Warbirds

With Hawker construction number 37702 it became Iraqi Air Force serial number IAF 253. Following acquisition by Americans Ed Jurist and David Tallichet the machine, and others, went to the USA where it was allocated the registration N40SF. In Australia, it became VH-HFA (Hawker Fury . . . ) with the RN FAA serial number WJ231 recorded as its construction number.

The lots of the Sea Fury to overseas interests is disappointing considering the growth of the Australian warbird movement over the past few years. However the machine was advertised for sale in Australia. As it had no Australian service or historic ties there would have been no restriction on its export.

That the aircraft has been sold overseas reflects the fact that there are not a large number of potential buyers in Australia with the interest, time, flying experience and, of course, finance to and operate a high performance piston engine former fighter aircraft, the likes of which is not possible to be used commercially in order to even reduce at least some of the outgoing expenses.

Dutch C-47 Wreck Found

Still they turn up. During January the wreckage of a WWII Dutch Air Force Douglas C-47 was discovered near the top of a mountain some 60 miles from Cairns, Old.

The aircraft, Dutch Air Force serial number OT 9-41, complete with call sign VH-RDK on the fin and rudder, went missing on September 7, 1944, during a flight from Merauke airfield in then Dutch West New Guinea to Cairns. All the 17 Dutch crew and passengers plus two Australians were killed when the aircraft hit the forest covered mountain top. The remains of the totally destroyed machine was discovered by accident when members of a Scientific Exploration Society literally tripped over parts of the wreckage.

Although it is 45 years since the accident, the finding of the wreck and its occupants has brought a feeling of relief to surviving relatives who at long last know what happened to their loved ones.

One can only ask how many other wartime aircraft wrecks are still to be discovered as more and more previously unexplored wilderness is investigated.

RAAF Museum T-6 Identified

As previously noted in Warbirds the RAAF Museum at Pt Cook, Vic has a new static display T-6 Harvard displaying RNZAF serial number NZ947. It is now revealed that the machine is in fact sin NZ1034.

To mark the Australian Bicentennial in 1988 the RNZAF gifted NZ1034 to the RAAF as an historical static display aircraft. The RAAF did not operate Harvard aircraft however many Australian and New Zealand pilots received advanced training in the type in Canada during WWII.

To illustrate this common link between NZ and Australian wartime airmen it was decided to modify NZ1034 to an earlier model of Harvard and to paint it in a typical colour scheme worn by the Canadian and NZ Harvards at the beginning of the British Commonwealth Air Training Scheme.

To represent the earlier Harvard NZ1034, a Mk-Ila underwent cosmetic surgery to modify its external appearances to the Mk. II standard. The main work involved the removal of the radio masts, the repositioning of the tail running lights, and remodelling the top cowl of the front fuselage with as different profile (the earlier aircraft did not have the cowl machine gun fitted) fit two instrument ventures on the starboard side of the fuselage, the manufacture and fitting of a new exhaust system and the replacement of the pitot head with an earlier type. Last but not least it was painted in a typical 1941 era BCATP colour scheme of overall gloss yellow with RAF roundels and fin flash and serial NZ947 on the rudder.

For the record the original NZ947 was one of 61 Harvards declared surplus in 1959 and after being sold was reduced to components and aluminium ingots.

Replica Spits and Me 109 Sold

Late in February Aircraft Sales Australia held an auction at A_rcherfield, Old. at which the stars were three fibreglass replica aircraft.

Built by Ed Matthews of Giggara Waters, Old the aircraft comprising a Spitfire Mk. IX, a Spitfire Mk. XVI and Messerschmitt had attracted much interest and comment at the Richmond Bicentennial Airshow last year.

Billed as being suitable for display, promotions, museums etc. the three replicas actually contain some genuine aircraft parts to give them that ‘real’ look. A late report indicated that Mustang and Spitfire owner, Hockey Treloar, has purchased all three aircraft.

It is unknown at this stage what use the replicas will be put to or where they will be displayed. It is hoped to have more on this later.

Harry Hawker Lecture

Wednesday May 10, 1989 is the date of the annual Harry Hawker Memorial lecture presented by the Australian Aircraft Restoration Group, operators of the Moorabbin Air Museum.

This year, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Hawker, the lecture is entitled ‘Hawker, Man and Machine’ and will cover the life and times of Australian aviator Harry Hawker. The guest speaker for the evening will be Ian Macdonald a retired Qantas Captain who, as a 19 year old Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm pilot, spent some six months flying Hawker Sea Furys in Korea. Captain Macdonald later flew with well known English test pilot Neville Duke.

The lecture commences at 8. 00pm in the Moorabbin Town Hall, Melbourne. Admission charge is $2. 00.

As the Australian Navy flying in Korea is not well documented th’. 3t aspect of the lecture alone should prove most interesting.

A Rattling of Sabres

Jet fighters, other than front line Military aircraft, continue to gain interest both here and abroad and it is with much interest that we hear Sabre A94-970 has recently been refurbished and is ready to fly again. The machine, now in No. 76 Squadron colours, has been restored to flying condition by engineers of No. 2AD at Richmond RAAF Base, NSW and when airborne will join Sabre A94-983whichwas restored to airworthy condition a few years ago.

