Warbirds

The final dispersing of the former Australian Army Bell Iroquois helicopters has been announced. The Minister for Defence Material and Science, Greg Combet, has announced that the Iroquois helicopters, used by the RAAF and the Army for some 40 years, will soon be dispatched across the nation. A number are to become tourist attractions.

One Iroquois will be kept for permanent display outside Townsville’s RAAF base. Iroquois helicopters will also become tourist attractions at Point Cook in Victoria, Darwin, plus Army bases at Holsworthy, Oakey, Enoggera, Bandiana and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Another five Iroquois will be kept for Australian Defence Force use as training aids and another two will be offered for sale to national returned service organisations (RSL).

Australia’s Iroquois have had a long history among the country’s defence Force.

Iroquois helicopter have served Australia during the Vietnam War, on deployment to Bougainville and the Solomon Islands, and provided assistance top people who were affected by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in Indonesia.

Johanson Rv4 Funds Appeal

There are aircraft and there are aircraft but one Australian built aircraft that does deserve preservation and display for all to see is the historic Jon Johanson Vans RV4, VH-NOJ.

This is the aircraft that was constructed by Jon Johanson and subsequently flown on many flights around the world.

The homebuilt was extensively modified by Jon and flown around the world in both directions and across both Polar Regions. Jon Johanson’s achievements have been recognised as extra ordinary by the world aviation community. They include 53 World flight records plus being awarded the highest International Aviation Award. Now this historic aircraft is under threat of being sold to the USA unless an appeal to buy the aircraft is successful. It is truly an historic record making aircraft, built in Australia by an Australian. It should be kept in Australia and kept on display for all to view and appreciate the loneliness of the long distance flyer as he made his way, largely unheralded, around the world.

Now the South Australian Aviation Museum at Port Adelaide is seeking to purchase the aircraft and keep it on display. It has been with the museum on loan for some months.

Friday July 2 was the official launch date for the museum’s appeal to raise the $55,000 needed to secure the aircraft. At the appeal launch event some 150 guests and museum members gathered in front of Jon and his aircraft to be welcomed by museum President, David Byrne, to the most significant meeting. The appeal was officially launched by well know South Australian aviator, Langdon Badger, with a stirring speech on Jon’s achievements and the reasons why the RV4 must reside as an exhibit in the museum. Jon Johanson responded with an account of a few of his experiences during his life, both before and after the record setting flights. It is to be recalled that Jon has written about his flights in his book ‘Aiming High’.

For those readers who wish to assist in the purchase of this historic aircraft for the South Australian Aviation Museum (SAAM) they can make a tax deductible donation to the SAAM, PO Box 150, Port Adelaide, SA, 5015.

Let us make sure this historic aircraft stays in Australia!

Malaysian Airforce Museum

For those visiting Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia the Royal Malaysian Air Force Museum, just outside the capital, holds a special interest, it has two former RAAF CAC built Sabre jets on display.

The museum has some 22 aircraft on display. The aircraft are former Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft. A number of aircraft are on display outside while the rest are in the sole display hangar. A Canadair 41G Tebuan (Armed Canadian Tudor Jet Trainer) mounted on a pylon greets the visitor. Beyond it are the gift shop and several exhibit buildings containing photos and equipment. Large aircraft outside are a Grumman HU-16 Albatross, a DHC-4A Caribou, DH-104 Dove, DH114 Heron, Bell 47G-5 helicopter, a Douglas A-4C Skyhawk, Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer, two Alouette helicopters and a Percival Hunting Piston Provost. The left wing of the Provost has a single machine gun and bomb rack capable of carrying four light bombs. Next to it is a Scottish Aviation Bulldog trainer.

At the other end of the display hangar is a Scottish Aviation Single Pioneer, an Eagle X-TS 150 Reconnaissance UAV with an under belly camera pod and a two seat trainer understood to be a locally built MD3-610.

To the rear of the hangar, outside, can be found a former RM Navy Westland Wasp and a former RAAF CAC built Sabre, serial FM-1907. This machine has panels removed the full length of the fuselage to display the various systems installations.

In the display hangar are a UK built DH82a Tiger Moth, a North American T-6 Harvard, Cessna 310F twin engine communications aircraft, another A-4C Skyhawk and a second Canadair CL-41G. A second former RAAF CAC built Sabre jet fighter is on display. This aircraft, with serial FM-1902, has a fresh paint job and is well presented. 10 Sabres were donated to the Malaysian Air Force after their RAAF service.

