Warbirds

Nasma At Point Cook: An Update

For the National Air and Space Museum (NASMA) at Point Cook, Victoria, things are progressing well and detailed planning activity is really starting to take place. In a recent interview, NASMA Project Director, Peter Allen, said that while the opening date is scheduled for mid 1997 this had been made all the more realistic following the completion and release of a business plan and financial viability study by the well known firm of accountants, KPMG. Mr Allen went on to say that a number of events and activities are being planned to use the Point Cook facilities even before the museum opens its doors. These include a major 1996 airshow (see elsewhere in the column), the relocation of the RMIT flying school activities from Essendon to Point Cook in January next year and the basing of the Canadair CL-215 water bomber there over the summer months while being trialed. There is also keen interest in holding events for aerobatic/antique/air racing type aircraft. All of these activities create a spotlight on Point Cook as a lead up to the opening of the museum. The KPMG study indicated that some 423,000 visitors could be expected to visit the NASMA each year and as such it would be in the top three like attractions in Victoria. In a study of a typical cross section of people most likely to visit NASMA it was found that 59% would be a family group, 21% adults, 9% youngsters and 11% school groups. An adult entrance fee would be $12 and four to five hours would be the normal visitation time. Of particular note was that the KPMG report showed that from a financial point of view NASMA could stand alone and that there would not have to be any recurrent public purse funding. A staff level of 40 full time people is expected with benefits to local employment. Visitor interest will centre around six basic interest themes. These comprise the History of Aviation, Flight Today, Military Aviation, Communications, Workshop Technology (ie airframes and engines) and Space Flight. These themes will be interactive, cover multi media and virtual reality and there will even be the ability for a person interstate or overseas to tap into the NASMA reference data text by way of the Internet. To this end Canon Australia has already tasked staff to assist in setting up the system and expect to have it up and running in 12 to 18 months. In addition to this it is planned that a large movie theatre, but not an IMAX, will be part of the complex. Overall, $25 million is required to get the museum open. Already $4.5 million of corporate support has been pledged, in cash or kind, from the aviation industry, the petroleum industry, banking, the media and computer companies. For the average pilot wanting to visit NASMA there will be facilities to cater for visiting aircraft and even if the pilot only flies in but does not visit the complex he or she will still be made most welcome. Visiting aircraft add colour and action to a place like NASMA and as a result will always be most welcome, indeed so much so that fueling, maintenance, flight planning facilities etc will be available for the visitors to use. The recent release of the KPMG report has been welcomed by the NASMA steering committee. While Peter Allen candidly says that KPMG looked at the project from a hard nosed point of view he also says that the end result is a report that the corporate sector can look at and have full confidence that it is an accurate and workable document that will assist NASMA to become operational in the shortest possible time without dipping into the public purse. All who have an interest in aviation, be it historic or the world of today and tomorrow can only wait eagerly for the day that the big sign at the NASMA says ‘Open’.

Leopard Moth Makes Final Flight From Casey Field

‘Progress waits for no man’ probably best sums up the reason for the final flight out of the historic Casey airfield at Berwick, on the outskirts of Melbourne. Sabre survivors. The Royal Malaysian Air Force operated a number of ex RAAF CAC Sabres through the 1970s, some of which still survive. Looking rather weathered is FM 1904 outside the RMAF Museum on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Better kept is FM 1907 also at the museum with panels removed for inspection. (David Foote) 72 Australian Aviation December 1995 Russian warbirds. Two of the stars of the recent Moscow Airshow were this restored Usubov U-2, a Russian licence built copy of the DC-3 powered by 745kW (1000hp) Shvetsov ASh-62IR radials and a Yak-3. One of the more enterprising ventures of post Communist Russia has been the construction of 20 Yak-3 replicas. The replicas differ from the WW2 original only in their powerplant, this time being built around an Allison V-1710 V12. One of these aircraft is now based at the Alpine Fighter Collection at Wanaka, New Zealand, and will be a key star of next year’s Warbirds over Wanaka Airshow. (Alex Radetski) Founded in 1938 by the then Hon R G Casey, MHR, (later Baron Casey, Governor General of Australia) the aerodrome grew from a mere cow paddock to a small but thriving airport on the southeastern outskirts of Melbourne. In recent years the airport started to feel the effects of the increasing population sprawl. 1988 saw the airport sold to a developer however the recession put a hold on a planned subdivision of the property. The then Victorian Labor

