Warbirds

Following the two day airshow, the Monday will be an Air Fair day when visitors will be able to take joyrides on a number of the types present. The NZ Warbirds group will be present as will be aircraft and displays from the RNZAF.

From a small country airshow a few years ago the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow has become a real Mecca for south Pacific warbird enthusiasts with a growth rate that organizer and local warbird figure, Tim Wallis, could not have predicted in his wildest dreams. It is understood that accommodation at both Wanaka and Queenstown, 70 km away, has been booked out since Easter 1993, such is the interest in the event.

For those interested in attending the 1994 Warbirds over Wanaka, Australian Aviation in conjunction with Torii Tours will again be running a tour to the show. For details contact Torii Tours, 130 Phillip St, Sydney, 2000 or phone (02) 233 8500, fax (02) 231 2758.

Smithsonian Annex Approved

The long awaited annex to the American National Air and Space Museum was approved by the American Congress in July.

The annex was proposed a decade ago but made no progress due to siting problems. The chosen site is to be at the south east edge of Dulles International Airport, east of Washington DC, the US capital. The facility will be designed to house aviation artifacts that cannot be displayed at the main museum due to space restrictions. A number of large aircraft are already held in store for the annex.

Congress approved the directors of the museum to spend $8 million on designing the annex. Assuming there are no further hitches in the design and construction of the facility it will be open later this decade. Officials estimate that it will attract as many as a million visitors a year, most of them overflow from the museum in Washington. The present museum, with more than 8. 5 million visitors a year, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the USA. It is possible that a light rail system will be built between Dulles airport and the end of the Metro rail line in order to move people between the capital and the airport and museum. It is expected that construction of the annex facility will cost in the order of $160 million. The state of Virginia has pledged a bond issue of up to $100 million but Congress would need to appropriate the rest.

Preliminary designs call for a 700,000 square foot facility on a 185 acre site. It would also include a restoration facility for handling the largest artifacts in the museums collection. It has been reported that approval for the annex was held up for many years due to at least two other American states seeking to have the facility sited within their borders.

Now for the Ride of Your Life

Following the fatal crash of the MiG-15 at Canberra on March 13 the CAA grounded the type in Australia and shortly afterwards introduced restrictions on the carrying of passengers in some warbirds.

At the time of the restrictions there were several competitions being run for which the prize was a ride in a warbird, a MiG-15 in Australia and a T-34 in America. Needless to say the prize ride in the local MiG-15 was shot down, so to speak.

Since that time the day of the commercial warbird has really come of age. Now we have the situation where you can even get a check-out in a military jet trainer or front line fighter with one of several European air forces.

Keen to have a warbird ride as the prize in a competition, but without any restrictions, a local newspaper chain was promoting their Red Angel competition during September for which the prize was to be aride in a Soviet MiG-31 Foxhound fighter. Taking off from the Russian Zhukovsky airforce base the winner was to experience the ride of a lifetime by becoming the first non astronaut Australian civilian to fly 25km above the earth at a speed of more than 3000kmh. How times have changed.

Raaf Mosquito Rebuild Is Go

Never to fly again is what the average person would have thought a few years ago after a look at the remains of DH Mosquito Mk. XVI PR, A52-600.

The aircraft had had the wings cut off the fuselage, the engines removed and the fuselage structure was beginning to come apart. It was clear that the aircraft had seen better days. Enter 1987. The remains of the machine were transferred over to the RAAF Museum and later transported to No 503 Wing RAAF Richmond where, following a survey, the deci- sion was made to restore the aircraft and return it to flying condition! Since 1989 the rebuild has moved steadily ahead. In brief, the correct spruce and balsa wood (yes, the machine was constructed with some balsa) was obtained; a rotating jig was built to hold and rotate the fuselage 360 degrees; an inventory of components to hand and those required has been made; construction drawings obtained; and the engines inspected. Construction work has also taken place with some of the forward wooden structure rebuilt as well as work on the tailplane carried out. The undercarriage has also been over- end of the rebuild project.

hauled. The engines will probably be overhauled nearer the And all of this for an aircraft that by the normal chain of events should have been scrapped many years ago, just like its sister aircraft when declared surplus.