The museum is located a short taxi ride 4 km due south from the KL CBD. On arrival at the imposing entrance to the Salak Selatan Base armed RMAF guards will direct your taxi to the car park to the left and then you make your way on foot to the museum. Entry is free. Photography is permitted. The base also has an active military area and civilian aircraft operate there.

Duigan First Flight Centenary Celebrations

It was July 16 1910 that saw the first flight of the first Australian built aircraft, the Duigan Flyer, built by John and Reg Duigan and flown by John on what was to later be recognised as a truly historic day.

In recognition of that first flight a group at Geelong built a replica of the Duigan Flyer and had the completed biplane aircraft at a gathering at Mia Mia Oval, near the original first flight site at Mia Mia, Victoria, to the west of Melbourne, on Saturday July 17 2010. Some 2,000 people attended the gathering that included vintage cars and a fly past by vintage aircraft. At the gathering the Duigan Flyer replica was on display but a taxi demonstration was thwarted when the engine would not start. The engine was a 1925 Heath Henderson air cooled upright four borrowed from the Australian National Aviation Museum (ANAM) at Moorabbin Airport. The engine had been overhauled and made ready for the taxi and later flight but it was not to be. As it was the ground was fairly soggy from the recent rains. A copy of the original Tilley engine that powered the 1910 Duigan Flyer was planned to be manufactured and installed in the replica Flyer but the engine was not completed in time.

It is now planned to fly the replica Duigan Flyer at Bendigo in October and then at next year’s Australian International Airshow at Avalon. The plan is that the replica will eventually go on permanent display at the ANAM – Moorabbin Air Museum at Moorabbin Airport.

Register Notes

In the change of ownership area Auster J5F, VH-AFT, moved to new owner Conrad Hammel of Tyabb, Vic. on July 14. DHC-1 Mk.21 Chipmunk, VH-WCR, took up a new owner on July 5 to David Wearne of Echuca, Vic. Siai Marchetti S-211s’ VH-BVK and VH-CBL changed ownership on July 15 to James Edwards of Urrbrae, South Australia. These ex-Republic of Singapore Air Force jet trainers will bolster the increasing warbird numbers in South Australia.

Another aircraft soon to arrive on the register is Cessna 140, N3583V, c/n 14852. The little Cessna, built in 1948, was recently noted at Turbo Aero Maintenance at Moorabbin as a new import having been struck off the American register on May 26 as bound for Australia. It was last owned in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

DH60M, VH-UOI, c/n 1478, was added to the register on July 20 to Michael Worthington of Wahroonga, NSW. A moth with a history. Pre WWII it was owned by the famed medico Dr Clyde Fenton. The good Doctor flew the aircraft to China in 1936, with a suspended licence, no CofA and without permission to fly over foreign countries. The machine was later to be written off in an accident in November 1936 near Darwin Airport. The Doctor was a valued pilot during WWII when as an RAAF Officer he operated a transport flight better known as ‘Fenton’s Flying Freighters’.

The Dc-3 Gathering

The biggest event on the Douglas DC-3 calendar for 2010 was the DC-3/C-47 ‘The Last Time’ gathering. Held at Whiteside Country Airport at Rock Falls, Illinois, USA the gathering attracted some 24 DC-3/C-47 aircraft over the weekend of 24-26 July.

42 aircraft had been registered to attend but as expected a number did not get to the event due to mechanical and other issues. The gathering was held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the DC-3, arguably one of the most important aircraft ever developed.

The gathering had been planned to be at the EAA AirVenture event at Oshkosh but failed to materialise when the EAA and ‘The Last Gathering’ organisers could not agree on the planned mass flight and display of the famed Douglas aircraft at Oshkosh.

The number of the type at Rock falls, reported as 24, will probably stand as the last great gathering of the DC-3/C-47 type in the world.

In Brief

• De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover, VH-FDO, was flown from Wangaratta, Vic. to Coolangatta Airport on Saturday June 26. The three engined aircraft stopped in at Dubbo, NSW, for fuel on the flight to Coolangatta. Owned by well known warbird rebuilder, Ron Lee, the aircraft was flown to Caboolture a week later to join the air museum there.

• Hawker Restorations of Suffolk, the UK firm involved in the rebuild of former RAAF SE5a, A2-25, has not replied to an email request from this column asking about the history and sourcing of the aircraft from Australia (see last issue of AA).

Contact Dave by email at [email protected]