Warbirds

While full details are sketchy at present, it is understood that around a dozen T-28’s are being imported by a collective of known Warbird owners and pilots. Allocation of the machines was achieved by the simple method of drawing the aircraft serial numbers out of a hat!

The import of the T-28’s will give the local Warbird scene a boost in numbers and performance that, when looked at in an overall context, has been lacking for a few years. The T-28 is a two seat trainer with performance roughly between the Harvard and the high performance piston engined fighter types. As such it will be invaluable in raising the level of Warbird pilot experience.

Richmond Bicentennial Airshow

For the Warbird enthusiast, the Bicentennial Air Show will probably be the largest gathering of warbirds for many a year to come. (Refer full report elsewhere in this issue)

The Richmond site enable a large number of patrons to make it to a central point of the east coast and some 250,000 people viewed the two Public days.

The show will probably be remembered by most warbird enthusiasts for the number and type of warbirds on the ground rather than in the air for the airborne displays were brief and then usually only one of the type flew rather than say three Mustangs or five Harvards in formation as has been seen elsewhere.

From a negative aspect, we were disappointed to learn that Col Pay’s Spitfire was directed across an area that resulted in damaged prop blades and the aircraft was not able to be flown. The airborne groups did however look good with the Neptune, Tracker and Ventura together as the Maritime patrol aircraft with the Mustang, Sea Fury and Firefly in another groups. Yet another groups was that of the Harvard, Winjeel and Wirraway.

WWI was not forgotten with the replica Fokker DR-1, Sopwith Pup, SE. SA and Bristol F. 28 Fighter cum Tourer in the air at once. The sole airworthy RAAF Sabre, two Mirages and both flying Vampires gave the spectators a taste of vintage jets.

On the ground there were various set pieces in the form of WWI, WWII, Army aviation and Navy aviation. All were put together in such a way that one could get up close to almost all the aircraft and displays.

There were many highlights, the following are but a few: The Army Cessna L-19 Bird Dog 12531 that was transported from Oakey, Qld. The PV-1 Ventura VH-SFF from Pt Cook and the locally based Neptune VH-IOY/A89-273. One hangar displayed the AWM Zero V-173, the DH-9 ‘PD’ G-EAQM, Hawker Demon A1-8 and the AWM Avro 504K. The replica Southern Cross VHUSU created much interest. The Two Stearmans, plus some five Harvards and Winjeels also attracted a lot of attention as the warbird trainer set While one could write a lot about Richmond and its warbirds, it had to be acknowledged that it was not the sort of event that could be put together every year in Australia; the logistics of gathering so many warbirds and other types together were immense but those that went to Richmond surely must have been left with one thought: Good Show.

The T-6 Turns 50

When the first T-6 flew on 28th September 1938, there can be no doubt that the watching staff of North American Aviation Inc. did not dream in their wildest imagination that the type would still be going strong 50 years later and that more than 15,000 would be built.

Stemming from the earlier BT-9 design, the Harvard, or Texan as it was named, was manufactured both by North American Aviation and under licence by Noorduyn Aviation Company Ltd in Canada. The Australian built CAC Wirraway was also based on the T-6 parental design. That however is another story.

The Harvard was used as an advanced trainer, between a basic trainer such as the Stearman and a more advanced type such as the Mustang.

Powered by a 550hp. Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine the type is variously known as the T-6, AT-6, SNJ, AT-16 or Harvard Mkl, 11, Ill or IV and was produced from 1938 through to 1954. Over the years more than 40 air arms have used the Harvard and indeed today the South African armed forces still have some 70 in active service.

For the budding warbird pilot the Harvard offers an economical type (compared to say a Mustang or Sea Fury!) that has two seats, dual controls, tuck-up gear, a tailwheel and lots of torque. Its buzz saw like prop noise is guaranteed to turn the head of even the most laid back aviation type.

American companies like Banaire Enterprises and Lance Aircraft Supply are able to supply new or surplus parts for the Harvard line ensuring that the year 2000 will see the type still active. For those who want to read more about the aircraft there is The Story of the Texan, Pilot Maker and Historical Aviation Album Vol 16-the T-6/SNJ. For those keen to see all models of the Harvard, Texan, T-6, SNJ, BT-9 etc. Kermit Weeks Museum at Miami, Florida, USA is obtaining an example of each model and has even included an Australian Wirraway.