Government intervened and compulsorily acquired the land in 1992 for use as a second campus for Monash University. For the next three years the airport had a stay of execution but finally Group Air, the firm that operated the aerodrome, received word that commercial operations were to cease as from dusk of Sunday February 20 1994. For Colonel L K Hatfield, the Managing Director of Group Air, this came at a bad time as his beloved DH.85 Leopard Moth, VH-UUL, required parts for its English built Gipsy Major engine before it could be flown out. The much needed parts took an extended time to obtain and when received were promptly installed in order to let the historic aircraft be flown out, which it did on September 11. The pilot was none other than Macarthur Job, author of Air Crash and Air Disaster, pilot and regular contributor to Australian Aviation with his Air Safety column. A few days after the Leopard departed a fence was put across the runway thus ensuring that the final flight had been made from historic Casey. The Leopard Moth is now based at Point Cook where it will be flown under the auspices of the National Air and Space Museum.

Hawker Hunter Update

As reported in the September issue of AA a number of former Republic of Singapore Air Force Hawker Hunter jet fighters and trainers have been imported into Australia. The aircraft entered the country at Darwin, but since that time four of the aircraft have been moved to Archerfield, Queensland. At Archerfield, single seat Hunter FR.74S serial 503 has been assembled and is being brought up to flying standard and could be flying during the course of this issue. Both partners in the purchase and import venture, Geoff Looking forlorn but due for long term restoration with Classic Aviation at Bankstown is Winjeel A85-421. (Alan Scott) Moesker and Alan Arthur, have said that they have experienced no major problems with CASA as the aircraft were built in the UK, have all manuals in English and the well kept logbooks and flight data records are also in English. At present there are four aircraft at Archerfield including s/n 503, 512 and 528. 528 is owned by David Currie, an airline pilot working out of Singapore, and while some work has been done on the aircraft it will need more before it is assembled and prepared for flight. Geoff Moesker has advised that s/n 503 is now assembled and being made ready for flight with December as the target date. A few of the Hunters are still available for purchase and it is expected that once 503 gets in the air there will be more serious interest in the aircraft. With a typical 3000 hour engine life there is a lifetime of warbird flying in the Hunters which have rightfully been described as one of the most graceful of jet types. Once 503 is well on the way to flying, s/n 512 is scheduled to be the next to be assembled and made ready for flying. The aircraft last flew in 1992 and are described as being in excellent condition and have been well maintained. For those with an interest in Hawker Hunter jets Archerfield is the place where it is all happening.

New Warbirds Worldwide Directory

For warbird enthusiasts who enjoy knowing what types of warbirds are flying or being rebuilt around the world, start saving your dollars as a new edition of the Warbirds Worldwide directory is due out early in the new year. Although covering warbirds around the world the directory is compiled here in Australia by Australians Geoff Goodall and John Chapman. The new issue, which will be the third edition, will have expanded coverage due both to the steadily growing numbers of warbirds being rebuilt and flying, and in particular jet warbirds, as well as increased information on past and present machines. When interviewed recently, Geoff Goodall commented “Since we compiled the first edition in 1989 it has been pleasing to receive much feedback by way of extra information on individual aircraft histories. We have also been happy to see mention of the book in magazine reviews and the like from around the world and where someone says that they became aware of the history of a particular warbird by reading the directory”. Geoff Goodall is a long time aircraft enthusiast with a bent for warbirds. His interest stems back long before a lot of current warbird enthusiasts took up an interest in the type. Geoff was one of the few people to visit the ex RAAF Mustangs at the Emu Atomic bomb testing ground, in South Australia, in 1967 when they were put up for sale. And where do John and Geoff get their information from? Geoff replied by saying that “A lot of basic data comes from the civil aircraft registers of a number of countries. After that it is a matter of extracting and checking information from magazines, specialist aviation newsletters and of course corresponding with owners, rebuilders, pilots and knowledgeable aviation enthusiasts. A lot of good information also comes from the field notes of enthusiasts who see warbirds in a variety of countries”. The end result of all of this is a volume that promises to have a wealth of information on an aircraft type much appreciated by many, the warbird.