Although a number of people are involved in the rebuild two key personnel are Mr Athol Holtham and Corporal Harry Howard (RAAF). Both are skilled aircraft wood workers, a rare art in a world of metal aircraft.

before the end of the war.

Mosquito A52-500 was built in England as a PR model with the serial NS631. Shipped to Australia in 1944 it joined No 87 squadron and made a number of sorties over South East Asia Declared surplus in 1947 with only 320 hours flying time the aircraft was purchased by a Mildura orchardist who wanted to use it to dispel frosts in his orchard. This did not eventuate and the derelict aircraft was later obtained by the Mildura Warbirds Aviation Museum. The Mossie passed into the hands of a syndicate that wanted to rebuild it but this not also did not eventuate and the RAAF Museum was able to obtain it, ‘as is where is’ at Albury, NSW.

Behind the restoration of the historic aircraft by the RAAF is the Mosquito Aircraft Association of Australia. The is promoting the rebuild and is keen to help to eventually see A54-500 get back into the air. The association publishes a regular newsletter and, unlike a number of similar associations, is very happy to have younger members, people who have not necessarily been in the service but just have an interest in the Mosquito aircraft.

Secretary, Alan Davies, was keen to point out that the rebuild of the Mosquito will be a long term effort and hence it is vital to have younger people involved with the project to ensure that it continues to a conclusion, that is seeing the machine back in the air. Alan Davies also points out that the association would be pleased to hear from anyone with any knowledge of Mosquito parts or components. Every bit helps says Alan. No time schedule has been put on the rebuild but due to the amount of work involved it will almost certainly be the next century before it is completed.

The MAA can be contacted via the Secretary, Alan Davies, 4/18 Gordon Street, Traralgon, 3844. Tel: 051-745906. Membership enquiries are welcome.

Lake Boga – Were You There?

attack on Darwin and Broome it was decided in March of 1942 With the advance of the Japanese forces in late 1941, the location of Number 1 Flying Boat Repair Depot. The wisdom to select Lake Boga, in the north west of Victoria, as the of this decision was further vindicated when Japanese sub- marines entered Sydney Harbour torpedoing a vessel in May shipping as far south as Tasmania. and shelling Sydney in June 1942 in addition to sinking and being away from heavy population areas, Lake Boga Having a large expanse of water, a rail head, electric power seemed a safe choice for an inland air base. In 1942 Lake Boga influx of personnel from the RAAF, Women’s Australian had a population of 220 but this swelled rapidly with the large US Navy and Dutch of the Netherlands East Indies Naval Air Auxiliary Air Force plus visiting aircrews from the USAAF, Service. The township is adjacent to a natural circular lake some 3. 2km (2 miles) in diameter.

Between 1942 and 1945, the active life of the base, it serviced literally hundreds of flying boats. The types that Sikorsky Kingfisher floatplanes, Dornier Do24s and were there included Catalinas, Martin Mariners, Vought Supermarine Walrus amphibians.

All of this is now history, but as yet unrecorded. With that in mind researcher Brett Freeman of Swan Hill (near Lake Boga) has commenced the long task of putting the history of Lake Boga into book form. The book will depict the wartime events leading to the establishment of the No 1 Flying Boat Repair Depot at Lake Boga; the operation and activities of the base; description of some operations carried out by Lake Boga serviced aircraft; and postwar information.

If any reader was at Lake Boga during WWII or can contribute to this worthwhile exercise by way of recollections, notes, photos etc. please contact Mr Brett Freeman at PO Box 170, Swan Hill, 3585. Telephone (050) 32 1493 or Fax (050) 32 9502.

On the Subject of Spitfires

From England comes a report that Spitfire MkVIII MV154 is about to fly as G-BKMI. When back in the air the Spitfire will be the only MKVIII airworthy in Europe.

Previously RAAF A58-671, the aircraft is now owned by Robert Lamplough. Very quietly rebuilt at Huntingdon over the last decade, this was the Spitfire that was spirited out of Australia in 1979 in defiance of a ban on its export. The word smuggled has been used to describe the export.

