Warbirds

The listing comprised 2 Kittyhawks complete with engines at £15. 00 each, 41 Vultee Vengeances without engines at £8. 00 each, 177 Beaufighters with engines at £20. 00 each, 1 Beaufighter without engines at £10. 00 and 218 Beaufort bombers without engines at £20. 00 each. A total of £8,268. 00 less than the price of a second hand Cessna 150! If only someone had the foresight to put a few of these gems aside for later generations to appreciate but. . . .

Sea Fury to Victoria

The big news on the heavy Warbirds scene is that well known Melbourne Harvard owner and pilot, Bruce Andrews, has bought the third Hawker (Sea) Fury being rebuilt by Guido Zuccoli at Darwin. At one point it looked like this Sea Fury was to be sold to a visiting Frenchman however it now seems certain that the big fighter will grace the Airshow circuit in South-Eastern Australia when its rebuild is complete.

The Sea Fury is the last of the three of these aircraft brought from America by Guido, one of which he owns and the other is owned by Ted Allen of Mackay Old.

Avro Avian Flys Again

During June Avro Avian, VH-UXV, arrived at Essendon Airport Vic. to be used in the film ‘The Lancaster Miller Affair’.

The film is about the life and love affairs of early flyer, Bill Lancaster and Mrs Chubby Miller. The two flew an Avian to Australia during late 1927, arriving in March 1928.

In 1933 Lancaster died in the Sahara desert while on a record attempt in an Avian to the Cape of South Africa. His body and the wreck were found in 1962.

The Avian is one of two owned by Albert Murrell of Penola, South Australia and was rebuilt for use in the film.

The film world continues to use Australian Antique and Warbird aircraft which can only augur well for the movement.

Douglas Anniversary

December 1985 is the 50th Anniversary of the first flight of the immortal Douglas DC-3, later the C-47.

With this as a theme the Mackay Air Museum Old. which operates a DC-3, organised an Airshow in June that had some six DC-3/C-47s present. Included in the line-up were the AWM’s C-47 that was taken out of storage at Canberra for the flight to Mackay and also the RAN’s C-47 N2-90 which made the return trip under the civil registration of VH-NVZ. The event was the largest gathering of the Douglas DC-3/C-47 type in Australia for many years.

Civil Jet Fighters Are Go

The Australian Warbird scene is about to enter the jet age with the arrival of several civil jet fighters.

Two former RAAF DH115 Vampire T. 35 two-seat singleengined advanced jet trainers are being restored by Aquila Aviation at Bankstown NSW, and will no doubt be seen on the mushrooming Airshow circuit when completed.

The two Australian-built Vampires, formerly A79-637 and -649 have been at Bankstown Airport for many years. Initially owned by Arnold Glass of Capitol Motors fame he attempted without success to get them on to the civil register. This was in the days before the advent of the ANR 108A Permit to Fly system.

The new owners, who wish to remain undisclosed as WARBIRDS goes to press, have had Chief Engineer Peter DeGraff busy since mid-April on the restoration program that should see one Vampire in the air during early August and the second some weeks later.

The two aircraft have been stripped right down and carefully rebuilt using parts obtained from sources in Sydney, Melbourne and Parkes NSW.

Powered by DH Goblin 35 jet engines the Vampires will have the ejection seats installed but not operational. The machines will initially be restored to VFR category and perhaps IFR later on.

Peter DeGraff has advised that the aircraft will carry RAAF training colour schemes of silver and Day-Glo. Peter would like photos of the two Vampires in RAAF service. If WARBIRDS readers can assist write to Aquila Aviation, Airport, Bankstown NSW.

Meanwhile, in Melbourne Vic. Kittyhawk rebuilder Nelson Wilson is planning to import a UK-built single-seat DH100 Vampire from NZ. Nelson has obtained an ex-RNZAF machine but is finding the cost of trans-Tasman freight very high. He is now working on ways of reducing this problem.

Nelsons Vampire is without an engine and he would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows the source of a Goblin jet engine and Vampire wings. Write to Nelson Wilson C/­ P. O. Wandin North Vic. 3139.

WACO Rebuilds

The American-built Waco is a rare aircraft in Australia with only one, a model YKS-6, VH-UYD, on the register – at present.

It would appear, however, that two more of these big, pre-war cabin bi-planes are due to take to the air again soon.

At Coolangatta Old. Cliff Douglas is rebuilding a model EGC-8, VH-AAF, that last flew in 1967. Powered by a 300 hp Jacobs engine it could possibly fly before the end of the year.