Point Cook Airshow For 1996

In the previous issue of AA we reported that there would be only one official RAAF 75th anniversary airshow and that is to be held over the period May 4-5 1996 at Amberley. News has since been received that Sunday March 31, 1996 will see a major airshow held at Point Cook, Victoria. Held in conjunction with Rotary International, the airshow will feature civil, warbird and current RAAF aircraft. The event will allow the southern states to join in the RAAF anniversary celebrations at what is the birthplace of the RAAF. The airshow will have the added attraction of focusing attention on Point Cook and its future use as the home of the National Air and Space Museum of Australia.

Qantas Outback Air Museum

Longreach has often been described as the birthplace of Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited, or Qantas. Longreach is now the centre of a major tourist attraction with its Stockman’s Hall of Fame and in the not too distant future it looks as if it will have an aviation museum second to none that will concentrate on the founding and expansion of Qantas. Already Qantas has donated a replica of the first type of aircraft operated by the company, an Avro 504K. The original Qantas hangar at the Longreach airport has been preserved and is to form the first stage of the Qantas outback museum. The hangar will become an exhibition hall for the Avro replica. A large site for the expansion of the museum has been set aside adjacent to the hangar.

Aero Tapes And Cds

Back in the July issue of AA mention was made of a CD of the sounds of big prop driven aircraft engines. This note created a lot of interest and we are endeavouring to find a source of supply for this CD as specialty record stores seem unable to supply it. As and when a source is known a note will be made in this column. In the meantime if you are still keen to obtain a cassette or CD of aero engine sounds try these: Checkflight P-51, Reno on Record; The Unlimited Edition, Reno on Record 2, Reno on Record 3, Checkflight P-38 and Round Sounds Vol I. These CDs and tapes have been sighted on sale here in Australia from Skylines Aviation Supply at Moorabbin Airport. Phone (03) 9587 3400. The tapes are $19.95 while the CDs sell for $29.95.

In Brief

The Catalina VH-EXG has moved. Previously under restoration in Victoria, the big Cat is reported as having been recently transported to Queensland to have its rebuild completed at Amberley RAAF base. The machine is owned by the RAAF Museum at Point Cook.

Wangaratta Airport in northern Victoria, the home to Airworld Air Museum, came under the direction of a manager as from the end of October. Mr Gerry Dowling, previously with the RAAF, has been appointed to the position and his duties will encompass not only the air museum but promotion of the airport at large. Airworld has had mixed fortunes in the last few years with expenses exceeding income in spite of cutbacks and numerous cost saving measures. The appointment of Gerry Dowling is seen as a step in the right direction to try and turn this around and make the airport a viable proposition for the Wangaratta district.

The weekend of October 28/29 was the date set for the formal acquisition and removal of the fuselage of B-24 Liberator A72-176. Since it was obtained at a surplus sale many years ago the fuselage has been in the eastern Victorian town of Moe. Along with the Lib is reported to be an Airspeed Oxford. After the Werribee based B-24 foundation signed a contract to obtain the machine, progress ground to a halt as the owner and the foundation became involved in a legal dispute. The matter was taken to court where it was found the foundation had a binding contract. After removal from Moe the fuselage was to go to Werribee where it will be rebuilt and mated with wings obtained in PNG.

Fairey Gannet XG888 has arrived at Nowra and its new home with the Australian Naval Aviation Museum. As noted in the July 1995 issue of AA the aircraft served with the RAN before returning to the UK and then eventually being obtained by the RAN museum. On arrival at Sydney the machine was transported by road to Nowra over a 10 hour period on Friday October 13. Due to its height the aircraft was unable to take General Holmes Drive under the Sydney Airport runways so the machine was transported up onto the airport and at 1am crossed the runways and joined the roadway on the other side. Just as well that aircraft are only charged landing fees and not taxi fees at the airport!