The type was unknown in Australia until the late 1970’s when the RNZAF sold its Harvards as surplus, a good number coming to Australia. The first ANR 108A aircraft was an ex NZ aircraft.

The following is a listing of Australian Harvards and includes several Texans imported from the USA and elsewhere

C-47 Wreck Discovered

Still they turn up. The middle of the year saw the discovery of a WWII Douglas C-47 that was shot down near Wau, PNG, on February 7th, 1943.

The C-47 was one three USAAC transports trying to land at Wau airstrip after a routine supply flight from Port Moresby when it was attacked by Japanese fighters. The other two C-47’s escaped but the third crashed into a steep hill south east of Wau.

500Ib GBU-12 some 19ft and with standard unguided bombs still an impressive 60ft. Another example of this force multiplication factor is evidenced in that it would typically take 25 sorties dropping a total of 200 2,000lb bombs to take out one reinforced bunker. That decreases to 1 sortie using 4 GBU-12 500Ib laser guided bombs or 2 sorties using 8 2,000Ib GBU-10 laser guided bombs(proving ironically that the larger bomb is not necessarily always the most efficient).

The bottom line, of course, is that a single Pave Tack equipped F-111 can take out a highly defended priority one target in a single mission with a minimum of danger to itself in the immediate precincts of the target. Formerly this type of target(as evidenced by the thousands of bridge attacks on North Vietnam which literally become killing grounds for the NVA air defence gunners) would have required a large number of sorties with a consequently high attrition rate. Pave Tack changes all that. Australian Aviation was fortunate to witness a series of such attacks against simulated targets on the RAAF’s bombing range at Townsend Island, off Rockhampton. The unnerving accuracy of the various weapons was indeed impressive.

Also impressive is the fact that DoD in recent times has at last begun to appreciate that the F-111 force is not only here to stay but is a vital component of our long-range maritime and land strike force. Working as a triad with the Harpoon equipped F-18s and P-3C Orions (and utilising Jindalee and the tankers) and combined with the resources of the RAN Australia, it would indeed de_mand a high price from any potential aggressor wishing to land a sizeable force on our mainland.

To further add to the F-111’s potency, the acquisition of HARM (Homing Anti Radiation Missile) is being sought and it is hoped that this missile will be in inventory by the time the first updated aircraft becomes operational. HARM is essentially a radar def ence missile. When the F-111 enters hostile airspace and detects a radar emission from a ground based emitter, such as a SAM (Surface to Air Missile) or an anti aircraft gun unit, then it can fire the HARM which then homes in on the radar emission, destroying the unit in the process.

This of course does two things, it either physically eliminates the threat or more conveniently forces the enemy to shut down his many radars for fear of the obvious. Either way the ingressing strike force can be assured of a greater chance of survival. Other defensive systems employed by the F-111 are chaff, Infra-red decoy flares and ECM.

The aircraft is already equipped with the all aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder IR Air to Air Missile though this primarily would be necessary only in a day mission environment. Most wartime attacks would be conducted under the cover of darkness using the Pave Tack’s excellent infra-red capabilities which literally turn night intoday for the attacker. Addition of Sidewinder though presents the defender with a more complex range of options in attacking the 111 once he is aware that it has itself a considerable self defence capability. Making the defender’s job more difficult and complex is, after all, a crucial component of the mission in that it makes him concentrate more resources to your attack profile than would normally be the case.

Our F-111s are also equipped with the latest Block 1C air to surface anti ship Harpoon missiles. This mark of the very accurate Harpoon is capable of numerous spoofing mid course deviations and is more advanced than the Harpoons presently equipping the P-3 and various RAN units. Harpoon has an effective range of around 60nm and both longer range and land strike versions are under development for possible future RAAF use. The RAAF is also equipping four of its six Boeing 707s for tanker operations using the probe and drogue system for the F-18 Hornets. However, the F-111 requires a USAF boom system and while this is not included in the initial 707 tanker refurbishment programme, it is hoped that at least two of the 707s will be so modified by the mid-nineties. At present the USAF work closely with 82 wing and all 1 Squadron crews are fully tanker proficient.

The latest decision to invest a further $200m in our F-111 force puts to bed for good any indecision as to the type’s long-term future in the defence of Australia and can only greatly enhance

our overall deterrent posture in the decades ahead. Recently a geologist working for the mining group CRA discovered the wreck and the remains of the crew of five. An American military team was brought in to recover the remains and also airlifted out parts of the crashed aircraft.