At least one and possibly more CAC Sabres are in civil hands and being rebuilt to flying standard. As a result of this, the recent sale by tender of Sabre spares by a Mr E M O’Brien of Mackay attracted some attention. Around 2,000 line items including specialised tooling, centre sections and manuals were sold. It is understood the spares were obtained some years ago shortly after Sabres were withdrawn from RAAF operations.

Also in Queensland, Transcorp at Redcliffe have advertised five CAC Sabres as for sale “complete but no engines or avionics” at US$20,000 each. An engine to match will cost an extra US$50,000. The machines are reported as ex RAAF given to an Asian Air Force and now out of service. Transcorp also have Sabre A94-909 purchased by tender and collected from RAAF Richmond so Redcliffe could possibly hear the sound of an Avon jet engine in the future. Sabres A94-909 and A94-970 were apprentice training aids at RAAF Wagga at one time.

Qam Sentosa Rescue Mission

The Queensland Air Museum has recently taken delivery of three new exhibits but there is just one catch, they are on the Island of Sentosa off the coast of Singapore!

The aircraft are a DH Sea Vixen, a Gloster Meteor and a Hawker Hunter that have been on display since 1979 until they recently got their marching orders. When the QAM heard about the aircraft, they had already been sold to a scrap metal dealer who subsequently agreed to sell the aircraft to the museum for A$15,000.

The project received a vote of confidence from Qantas, who have generously offered to sponsor the trip of the recovery crew to and from Singapore and also Kodak who have agreed to assist the project. The biggest problem facing the museum is the cost of shipping the three machines from Singapore to Australia.

QAM members have spent a month at Singapore, at their own expense, working on dismantling the aircraft and getting them ready for transportation. Unless transport south can be arranged, it may be necessary to store them pending suitable arrangements. Given the urgency of saving the three aircraft from the scrappers it has not been possible for the museum to arrange adequate sponsorships before the team departed for Singapore but museum members are still confident the public spirited sponsors will come forward to assist their efforts. Can any readers help?

Please urgently contact QAM Administration Manager, Ron Cuskelly on (07) 262 1058 or GPO Box 2315, Brisbane, 4001 to assist in this worthwhile ‘Sentosa Rescue Mission’.

Albert Murrell Dies

Well known Avro Avian owner, Albert Murrell of Penola, SA died in February aged 76.

A true gentleman and well liked by all who met him, Albert was for many years the owner and sole pilot of the only Avro Avian biplane flying in Australia. Albert in fact owned two Avians, VH-UQE and VH-UVX.

The Avian VH-UQE was first obtained in 1944 to provide transport to assist in the family business of running an electrical supply power station in several NSW country towns.

Following an accident in 1947 a second Avian, VH-UVX, was obtained to assist in the rebuild but eventually it became VH-UQE. Albert flew less than 1,000 hours all told and almost all in his Avians.

The 1980’s saw a rebuild take place during which the identities reverted to the correct aircraft and VH-UVX was soon to be seen in the Telemovie ‘Lancaster & Miller’ and later a saga about the Australian Light Horsemen in World War I.

Health problems dogged Albert in the 1980’s and it is reported that he sold both Avians to a new owner in SA several weeks before his death. One cannot help but feel that the separation of Albert and his beloved Avians, one he had for 45 years, somehow contributed to his death following a stroke.

Australian Naval Aviation Museum

For many years the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum at the Naval Air Station, Nowra, NSW, has been operating from WWII vintage prefabricated huts while many of the 17 aircraft under the Museum’s control are displayed in the open and showing the effects of weather and age.

As a result of the above a fund raising campaign was launched at the 40th anniversary celebrations at Nowra Air” Station last September to raise funds to properly develop an international standard naval aviation museum.

The goal is to raise a total of $2 million to provide stage one of the museum. To date some $500,000 in cash and pledges has been received and during February Cathay Pacific Airlines and the Swire Group weighed in with donations totalling $30,000 to help the cause.

Donations by well wishers and former Navy personnel are most welcome and will all help speed the project along. The museum, worth seeing even now, is open 1. 30pm to 4. 00pm Mon-Fri and 11. 00am to 4. 00pm Sat and Sun.

In Brief

• Following the article on Fairey Fireflys in the lastWarbirds, we learn that the globe-trotting Firefly, WD833, is now owned by Henry J ‘Butch’ Schroeder and was recently moved from Fort Collins, Colorado, USA to Danvill, Illinois. Schroeder is a co-founder of the Warbirds Worldwide organisation.

• While a number of Airshows planned for 1989 have been cancelled one that is going ahead is the Coolangatta Queen’s Birthday Air Spectacular. Organised by the Coolangatta Aero Club, the June event will have over 80 aircraft on display including a large collection of Warbirds. If you enjoy sunshine and warbirds, Coolangatta in June looks like the place to be.