The Avro 618 Ten or X was a passenger transport aircraft of the 1930s. It was a licensed version by Avro of the Fokker F.VIIB/3m. Smithy's "Southern Cross", VH-USU was a genuine Fokker, but five other aircraft in the Australian National Airways Ltd Southern fleet were Avro 618 Tens. (See table below). In 1928 Avro came to an arrangement with Fokker to license production of its successful F.VIIB/3m for sale in the British Empire (except Canada). The Avro designation 618 Ten was adopted as the aircraft was capable of carrying two crew and eight passengers. After a modification of the centre motor mounting to accommodate British airworthiness requirements, the aircraft was first displayed at the 1929 Olympia Aero Show. The Avro 642 Eighteen used the same wing as the Ten but had a new fuselage for 16 passengers. The first five aircraft were sold to the new Australian National Airways. The type entered service on 1 January 1930 on the Brisbane-Sydney route, and later Melbourne-Sydney. They were: VH-UMF Southern Cloud VH-UMG Southern Star VH-UMH Southern Sky VH-UMI Southern Moon VH-UNA Southern Sun Two of this fleet were lost in accidents: Southern Cloud in the Toolong range of the Australian Alps on 21 March 1931 (the wreckage was not found until 1958) and Southern Sun in Malaya in November 1931, while attempting the first airmail flight to the United Kingdom. The airline folded and the remaining aircraft were sold. Southern Moon was rebuilt in 1933 for long-range flights, fitted with 330 hp (250 kW) Wright Whirlwind radial engines and restyled as VH-UXX Faith in Australia. The last surviving 618 Ten in Australia, it evacuated many people from New Guinea in 1941. Another two 618 Ten aircraft were also sold to Australian companies. Three of the 619 Five aircraft went to two Australian airlines, as did (after commercial service in Britain) the sole 642/2m.