The other Waco, a model UOC, is being rebuilt by Col Keith Hatfield and Jeff Leach with some of the machine at Casey Airfield, Berwick Vic. and the rest at Camden NSW.

This Waco was imported into Queensland over 15 years ago, from New Zealand, where, over the years, it has carried the markings ZK-AEL, NZ575 (RNZAF) and ZK-ALA. This machine is powered by a Continental R. 670A radial and will fly under the ANR 108A Permit system as this model Waco has not been certificated in Australia before.

Lockheed Moves

For some time there have been two Lockheed 12A’s in Australia. The two aircraft were VH-ABH, owned by John Love of Albury NSW. and N712FM an American registered machine owned by Ray Piggott of Cairns Qld. and both have just changed hands.

The first, VH-ABH, has been acquired by Drages Airworld Air Museum at Wangaratta and will continue to be on display at the Museum and selected displays. It is to be maintained in airworthy order. The other Lockheed, N712FM, was originally brought into Australia by Ray Piggott with the intention of running outback charter tours with the machine however the plans took a backward turn when he found out the cost of Air Navigation Charges for the Lockheed when in the charter category.

it has been reported that this aircraft has recently left the country after being sold to a new owner. in Singapore.

On the subject of Lockheeds WARBIRDS has had several reports that plans are afoot to import a Lockheed Ventura from America. It is understood that the import, which is being arranged through the Australian War memorial at Canberra, involves the swapping of an ex RAAF Canberra bomber for the Ventura. The eventual plan is that the Ventura will be kept airworthy and operated under the auspices of the AWM and flown to Airshows etc. in a like manner to the B-25 Mitchell that was imported some few years ago.

The Lockheed Ventura, of which the RAAF No. 13 Squadron operated 75 of the type during WWII, is a twin engined bomber similar to the well known Lockheed Hudson. It was powered by two 2000 hp Pratt and Whitney radial engines.

Mustang Moves

At long last former CAC built Mustang, A68-192, has finally arrived in the UK. The Mustang, now G-HAEC, arrived in the UK in February on a Cathay Pacific B747 flight from Hong Kong. This Mustang is best remembered as Jack Mcdonald’s former airshow display aircraft, VH-FCB, until exported to the Philippines where as PI-C-651 it was damaged. The machine is now one of two Mustangs in the UK and will no doubt be a welcome change from the excess of Spitfires that the UK appears to have, the opposite situation to Australia.

Locally it has been reported that the Dusty Laine Mustang NA built A68-674 (to become VH-CVA) currently in the USA being rebuilt, was at one stage going to be swapped for a flying dual control TF-51D and thus get both a two-seat dual control Mustang and earlier than the completion of the rebuild of A68- 674.

Following a detailed examination of the TF-51D it was decided that A68-674 was in better shape and thus this Mustang will be returning to Australia when rebuilt.

Harvard News

The non-flying Harvard, NZ1023, belonging to Ken Orrman of Shepparton Vic. has been sold and during April it was transported to Canberra ACT, where work commenced in the Aero Technics hanger to restore the machine.

As a result of Bruce Andrews acquiring a Sea Fury (see item) his Harvard, VH-SNJ, is on the market and may have already been sold.

Randy McFarlanes NZ1006 has recently arrived at Bankstown for restoration work and joins NZ1007, which has VH-HAR reserved for it, which is also being worked on.

During April a Harvard Mk. 4, N1363R, was imported from the USA in order to portray the Lockheed Altair monoplane, VH- USB, “Lady Southern Cross” in the filming of the Kingsford- Smith TV mini-series “1000 Skies”. After being taken out of the container crate on April 16 at Casey Field, Berwick Vic. the Harvard was reassembled and in the air two days later. Painted to resemble the Altair the machine was used for film work in Victoria and Queensland.

Built by the Canadian Car and Foundary Ltd this aircraft has seen service with the USAF and Italian Air Force before returning to America where, as the “Italian Stallion” it was raced in the T-6 class at the Reno Air Races.

The machine will no doubt stay in Australia, with a local purchaser, when filming is completed.

Another Winjeel

Anzac day in April saw Jeff Trappett make a ferry flight of Winjeel A85-440 from Hobart to Horsham Vic. with passenger and new owner, Alf Medley.

The former trainer last flew in 1977 and is reported to have been swapped with the Hobart Air Training Corps for a Cessna 172. On the 27th June a Permit to Fly under ANR 108A was issued for the aircraft, now registered VH-HFM. The Winjeel is in a RAAF colour scheme.