Air Vice-Marshal Henry Wrigley, the Australian Aviation pioneer, will be remembered by his adoring RAAF colleagues as a tough but fair man.

One of the nations best known aviators, he died this week, aged 95, leaving a legacy of achievements.

Air Vice-Marshal Wrigley became a household name in 1919 when he completed the first Melbourne to Darwin flight in a biplane.

Then a Flying Corps Captain, he and his co-pilot, Sergeant Arthur Murphy, hacked down a line of 20 metre high trees on a makeshift airfield to make it possible to take off from Katherine in the Northern Territory.

But two false starts and countless delays through engine failure cost him the honour of being the first man to land at Darwin. That accolade went to Ross Smith, who landed 24 hours earlier.

His inaugral flight helped establish a mapped course for English and Australian pilots.

Air Vice-Marshal Wrigley served in the Middle East during the Second World War. He did not return home until September 1946, after he had negotiated the release of Australian Prisoner-of-War.

He retired from the RAAF in 1946 and became the Executive Officer of the Victorian Overseas Foundation, which sends promising Apprentices overseas.

A postal stamp of Air Vice-Marshal Wrigley was issued in 1969 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of his epic flight. The five cent stamps are now treasured by Stamp Collectors and are valued around $14 each.

A portrait of him is displayed at Mebourne High School which he attended.

In 1979, the veteran pilot repeated part of the Melbourne-to-Darwin journey in the comfort of a twin engined RAAF Navigation training plane and was later a guest o fhonour at an RAAF function.

His widow, Mrs Zenda Wrigley, said yesterday that her husband had been in good health until two months ago when he becmae ill. He travelled overseas when he was 90 and led the 1984 ANZAC Day march aged 92. His mother died when she was 102.

"He was a truly remarkable man. He will be remembered as a man who cared for the boys at the RAAF", she said. "He had many friends and was loved by all who knew him. He led a full life and gave a lot of his time to giving advice to young people in the RAAF."

A sword named after him will be put on his coffin as a final farewell. The funeral service will be held at St Johns Church, Camberwell, tomorrow at 10.45 am. Senior RAAF Officials from Canberra are expected to attend.

Air Vice Marshall Wrigley is survived by his wife and three children.