Captain Dean Gedling (photo is a bit old)

I was born in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, Australia, in 1947.

After an undistinguished and very ordinary academic beginning , I signed on signed on with the Royal Australian Navy for nine years (minimum) at the age of 17, and was trained to be a Naval Airman Photographer. I spent most of my seatime on the aircraft carrier H.M.A.S. Melbourne and did several trips to South East Asia to participate in the South East Asian Treaty Organization (S.E.A.T.O.) Exercises which culminated in visits to the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, China etc. and was part of  Escort Groups taking troops and materials to and from Vietnam. Unfortunately I was onboard H.M.A.S. Melbourne when it was in a collision with the destroyer U.S.S. Frank E. Evans, resulting in the bow section, of the "Evans" sinking and a loss of a lot of American sailors lives.

On completion of my tour I joined a College of a University as a Photographer/Cameraman in the production of Audio Visual Training materials for the Medical Curriculum. These were used to demonstrate or teach particular techniques to students working towards a degrees in the Health Professions. I attained the position of Television Producer/Director but after 14 years of spending most days with sick or injured people I resigned to start a new career and work for myself.

I became a "Gumshoe". The last 13 years I have been conducting surveillance for numerous Insurance, Government and Corporate organizations to obtain information and video evidence of people's activities with regard to pending legal action. Its interesting to say the least but as you can image some people can become rather upset, when my videotape puts holes in their inflated or fraudulent claims, so I'm not on everyone's Xmas Card list.

In 5 yrs. I qualify for a War Veterans Pension and will retire then to Flight Sim fulltime and continue my life long interest in Aviation in general and old Propliners in particular.