The Battle of Wau was in its last stages but the Japanese were still bombing Wau airstrip when the three transports arrived during an attack.

Mirages: Going, Going . . .

The Mirage, once Australia’s front line fighter, has now been replaced by the Hornet but don’t think that you have seen the last of the type yet. Some 50 Mirages are reported to be in storage at Woomera, where the atmosphere is conducive to long-term storage, pending their sale by tender. (Refer Newsdesk this issue)

From a Museum point of view there are few preserved. The Pt. Cook RAAF Museum has two aircraft but meanwhile the Queensland Aviation Museum has yet again been frustrated in its efforts to obtain a machine while major components from five were dismantled and scrapped at Williamtown RAAF Base.

Of those aircraft to go to Woomera they include A3-15, -33, -58, -103 & -113. At the Wagga RAAF Tech training school Mirages A3-42 and -72 have been noted and at Darwin A3-100 is to be a gate guardian. At the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base at Butterworth A3-59 is also to become a gate guardian alongside a former RAAF and RMAF Sabre.

Richmond Air Show had two ARDU Mirages on display, A3-2 in its distinctive Orange and White colours while A3-12 was in camouflage colours.

Meanwhile, closer to the east coast, the Orchard Hills Military facility has Mirage A3-44 as a gate guardian and A3-20, -57 and -91 as training aids.

Another Me 109?

Patrons at the Richmond ABAS could have been left wondering if the sudden appearance of a static display Me 109 meant that the AWM had had a change of heart and put its machine on display or whether another of the type had arrived unheralded in Australia.

The truth of the matter was neither of the above but that Gold Coast replica builder Ed Matthews had been hard at work making yet another fibreglass look-a-like. Ed said that the replica did in fact contain some original parts. Already there is some talk of an extensive display tour of the replica with a well-known company as the sponsor.

To complement the Me 109 Ed also had on display not one but two replica Supermarine Spitfires of different marks! The three replica display was a keen interest point of the show with spectators three and more deep for most of the public days.

If ever WWIII broke out, one can see Ed Matthews becoming a prime contractor for the supply of decoy replicas. Perhaps there is even business now for the Army and Air Force to use expendable replicas in War Games exercises in order to give an air of realism.

Narrandera Efts Tiger Moth Memorial

During the period 1940-45 the air around Narrandera in central NSW was alive to the sound of Tiger Moth trainers from the No8 Elementary Flying Training School as young men won their wings as part of the vast Empire Air Training Scheme.

Today those biplane days of over 40 years ago are remembered by a memorial in Narrandera Park, Narrandera, that houses restored Tiger Moth A17-443 along with a large display of photos and memorabilia enshrining for posterity the contribution of the No8 EFTS. The glassed memorial was officially opened on Sunday October 2nd by Air Chief Marshall Sir Neville McNamara (Rtd). Needless to say a small number of Tiger Moths flew into Narrandera for the opening.

The Tiger was rebuilt by the RAAF School of Technical Training at Forest Hill, Wagga, NSW. However, an amount of $5,000 (tax deductable) is still needed to complete the memorial and interested persons can contact the Secretary of No8 EFTS Association, Sandy Sandell, PO Box 11, Narrandera 2700. Ph: (02) 449 2718.

In Brief

• Airworld Aviation Museum of Wangaratta, Vic is reported to not be planning an Easter 1989 Air Show. Too much input required for the fiscal return is understood to be the primary reason behind the decision.

• Winjeel A85-460 is back in the air. Following RAAF service the aircraft was transferred to the then Department of Aviation in 1979 and ended up in the Flying Unit hangar at Essendon Airport. In more recent times the Winjeel has been obtained on longterm lease by a group of Ansett pilots and restored to airworthy condition. It took to the air again in late October under the provisions of ANA 1OBA.

• British aviator Sheila Scott died of lung cancer during October. She was 61. Scott became the first woman pilot to circle the world in a light aircraft via the North Pole but was best known for her effort in the 1969/70 UK to Australia Air Race in her PA24 Commanche G-ATOY.

• During October the Defence Department revealed that live Mustard gas bombs had been found at a former ww11

• RAAF camp near Maxwellton, in north Queensland. The bombs were made for possible use against the Japanese in Papua New Guinea but were never used. After the war the bombs were to have been destroyed by burning and cracking the casings. However, as it now turns out, not all the bombs were destroyed and some have remained live all this time.