Title: Bert Hinkler and his Avro Avian 1928

Herbert John Louis Hinkler, DSM (8 December 1892 – 8 January 1933) - better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator.

Hinkler was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, the son of a German-born stockman. In his early life, he constructed and flew gliders on beaches near his hometown. He became mechanic to H. Stone who gave some exhibition flights at Sydney.

In 1913, Hinkler went to England where he worked for the Sopwith Aviation Company. During the First World War, he served with the Royal Naval Air Service as a gunner/observer in Belgium and France, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and later as a pilot in Italy.

After the war, he worked as a test pilot for the aircraft manufacturer A V Roe in Southampton. When the Australian government offered £10,000 as a prize for the first flight to Australia, Hinkler entered, but his machine crashed in Europe during a storm.

In 1921, Hinkler shipped a tiny Avro Baby to Sydney. It was filled with fuel and flown non-stop to Bundaberg, Queensland, a distance of 1370 km.