[Walsh Brothers biplane "Manurewa" in flight after being modified by Sandford and Miller]

The aircraft was the Walsh Brothers' original Howard Wright Farman biplane "Manurewa" which flew in 1911, later part-leased through Auckland Aeroplane Syndicate member, Neville Lester, by Mr William S. Miller and Frederick Esk Sanford who rebuilt and modified the aeroplane - note the swept outer wing panels and semi enclosed cockpit. It is recorded that the first attempt to take off at Avondale Race course in February 1913 was abandoned when a dog ran into the whirling propeller blades, with disastrous results to dog and aeroplane. The aeroplane made several flights from Avondale, one of which carried the first woman passenger in New Zealand's aviation history, and a later one which ended in a forced landing through engine failure at New Lynn.