Warbirds

The Vampire was the type of aircraft last flown by 21 Sqn in 1960. The engine from the Point Cook Museum static display Vampire A79-659 was installed in A79-636 because it had a longer life. It was in 1983 that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall S D Evans, directed that the RAAF Historical Flight be formed as part of a Flight of 21 Sqn. Now, five years later, the Vampire is in the air.

Warbird Pilot in Mid-Air Collision

Well known Warbird owner and pilot, Squadron Leader Jeff Trappett, of Sale, Vic was involved in a mid air collision on the 10th March and nearly had to eject from his RAAF Macchi aircraft.

Sqn Ldr Trappett, the leader of the RAAF’s Roulette aerobatic team, was leading a practice flight of the team when two aircraft collided. The other pilot ejected and landed safely while his Macchi crashed. Sqn Ldr Trappett managed to keep his machine, A17-054, in the air and eventually brought it in for a gear up landlng at RAAF base East Sale.

Jeff Trappett owns and flies Mustang VH-AGJ, Ryan VH-AGW, Winjeel VH-AGP and is restoring a Sabre jet. Jeff is often seen around the Airshow circuit be it in one of his aircraft or that of the RAAF.

Awm Sioux on Display

At the Australian War Memorial at Canberra a Bell 47G3B1 Sioux has recently gone on display.

Although not with the seven aircraft on display in the Aeroplane Hall the Sioux helicopter, A1-404, is suspended from the ceiling in the Vietnam gallery adjacent to the sales shop.

The helicopter, painted olive drab, was flown by Captain J Campbell in Vietnam on the occasion he earned his DFC. The AWM shop is noteworthy of mention in that its stock includes a large and excellent range of Military related books and publications. Well worth a visit.

T-28B Arrives at Tyabb

After much interest and speculation the first North American T-28, in fact a B model, has arrived in Australia.

The big nose-geared aircraft arrived by container in January.

The T-28B was previously registered N138NA and is ex US Navy Bur. No 138278.

Owned by Alan Pay and Judy Pay it is still in US Navy marks with a white and orange colour scheme.

The engine in the aircraft is a Lycoming licence-built Curtiss Wright R1820-86B of some 1300hp. The US Navy had 489 T-28Bs in service as advanced trainers until replaced by the T-34C Turbo Mentor in the late 1970’s

Winjeel Notes

Winjeel A85-401/VH-NTY flew at Point Cook, Vic on January 21st, its first flight since restoration. The aircraft which is part of the RAAF Museum collection at Point Cook was flown by the CO of the base, Air Commodore Ron Tayles with Peter Knowles of DoT&C as observer. Built in 1955, the Winjeel had VM-NTY as its original RAAF call sign.

Bob Eastgate is in the process of selling Winjeel A85-417 as a rebuild project. The machine which has some 3108 hours is surplus to his requirements, he already has Winjeel VH-SOB in the air. The machine is minus engine and prop.

A Winjeel formation flying team has been formed in Victoria. The team comprises Winjeels VH-NTY, -SOB, -WIJ, -HOY and -HFM. The group will be available to perform at Airshows and the like, showing how great a mass flight of Winjeels look and sound!

Winjeel A85-460, which has been with the DoT&C for some years at Essendon Airport, Vic has reportedly been leased to a group of Airline pilots who are planning to restore the former trainer to flying condition.

Wirraway Sold: For Export?

Wirraway A20-649 of the Moorabbin Air Museum was sold during February to Mr Alan Searle. The Wirraway while basically complete will need an overhaul to bring it up to airworthy standards. Alan of course is well known as the pilot of the Malcolm Long Wirraway VH-BFF, now on display at Airworld Wangaratta, Vic.

As this column went to press it was reported that the Wirraway was to be exported to America for aircraft collector, Kermit Weeks, of Miami, Florida. Weeks reportedly wants to obtain a sample of each of the North American T-6 variants and wants to include the Australian built Wirraway in that line-up.

Raaf Winjeel Lost in Accident

The pilot and passenger of an RAAF Winjeel were killed when the aircraft crashed near Yarrowitch, 50km west of Coffs Harbour, NSW, on February 24th during a navigation exercise.

Killed were Flying Officer Malcolm Greentree, 24, the pilot of the Winjeel, and Leading Aircraftsman Ian Ross, aged 23.

Media reports state that the aircraft crashed into the side of a mountain in rugged country. The cause of the accident is unknown and will be the subject of a court of enquiry.

The Winjeel was one of four, the last in RAAF service, operated out of Williamtown RAAF Base, NSW on Forward Air Control (FAC) duties.

New Member for Dove Club

Following an extensive rebuild, former Dept of Health DH1O4 Mk5 Dove c/n 04104 has been returned to the register as VH-DHD and flew again at Moorabbin Airport, Vic on Friday 4th March at 5. 30pm. Now owned by TAA pilot Ted Rudge, the Dove is painted up in the same colours as in its Dept of Health days.

Dove owners are a breed apart and when Ted, keen to own one of the type, asked around he eventually found VH-DHD virtually derelict at Wedderburn, NSW.

During the restoration half a dozen bullet holes were found along the fuselage reportedly as a result of action by some trigger-happy guard at an airport while the machine was en route to Australia. A Dove with a difference!

