Warbirds

Other warbirds were Harvard VH-NZM (owned by Jim Best from Jamestown), Jim Wickham’s Yak-9 VH-YIX, Alan Arthur’s P-40N Kittyhawk VH-ZOC, Jim Whalley’s CAC Boomerang VH-XBL, Nanchangs VH-NNG and VH-NNJ, Cessna Bird-dogs VH-FAC and VH-FXY plus several DH82a Tiger Moths, Boeing Stearman and DHC-1 Chipmunks.

Two historic twins were present in the form of Lockheed 12 VH-HID from Albury and Beech 18 VH-FIE from Parafield. The Lockheed turned heads with its polished metal finish as visitors marvelled at this 1930s airliner.

To compliment the warbirds Chris Sperou performed aerobatics in the Pitts Special while Rainer Huefner showed the world what his Rihn DR-107 can do.

Albury Dc-2 1934 Air Race Celebrations

When is a DC-3 a DC-2 and a half? When the DC-3 is cosmetically altered to represent a DC-2. That was the case with DC-3 VH-AES when its appearance was changed to represent the 1934 historic DC-2 ‘Uiver’ PH-AJU at celebrations to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1934 forced landing of the famous

DC-2 at Albury.

On Friday October 23 VH-AES was the welcome visitor to Albury where during the morning a tribute to the Uiver was unveiled at Albury airport as part of the official opening of the refurbished airport terminal. On a wall of the terminal an illusory mural, involving Uiver, was unveiled. It gives a 3D effect of the famous Douglas aircraft.

That evening a dinner was held to commemorate the 1934 unscheduled landing of the DC-2. The aircraft was landed on the Albury racetrack which is situated next to the current airport runway. When one looks at the racetrack it looks small. As one pilot said, how would anyone get a Cessna 172 into that racetrack by day much less an aircraft the size of a DC-2, at night, in a storm! Local cars had been hastily gathered at the racetrack to light up a landing path. The gathering was organised by an urgent appear over the local radio station.

It all came together and the aircraft landed safely.

On the Saturday a small airshow was held to celebrate the anniversary with more of the locals. Aircraft on display included the Allan Arthur Curtiss P-40N VH-ZOC and the Doug Hamilton Lockheed 12 VH-HID.

At Albury a replica DC-2 Uiver was present in the form of a former RAAF WWII DC-2 next the spray paint shop. It had been on display at Albury airport terminal for many years but the elements had taken their toll and sadly it was taken off display. It is now to be rebuilt on a long term basis.

Later on the Saturday VH-AES was flown to Moorabbin airport, Melbourne where it was no doubt a surprise to all when to taxied up to the terminal sporting the title Royal Dutch Air Lines along the fuselage with the large number 44 on the fin. Under the fuselage there was the number 44 and the name Uiver on the nose in front of the initials K.L.M. At Moorabbin a special evening was run at the Australian National Aviation Museum, the Moorabbin Air Museum. Adventurer Land Kidby talked about his England to Australia flying adventures as part of the local celebrations to commemorate the 1934 race. In the museum yard was another DC-2, one that the museum had acquired some few years ago and is being actively worked on to get it back to at least display standard.

Two real DC-2s’ plus a DC-2 and a half. All in one day. The mind boggles!.

Historic Rv4 For Sa Museum

From South Australia we learn that the S.A. Aviation Museum has Jon Johanson’s historic record making Vans RV-4TE on display and now the museum wants to raise $55,000 to purchase the aircraft. The museum wants to ensure that the aircraft remains in the museum, in South Australia and on public display. Built in 1992 the aircraft is a kit build aircraft. With owner/builder Jon Johanson at the control column the aircraft has been flown three times around the world, has flown over all four of the world’s major oceans and has flown over both the north and south pole. It has been to New Zealand, the USA, the UK and South Africa to name just a few countries it has visited. In the years that Jon has flown the little taildragger it has gathered 51 FAI world flying records.

Powered by a Lycoming IO-360 engine the aircraft carried an extra tank in the rear seat position when making the long distance flights to give it the range required. The aircraft was effectively retired from record flights in 2004.

