09/15/2020. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Designed by Jaroslav Šlechta and built at Karlín, a suburb of Prague, Czechoslovakia, the Praga E.114 first flew in September 1934. Known as the Air Baby because of its light weight, the E.114 was powered by a 36 hp Praga B two-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine.
The wood-working business F. Hills and Sons Ltd. of Manchester, primarily making doors and furniture, acquired a license to build the E.114 in England in 1935. Known as the Hillson Praga, production began in 1936, some 28 being built, of which three were shipped to Australia.
The above pictured aircraft was registered to Light Aircraft Ltd. of Camden, New South Wales, Australia, on July 13, 1937. Only three weeks later, August 4, the aircraft had been sold to the Royal Aero Club of South Australia. VH-UXQ was involved in a minor accident when a passenger walked into the propeller on May 20, 1939. Although the propeller broke a tip when it hit the shoulder of the passenger, the latter escaped injuries.
On May 23, 1941, the aircraft was registered to Howard D. Alton of Melbourne, by October 1942, the aircraft was stored at Broken Hill. Joseph Bowden, the Flying Doctor pilot for Broken Hill at the time, was registered as the next owner on December 11, 1942.
The next owner, William Porter of Temora, had the aircraft for only a few weeks. Registered to him on October 11, 1944, the aircraft was destroyed on November 19, when, while being hand-started, the engine backfired and burst into flames, the ensuing fire consumed the aircraft.
The image above was cut from this line-up photo:
