Easy Being Green

Fuselage	Green with white top and black cheat line. Black anti-glare panel.
Wings	Green
Tail Group	White
Cowlings	VH-AGS and VH-AGX initially wore typical Lockheed embellishments on the cowlings but these were subsequently replaced by simple black leading edges. See Cowling Embellishments
Markings	ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS on fuselage in black with grey shadowing. Registration on rear fuselage in black outlined in white. Registration under left wing in black outlined in white. Registration on top of right wing in black outlined in white. ADASTRA under right wing in black outlined in white. There were no markings on top of the left wing. It would appear that the Lockheed emblem was not carried as part of the Green Scheme.
Applicable	VH-AGE, VH-AGS, VH-AGX
Variations	Colour photographs of VH-AGX taken in 1959 confirm that the wing registrations were red. It would appear from these photos that there was no ADASTRA under the right wing (certainly it was not there in December 1962). There is also a suggestion that the fuselage registrations might have been red. The registrations on wings and fuselage were outlined in white. From May 1959 until approximately 1962, VH-AGS operated with the titles of WESTRALIAN AERIAL SURVEYS (an Adastra subsidiary). By the late fifties/early sixties, VH-AGS and VH-AGX carried typical Lockheed embellishments on the cowlings. On VH-AGS these were black and white and on VH-AGX they were red, white and black. VH-AGX was photographed in December 1961 (see above) with the fuselage and under-wing registration outlined in white. VH-AGX was photographed in December 1962 (see above) without ADASTRA under the right wing. VH-AGE was initially operated in a natural metal scheme with a white top with a black cheat line and a white tail group. ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS on fuselage in black with grey shadowing. Registration on rear fuselage in black (may have been blue earlier). Photo VH-AGE was soon painted in the Green Scheme.

The Orange Scheme


VH-AGS at Mascot in February 1972. (Photo: Ron Cuskelly)	VH-AGX at Mascot in April 1973. (Photo: Ron Cuskelly)

VH-AGJ at Mascot in December 1970. (Photo: Ron Cuskelly)	VH-AGP at Moorabbin in November 1976. (Photo: Mike Madden)

In May 1970, VH-AGJ was noted in Adastra's hangar at Mascot being repainted in a new colour scheme. Although this new scheme was predominantly blue/grey, it has been characterised by this writer as the Orange Scheme to avoid confusion with the earlier Grey Scheme. By the time Adastra ceased flying in 1973, all four remaining Hudsons were wearing this scheme.

Fuselage	Blue/Grey with white top and white cheat line separated by an orange band, at its widest the same height as the cabin windows, extending the length of the fuselage, tapering off at the nose and tail. Black anti-glare panel. The cabin door was outlined in red.
Wings	Blue/Grey with orange and white bands on the tips.
Tail Group	White tailplane and elevator. Fins and rudders were orange.
Cowlings	Black leading edges. See Cowling Embellishments
Markings	ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS on fuselage in black with grey shadowing. Registration on fins/rudders in black outlined in white. Registration under left wing in orange outlined in white. Registration on top of right wing in orange outlined in white. ADASTRA under right wing in orange outlined in white. There were no markings on top of the left wing apart from the wing-tip bands.
Applicable	VH-AGJ, VH-AGP, VH-AGS, VH-AGX
Variations	VH-AGP was noted in the Adastra hangar at Mascot in April 1974 with the cowlings and the forward part of the engine nacelles unpainted. The leading edges of the cowls were black. (See 1976 photo above).

The John Fairfax Hudsons

These two Hudsons, VH-SMM and VH-SMO came to Adastra on lease from John Fairfax and Sons. Both were already converted for aerial survey work.

VH-SMM / VH-AGJ

VH-AGJ (formerly VH-SMM) at Mascot in December 1969. (Photo: Mike Madden)

Fuselage	Silver with black anti-glare panel. Although this aeroplane had earlier operated in polished bare metal, it is believed that it was painted silver (as opposed to natural metal) by the time it entered service with Adastra.
Wings	Silver.
Tail Group	Silver.
Cowlings	Silver. Later acquired black leading edges. See Cowling Embellishments
Markings	ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS on fuselage in black with grey shadowing. Registration on rear fuselage in black. Registration under left wing in black. Registration on top of right wing in black. There were no markings on top of the left wing or under the right wing.
Applicable	VH-SMM (re-registered VH-AGJ on 14th December 1966).
Variations	During 1970 the aircraft was painted in the Orange Scheme. It never carried the Green Scheme. See Mike Mike's Enigmatic Proboscis

VH-SMO / VH-AGP

VH-SMO at Mascot in December 1966.
(Photo: Ron Cuskelly)

Fuselage	Natural metal with white top and red cheat line (remnants of East-West Airlines livery). The EWA Aerial Survey emblem was carried on the nose in red, white and blue. Black anti-glare panel. Soon after entering service with Adastra, all natural metal surfaces were painted silver. The red cheat line progressively faded away until it was eventually painted over altogether.
Wings	Natural metal later painted silver.
Tail Group	Natural metal later painted silver.
Cowlings	Natural metal later painted silver. Later acquired black leading edges. See Cowling Embellishments
Markings	Registration outboard on fin and rudder in red (VH-SMO) later black (VH-AGP). Lockheed emblem outboard on fins. (Retained as VH-AGP but removed with the Orange Scheme). Registration under left wing in red (VH-SMO) later black (VH-AGP). Registration on top of right wing in red (VH-SMO) later black (VH-AGP). There were no markings on top of the left wing or under the right wing.
Applicable	VH-SMO (re-registered VH-AGP on 24th June 1966).
Variations	The aircraft was painted in the Orange Scheme in the early seventies. This aeroplane never carried the Green Scheme. It should be noted that this aircraft never carried Adastra titles until it was painted in the Orange Scheme!

See also Cowling Embellishments

See also Colour Profiles

See also It's Not Easy Being Green

Special thanks to Tony Arbon for sharing with us some of the magnificent images
from the slide collection of the late Mike Madden.

Issue	Date	Remarks
9	08FEB23	Based on this photo of VH-AGO, it is now believed that the white tail was introduced circa June/July 1955.
8	05JAN21	Completely revised the page to reflect the recent discovery that VH-AGG entered service in a natural metal scheme.
7	02FEB05	Added a link to a report that the Adastra Green colour first appeared on the Prince VH-AGF.
6	13FEB03	Revised the details of the Grey Scheme based on evidence from Jack Howard's colour photo which has been added to this page. In this photo, the Lockheed and Adastra emblems appear to have been in black and gold and the cowling scallops are outlined in red. Other recently discovered photos confirm that the Adastra emblem was carried on both sides of the nose.

HUDSON COLOUR SCHEMES

Special thanks to Tony Arbon for sharing with us some of the magnificent images from the slide collection of the late Mike Madden.

Special thanks to Tony Arbon for sharing with us some of the magnificent images
from the slide collection of the late Mike Madden.