Meanwhile at Toowoomba, now a major hive of warbird activity, the fuselage of yet another Spitfire was recently noted. The fuselage is that of a Mk IX, previously LZ-842. Built by Vickers Armstrong at Castle Bromwich the history of the machine is sketchy but it is understood that the fighter went to the South African Air Force. In the late 1970s to the mid eighties the machine was at Lanseria Air Base but by 1989 it was with A Dunkerley at Oxford in the UK. More recently the machine, understood to be only the fuselage, was obtained by Ross Campbell of Toowoomba. Only time will tell if the aircraft is to be rebuilt to flying or static display standard. Also at Toowoomba comes a report that Spitfire XVI, VH-XVI, (TE384) has been moved at the airport, possibly to new owners.

From New Zealand it has been reported that the Tim Wallis Spitfire XVI, ZK-XVI, that was damaged in a groundloop back in November of 1992, is still a bit of a problem child. The accident damage has been repaired but when the engine was ground run on September 24th metal was found in the filter. The engine has now been removed for an extensive overhaul, possibly in the USA.

Warbird Movements

The last month or so has seen six more CT-4 Airtrainers added to the register thus: A19-047 VH-DAP D Warren, Sydney, NSW. A19-050 VH-YBD Jetcraft, Archerfield, Qld. A19-061 VH-MQA A Cooper, Emerald, Qld. A19-063 VH-WEY J Weymouth, Warnervale, NSW. A19-070 VH-AOF G Radford, Strathfield, NSW. Another CT-4 has been registered as VH-PKY to P Stevens of Springhill, Qld. This machine is probably A19-060. Yet another Airtrainer has been exported. This aircraft, A19-055, has gone to New Zealand, the country where it was made. On the subject of warbird movements it has been noted that Charlie Miller has sold his Cessna O-1E Bird Dog, VH-CAM, and the aircraft is now based at Cairns, Qld and owned by a Mr C Ford, of Redlynch. Also in the change of owners is NA T-28D Trojan, VH-XVT, moved from Randal McFarlane to John Weymouth of Helimuster at Victoria River Downs in the NT.

Another old favourite is the Douglas DC-3 or C-47, as you prefer. VH-CAN recently left Cairns and went south. Just before it left it made a freight charter up to Mount Hagen in PNG. Around the middle of the year VH-PWN departed our shores to take up a new flying life in New Zealand while the fuselage of VH-EDD now sadly lays on the fire dump at Cairns. One departs, another arrives. Such is the life of the Gooney Bird.

On August 21 former PNG Defence Force C-47B, P2-003, previously A65-67 with the RAAF, arrived from Pt Moresby. On the 28th it was ferried to Moree, NSW, using the tradeplate registration, VH-PTE. The aircraft having been purchased by Mr Marty Taylor, the licensee of Moree’s Stockyard Tavern Hotel. Marty plans to restore the interior of the Dak and then have it towed to the Tavern and installed in the front courtyard as a tourist attraction.

Not every plan goes as scheduled and this was the case with the PNG to Australia ferry flight. Two PNG Defence Force pilots were hired to fly the aircraft south but at the very last minute were instructed by the Chief of the nation’s Defence Forces, not to undertake the flight due to fears of insurance problems for the two pilots. Eventually it was flown south with civilian pilots. One thing is sure and that is that the Tavern is the place to go to when visiting Moree.

One aircraft that has not changed hands yet is the Lockheed Lodestar VH-XUS, better known as ‘Flew the Coop’. The warbirds transport has been advertised by Classic Aviation as a reluctant sale to finance the completion of their new Bankstown maintenance facility.

Jet Warbirds

On other warbird information: The PZL TS-11 Iskra, s/n IH0816, now at Bankstown, NSW, has had the registration VH-ADG reserved for it.

Following the item (refer p42 Sept AA 1993) about International Air Parts importing seven former RNZAF BAC Strikemaster Mk 88 aircraft, the first of these aircraft has now been registered in Australia. The Strikemaster, s/n NZ6362, has been registered as VH-AGI tered one of the two former Pearce Dunn/Mildura Warbirds In the USA Sanders Aircraft at Chino, California, has regis- Museum De Havilland Sea Venoms as N7022H. The museum had WZ-903 and WZ-944. Both were exported to the USA but which of the two has been registered is uncertain. Recently Sea Venom WZ-944 has been observed being worked on in the Sanders hangar so this is probably the subject aircraft.

