Warbirds

When originally imported from NZ by Joe Drage, of Drage (now Air World) Air Museum fame, it was one of the first of the type to come here. As it turns out the Harvard became one of the last of the ex-RNZAF machines to make its first flight in Australian skies. Twenty-two Harvards are now known to be in Australia. Doug Hamilton also owns Winjeel VH-JJG.

African Vampire Assembled

In late 1988 and early 1989 a total of seven former Zimbabwe Air Force Vampire jets were imported into Australia by a consortium based a Tyabb, Vic.

The aircraft comprised five FB. 9 single seat fighter bombers and two T. 11 two seat trainer aircraft. Also imported was a mountain of spares to support the twin boomers.

Now the first of the aircraft, a two seat trainer, has been assembled and was sighted during the recent antique air rally at Tyabb airport. The Vampire, with marking RRAF 119 on the boom, looks externally complete but does not as yet have the engine fitted.

The serial apparently refers to the original nationality and operator of the aircraft, the Royal Rhodesian Air Force. The roundel on the boom has a blue outer circle, a white inner and a red centre. Running through this is a spear head and shaft,pointing forward.

The machine looks in good shape and one would like to think that it will only be a short time before it takes to the air. Tyabb based aircraft sales firm, Lapthorne Aviation,is adver tising the two seater for sale at $110,000and a single seater at $75,000.

New Zealand News

While Australia may think that the local wardbird scene is growing at a great rate, across the Tasman there is an equal if not greater amount of activity.

As well as importing Vampire VH-ICP, now ZK-VAM,from Australia,the Kiwis have of recent times obtained three L-19A Bird Dogs from Vietnam. A Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber,a type once operated by the RNZAF, has also been obtained but will need a major rebuild. A DH Venom,ZK-VNM, is already flying as is a Sea Fury,ZK-SFR.

NZ Warbirds group have a Harvard aerobatic team that performs at airshows and such events. A Corsair has recently been purchased in the US by Tim Wallis and was due in NZ at presstime. T im is a Kiwi version of our own Col Pay as he already has a Mustang,P-4 0and Spitfire! There is also at least one T-28 Trojan flying in New Zealand as well as numerous other warbird types. All in all our neighbours in the land of the long white cloud seem to be doing just fine in the warbird department,even allowing for the recession and a smaller population.

Save a Sabre

While there are a few CAC built ex-RAAF Sabre jet fighters preserved around the country, it is also true that some have been expor ted in recent times,never to return.

Of the remaining aircraft,one in particular rates a mention. The Sabre A 94-982,a gate guardian at RAAF Base Wagga,NSW was one ofeight deployed to Ubon in 19 6 2 as part of our SEATO commitment. It carried out border patrols and strike missions and now,as it turns out,is the only remaining Sabre with an operational history. The aircraft was piloted on those missions by (now) Air Vice Marshal H A Hughes who lives in Canberra.

Given that A 94-982 is probably the most historically significant of all the CAC Sabres remaining it would be good to see this machine preserved for all time, and as a start it should be removed from gate duty and placed under cover.

Aussie Mossies

For all of the 7,65 9 DH98Mosquitos that were produced in the UK,Canada and Australia during WWII,only a handful survive. Of these,one in the UK and one in the US are still airworthy.

Here in Australia three Mosquitoes still exist. Australian built A5 2-319,a PR. 41,was sold as surplus in 1953 to Captain James Woods of Perth, WA to compete in the London/Christchurch Air Race. Registered as VH-WAD ‘The Quokka’,it did not race and spent the next 14 years in open storage at Perth. The aircraft was eventually sold and scheduled to go to the US to be rebuilt to fly. This did not happen and after several more owners and transport damage to the airframe the Mossie was shipped to Melbourne where it lay for five years pending recovery of the shipping costs.

Finally it was purchased by the Australian War Memorial in 197 9. At present it is being restored by Hawker De Havilland to static display standard.

The other ex-RAAF Mosquito is British built PR. XV I NS631 which became RAAF serial A52-600. After the war this was sold as surplus and in 1966 ended up with the Warbirds Aviation Museum at Mildura, V ic. Dismantled and unrestored, the aircraft was then sold to an Albury based partnership. The initial plan was to restore the wooden wonder to airworthy condition and to this end the registration VH-JUX was reserved for it. Eventually the Mossie was traded with the RAAF Museum for Douglas C-47 A65-98. This became VH-JXD and today flies the skies as VH-OV M. At last report the Mosquito had been moved to a NSW RAAF base where the rebuild will take place, some say to airworthy standard. The third Mosquito in Australia is ex-RAF FB. VI, HR621. This aircraft served with 618 Squadron RAF while based in Australia during the closing stages of WWII. It is now owned by the Camden Museum of Aviation and is in the early stages of a long term static restoration, which will bring the aircraft back from a completely derelict condition.

Regardless of static or flying condition it seems likely that the year 2000 will see not one, but at least two and possibly even three DH98 Mosquitos on display in Australia. A good innings for an aircraft type that was not even initially wanted by the military.

In Brief

• ZK-VAM is the new registration for former Australian registered two seat DH Vampire T. 35, VH-ICP. The aircraft was flown to New Zealand and new owners in November last year. One could say that ZK-VAM is a very appropriate registration.

• The Greenland expedition has gone home but not quite empty-handed. The expedition, to recover a B-17 and some P-38s that were force landed on the icecap during WWII, managed to get to the Fortress but found it had been damaged by ice. While some components were recovered the expedition will return during the 1991 northern summer to continue with the recovery.

• 50th anniversary celebrations will be all the go in the next few years as the calendar comes around to the date of such WWII events as the air battles of Pearl Harbour, Midway, Coral Sea, Darwin etc. Already special celebrations are being planned both here and overseas to commemorate these events. It is without doubt that the Australian warbird movement will be in strong demand in the next few years to provide aircraft to help remember those events of half a century ago.

• Col Pay’s P-40E Kittyhawk was damaged on 17 March after landing at Coolangatta Airport. The undercarriage collapsed as the aircraft was taxiing in, resulting in a major rebuild for the engine in particular.