Warbirds

Airworld Wangaratta Update

Of all the air museums in Australia probably the largest is Airworld, situated at Wangaratta in north eastern Victoria. Originally known as Drage’s Airworld, the museum started out as a collection of aircraft displayed at Wodonga on the Vic/NSW border by then owner Joe Drage. The Wangaratta Council purchased the collection and moved it to Wangaratta Airport where it changed its name from Drage Airworld to just Airworld. The collection has an extensive range of aircraft on display and on special occasions some of the aircraft are taken outside and flown. During a recent visit to the museum, changes were noted in the display layout and even the rear interior wall of the museum has been painted as a sky complete with clouds to add to the overall aviation feeling. New and changed exhibits were noted and are mentioned as follows: Clive Canning’s Australia/England Thorp T-18, VH-CMC, has been rebuilt following an accident and is now back on display at the museum entry. All ex Army Bell 47 Sioux, A1-402, has been obtained and is displayed for all to see. A new exhibit is a two seat DragonFly homebuilt, VH-JRJ, that is suspended from the roof. For those wanting to do a comparison of the Wirraway and a North American Harvard then go no further as VH-BFF (A20-650) and VH-HVT (NZ1075) stand alongside each other. The biggest aircraft on display is the Bristol 170 Freighter, VH-ADL, occupying the centre of the floor. Not one but two Lockheed Hudson bombers, owned by Malcolm Long, are also well displayed. One machine VH-FXF (A16-105) is complete with upper fuselage gun turret. A Transavia PL-12 Airtruck, VH-EVY, that saw service in the Mad Max III film is a new exhibit to Airworld. Another large aircraft is a C-47 in USAAF colours, while outside the museum VH-BIF, a retired Swearingen Metroliner, awaits a space inside the museum complex. Another twin is Avro Anson, VH-BAF. This aircraft has been reported as going to the UK but at last count was still on display at Airworld. An interesting exhibit is the non-flying replica of a Stinson Trimotor. This craft was made for a television mini series a few years ago and in the absence of the real thing in Australia the replica gives a good idea of what they were like. Victoria recently underwent an amalgamation of councils that resulted in the appointment of temporary commissioners. The aim of the amalgamations is to rationalise service expenses and as a result the commissioners have been taking a long hard look at all areas of expenditure. In the north east of Victoria the former Shires of Oxley and Wangaratta have come together as the Shire of Milawa. Recent media reports indicate that Airworld, long the subject of local controversy and poor management, has been heavily subsidised and that the Commissioners are calling for expressions to purchase it. Attendance figures are reported as having been a peak of 40,743 in 1987/88 and a low of 16,104 in 1993/94. These figures were compared with 12,000 for a jazz festival and 20,000 for a sprint car championship meet and a fairly low budget to promote the events. Airworld is situated at Wangaratta airport and is a short distance from the Hume Highway. As such it is easy for both aviation enthusiasts and general interest visitors to reach. There is no hint that Airworld will be closing at this stage and for those wanting to see a large collection of preserved aircraft at the one location Airworld should be high on the list of air museums to visit.

Primary Glider Preserved

In a world of high tech and go higher-faster the Moorabbin Air Museum turned the clock back on Sunday February 5 when it took delivery of its latest aircraft, a Heron Primary Glider. Closely resembling a German Zogling the Heron was designed and built in Australia although the origins of this aircraft are somewhat obscure. For those not familiar with primary gliders the type has sometimes been described as looking like a farm gate with the pilot’s seat and controls at one end, the tail surfaces at the other and a deep section wide span wing above the pilot. There are no instruments or windscreen. The undercarriage is a simple central skid. The Heron has strut braced wings while the Zogling had wire bracing. In 1943 four young employees of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, Jim Fullarton, Des Lynch, Don Bowd and Alan Patching discovered the partially constructed remains of a glider hanging in a fruit packing shed in Upper Beaconsfield, now an outer suburb of Melbourne.