The South Australian Aviation Museum can be contacted at PO Box 150, Port Adelaide, S.A. 5015.

Comment: This writer has seen Jon’s aircraft, VH-NOJ, at both Oshkosh and Norfolk Island while it was engaged in historic long distance flights. If this machine was American registered it would be destined for the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. As the aircraft is Australian registered it does not get the national recognition that it and Jon deserve for the truly incredible flights that it has done. It should be preserved for all time and put on display where Australians can see it and know that an aircraft built from a kit by an Australian has pushed the boundaries and safely come back to home base. Readers can help achieve that goal. Contact the S.A. Aviation Museum. At Ph. 08 8240 1230 or [email protected]. Give Jon Johanson’s RV-4TE, VH-NOJ, a life time home!

Narromine Tiger Back Home

When Tiger Moth, VH-KBX, touched down at Narromine, NSW, it was the end of a long journey. The Tiger, which is owned by a syndicate headed by Keith Powell, has been a long term part of the Narromine Aero Club and local flying. It was in 1982 that Col Pay of Scone purchased the Tiger Moth for the Narromine Syndicate. The aircraft was flown up until the 1990s when it started to deteriorate and required modifying. The modifications came about as a result of incidents involving Tiger Moths and indicating that they needed to be more thoroughly inspected.

In 2007 the syndicate felt that the ‘Moth need a complete rebuild and so it was moved to Luskintyre where Ray Windred and Matt Webber effectively dismantled the aircraft and, with the help of the Narromine Syndicate members, rebuilt the machine to as new condition. At Luskintyre Ray Windred runs a fully fledged workshop specialising in the rebuilding of Tiger Moths.

The last week in September saw Keith Powell and Peter Heywood fly the rebuilt Tiger Moth from Luskintyre to Narromine aerodrome. The arrival of the aircraft was greeted with jubilation from aero club and family members.

The Tiger Moth, VH-KBX, has been painted up in RAAF trainer yellow complete with its wartime serial, T5458, on the fuselage. The intention is that the machine will be handed over to the Narromine Aero Club and that in years to come it will be put on display in the Narromine Air Museum which already has some five aircraft plus a large display of memorabilia relating to aviation in the Narromine area, both RAAF and civil.

The Narromine Aerodrome celebrated its 80th birthday over the weekend of October 3 & 4.

Register Notes

A new comer to the Australian register is VH-BVW a Yak-18T tailwheel aircraft, s/n 4200307. It was added to the register on October 19 to David Black of Black Rock, Victoria. Classis Luscombe 8A VH-JNS, c/n 6399, was added to the register on October 21 to Justin Anderson of Temora, NSW.

Following on from the item in warbirds in the October AA two of the Republic of Singapore Air Force Siai Marchetti S-211 jet trainers have been entered on the Australian register. The two aircraft, VH-BQY s/n 027/02-017 (RSAF s/n 396) and VH-BRQ s/n 009/02-006 (RSAF s/n 385) were added to the register on October 9 to Royston Ferris of Mona Vale, NSW. The former RSAF fleet of 18 S-211s were transported by road from Pierce to Jandakot on October 17 for disposal by International Air Parts (see AA October issue). We can expect to see more of the type added to the Australian register in the future. Some high time aircraft may be reduced to spares.

From New Zealand we learn of US built Pfeifer Sopwith Scout replica N54T being added to the NZ register as ZK-SPH on September 30 to Chariots of Fire Collection, Blenheim. There are now enough WW1 replica aircraft in New Zealand to stage a major WW1 flying movie spectacular!

In Brief

The Qantas hangar at Cloncurry has been reopened. The recently rejuvenated hangar was part of the early days of Qantas with the establishment of the Royal Flying Doctor in 1927. The Cloncurry Shire Council had received an $187,000 grant from the Queensland State Government to refurbish the original Qantas hangar. Visitors can now go into the hangar, a short walk from the airport terminal building, and view the display of interpretative panels that cover the history of Qantas and its founding outback years.

Contact Dave by email at [email protected]