Meanwhile, closer to home, Bankstown based MiG-21 Mon- gol VH-XXI is due to hopefully make its first flight (from Sydney’s KSA) during the course of this issue.

Super Connie Update

Since the publication of the article “Two Super Connies for Australia’ in the July 1993 issue of AA several readers have enquired as to the status of the machine.

During a recent tour of Oshkosh and the USA this writer was able to visit the Pima Country Air Museum at Tucson, Arizona, where the Connie, 54-0157, is being restored. Inspec- tion revealed that the machine has come a long way in the last few months and that engine runs have been made. It is understood though that the machine still has more work to be carried out before it flies. Once airworthy the aircraft will be flown from the Davis Monthan air base the short distance to Tucson International airport where more work will be carried out at the Lockheed Aeromod facilities before it makes the long flight to Australia. Given the level of work to be carried out it is now more than likely that the aircraft will not get into the air until around the end of the year. On that basis the flight to Australia will then not take place until 1994.

In Brief

• Retired Lt General James Doolittle passed away on Septem- ber 28, aged 96. Doolittle joined the Army Air Corp in 1917. In the 1920s he made a number of record breaking and pioneering flights however it was during WWII that he really sprang to fame. Returning to active duty in 1940 he was to command and fly with a flight of B-25 bombers that made a raid on Tokyo, Japan, four months after the infamous bombing of Pearl Harbour by the Japanese Navy. Doolittle was in command of the B-25s as they took off from the pitching deck of the USS Hornet. After the raid the B-25s flew onto China where the crews then bailed out of their aircraft. Doolittle was later to command the 12th and 8th Air Force groups.

• In the middle of the year the remains of an Avro 643 Cadet were found south of Darwin. The aircraft was VH-RAC and was being ferried north on October 5 1956 when the Armstrong Siddeley Genet engine failed. The machine was badly dam- aged when it was forced to land on unsuitable terrain. The pilot, who was unhurt, was Charlie Miller who has had a life time of interesting flying both as a civilian and in the Australian Army. Charlie has owned a number of aircraft including Tiger Moths and more recently Cessna L-19 Bird Dog, VH-CAM. These days Charlie lives at Palm Beach, Qld. The remains of the Avro will probably go on display at the Darwin Aviation Museum.

• “Gentlemen, you have a race”. For many years that was the call used by American airshow pilot, Bob Hoover, as he gave the start signal to yet another air race at Reno, Nevada. Now it appears that the famous call will no longer be heard as Bob has apparently voluntarily surrendered his medical certifi- cate, according to the FAA Aeromedical Office in Oklahoma City. Hoover, aged 72, had apparently surrendered the licence earlier this year as a result of action taken by the FAA. A review of Hoover’s latest medical examination is to be undertaken. Hoover had for many years opened the Reno races with his call as he flew a Mustang pace aircraft. A WWII combat pilot he was also known for his superb handling of a Shrike Commander. Film footage showed Hoover pouring water into a jug mounted on the instrument panel as he rolled the aircraft, and without spilling a drop! Hoover had been contracted to open the 1994 Tasmanian air races while flying a Jet Provost.

• Research engineer and aircraft designer, Fred Weick, passed away on July 8 at Vero Beach, Florida, aged 93. Weick was probably best known as the 1930s designer of the first practical tricycle landing gear and later incorporated it into the two place, easy to fly Ercoupe.

After WWII Weicks worked with both Cessna and Piper assisting in the development of their agricultural and general aviation aircraft.

• Going but not completely gone is the Canberra bomber. A few of these twinjet aircraft are still to be found around Australia. Near Sydney, at the St Marys Munition factory, is English Electric built T4 A84-502 (previously RAF serial WT492). The aircraft is held in a security compound and fortunately has not been vandalised or been carved up for scrap. Interestingly enough other references have this machine domiciled at RAAF Wagga as an instructional airframe. Some 15 kilometres from A84-502 can be found EE Canberra B. 2, A84-307, (previously RAF WD939). Located at RAAF Kingswood, the bomber looms large as a gate guardian but these days its only enemies are old age, the elements and pigeons.