The owners could shed no light on the origins of the glider but its appearance suggested that it was built in the late 1920s. The four acquired the glider and became affiliated with the Victorian Motorless Flight Group (VMFG). The aircraft was extensively rebuilt using the facilities of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, with the approval of the Institute’s administrators. In July 1945 the restored Heron made its first flight from the Governors Road Field at Mordialloc and it flew with the Motorless Flight Group until 1948 when it was stored at Berwick. In 1955 the Geelong Gliding Club used it briefly before grounding it. The Heron then fell into disrepair at Belmont Common, Geelong, before the VMFG reobtained the craft and stored it in a hangar at Bacchus Marsh airport for many years. In 1994 the Heron was restored by the group as part of the celebrations relating to the 50th Anniversary of the VMFG and it was displayed at a number of functions and gliding meets. Following discussions between the Moorabbin Air Museum and the VMFG the Heron was donated to the Museum in late 1994 and was transported to the museum in February 1995. Because of its excellent condition the glider was placed on display immediately and now occupies pride of place suspended from the ceiling in the centre bay of the museum building. The addition of the Heron brings the Moorabbin Air Museums collection of aircraft to 43 including the world’s largest number of Australian designed or built aircraft.

Airey Gannet Import

Coals to Newcastle and return would be one way of describing the recent acquisition of Fairey Gannet, XG888, by the RAN’s Naval Aviation Museum at Nowra. The Museum obtained the Gannet from the Royal Naval Air Station at Lee-on-Solent in the UK where a number of older service types were being disposed of. Initially it would seem odd to bring a Gannet to Australia when there are four of the type already here including one already in the RAN Naval Aviation Museum. XG888 is however an ex RAN aircraft! When the RAN disposed of its Gannets in the 1960s XG888 departed Australia on board HMS Victorious in November 1966. In April the next year it was sighted at the Westland Aircraft Company’s factory at Hayes. Eventually it ended up at Lee-on-Solent. Now, nearly 30 years later, the machine is to return to Australia. Looking at the Naval Aviation Museums Historic Flight it is apparent that for any aircraft flown there is already one held safely on static display. Given this formula could it be that the Museum is to fly the existing Gannet or perhaps the aircraft being imported?

Torqair – Tiger Moth World

Around Australia there are more than a dozen organisations that operate Tiger Moth biplanes on scenic flights and joyrides. Some of these operators fly occasionally while others fly every day with the rides being their sole activity. One Tiger Moth operator with a difference is at Torquay on the Victorian surf coast. Appropriately named Torqair Tiger Moth World, the operation was set up by several former airline pilots with the aim of running a Tiger Moth joyride and scenic flight operation. Both are in magnificent condition. Not only does Torqair operate scenic flights but it also has a cafe and gift shop that reek of Tiger Moth nostalgia. The gift shop sells Tiger Moth type items ranging from models to leather flight jackets. In addition to this there is also a Tiger Moth museum where one can learn the story of the De Havilland company and its arguably best known product. A small theatrette runs several video movies about the Tiger. Outside, next to the car park, there is a giant Tiger Moth shaped adventure plane where the children can play while mum and dad go for a flight or have a snack. The scenic surf coast also adds greatly to the enjoyment of a Tiger Moth flight. Torqair is situated on Blackgate Rd, Torquay.

In Brief

Jetstream Aircraft Sales in WA has managed to secure a WWII Hawker Hurricane in Russia. At last advice Dave Saunders indicated that he would like to see the machine end up with an Australian owner and be flown here in Australia. Hurricanes were flown by many Australians during WWII with the RAF but only one, V7476, came to Australia. In a feat of bureaucratic indifference it was scrapped after the war. More than 14,000 Hurricanes of all models were built and the last few years has seen a world wide resurgence in obtaining, rebuilding and flying the type. Further to the item in March AA’s Warbirds regarding the import of an F-111 it has since been learnt that the aircraft actually arrived in Brisbane aboard HMAS Tobruk in late January. The aircraft will go to RAAF Amberley for battle damage repair training. The name ‘City of Graham’ was noted on the nose. The serial number of the aircraft is at present unknown. 1995 is the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. A well travelled Airacobra—that is no doubt the description given to Bell P-39Q, serial number 42-19993. Built in America during WWII the aircraft came out to the Pacific and ended up in Tadji, West Sepik, PNG. In 1974 it was recovered and went to Auckland, NZ. In the 1980s it turned up in Melbourne for a possible rebuild. It was sold overseas and ended up with the California Museum of Flying at Santa Monica. The registration N139DP was given to the P-39 but it was still not rebuilt although it looked externally complete. News has now been received that it has been sold once more and is now to go to a collection in the UK where, hopefully, it will be rebuilt to fly once again.