The machine will be available for charter and nostalgia flights.

With VH-DHD back in the air there are now three Doves on the register. One or two more are also understood to be close to being put on the register.

Catalina Remnants Part 1

While it is 43 years since the end of WWII, the Catalina lives on although in Australia not all the survivors are in one piece. In this column we will record the known local Catalina remnants still around:

On the river Murray at Echuca, Vic an unmarked Catalina houseboat is often noted in company with a Dornier flying boat

fuselage turned into a houseboat and on other parts of the same river one or two more Cat houseboats are reported to be still in use.

At Schute Harbour, Qld the hull of Cat amphibian, VH-BRI, last used by Ansett Flying Boat Services P/L, is a resident. The hull is complete with a built up deck structure. The landing gear makes it easy to haul the hull out of the water.

VH-BRI was a PBY-5A ex Bu448373. Purchased in the USA in 1959 it was used on the Hayman Island service until it sank at the Island on July 8th, 1962. It was later cut up near Proserpine.

The only flying Catalina in Australia today is VH-EXG. A model PBY-5A it is formerly N609FF and is registered to Wester Commander P/L at Essendon Airport. Registered in Australia in late 1972 the Cat can sometimes be seen around Australia in the course of low level mineral survey work. This Catis fitted with non standard Wright Cyclone R2600 engines of 1700hp a side.

At Wallan, Vic Catalina A24-19 was under restoration at the airfield by the owner, Denis Ord, however a fierce storm on the night of 9/10 January destroyed the project when it rolled several hundred metres along the ground into a big gum tree. To be continued in the next issue.

1988 Harry Hawker Memorial Lecture

Since 1982 the Australian Aircraft Restoration Group, better known as the Moorabbin Air Museum, has been conducting an annual Harry Hawker Memorial lecture on some major aspect of Australia’s Aviation History.

The memorial lecture is held in memory of Hawker who was born in the district and although he died in 1921, his name lives on with a successful company and aircraft.

The 1988 lecture is entitled a Long Way From Longreach-The Story of Qantas. Guest speaker is Mr RJ Ritchie, former General Manager of Qantas. The lecture will take place on Wednesday 11th May at 8. 00pm at the Moorabbin Town Hall. The event is always very well attended by Melbourne aviation historians, historic aircraft owners and restorers.

Zero Returns

The Royal Australian Airforce today returned a Japanese ‘Zero’ Fighter plane to the Australian War Memorial following extensive restoration undertaken by RAAF apprentices.

Reconstructed from a wreck found in Gasmata, New Britain, the Zero formed an important technical training project at the RAAF School of Technical Training at Wagga for five years.

Now restored to wartime combat appearance, the Zero fighter will be featured in the RAAF’s Exhibition at the Bicentennial airshow at Richmond NSW in October. It will then be returned to the War Memorial in Canberra.

In Brief

• The remains of the Butler Bat, VH-ARG, have been donated to the Sydney Power House Museum by owner Nigel Apperley. Nigel obtained the remains, consisting of portions of the cabin structure, in NSW some years ago. For the aircraft to be rebuilt will virtually require manufacturing everything from the ‘makers plate upwards’.

The Power House Museum has some time been anxious to obtain the remains of the Bat in order to complement other material held on Arthur Butler. Butler, who built the Bat, was also the owner of Butler Air Transport, later taken over by Ansett. • Got a spare DH84 Dragon, DHA-3 Drover or Beagle 206S? The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (NSW Section) is keen to obtain one of the above types of aircraft, previously operated by the RFDS, to put on static display outside its new complex at Broken Hill Airport. If anyone can assist please contact the Director at RFDS, PO Box 463, Broken Hill 2880.

• In February it was announced that a provisional loan of $500,000 had been obtained from the Federal Government to construct a Military Museum at the main entrance to the William- town RAAF Base. The basic idea of the Museum will be to provide undercover display of the fighter aircraft at present on open air display. Five former RAAF fighter aircraft plus a Bloodhound missile are now on display.

The Sydney Power House Museum officially opened on Thursday March 10th. Situated in Mary St, Ultimo the Museum includes a number of aircraft although not all are on display as yet.

Museum aircraft are Bleriot XI, Cierva C30 Autogyro VH-USR, Catalina VH-ASA, Corby Starlet VH-UWZ, DH60 VH-UAU, C-47 VH-MMD, Beech Queenair VH-AMB, Airtruk VH-TRN, Clancy Skybaby N211SB, Scout Ultralight, Butler Bat remains, Hargraves box kites, Sailplane VH-GST and hang gliders. Put this one on the must see list.

Coming Events

May 1, 1988 will see a 75th Anniversary Air Display take place at Point Cook RAAF Base. The RAAF Museum collection is housed at Point Cook. The show will depict the development of the RAAF from WWI to the FA-18.

If you haven’t already done so, plan now to go to the Richmond RAAF base Bicentennial Airshow 12-16 October. This will probably be the biggest such event in Australia before the year 2000. At Maitland, NSW on April 30-May 1, the Australian Tiger Club Air Race and Airshow will be conducted. Aircraft other than Tiger Moths will be there which overall make this event worth seeing or being in.