Warbirds

It is unfortunate the problem that faced Sandora in terms of holding onto engineers experienced with the rebuild of older aircraft will not be the last we hear about this subject. Working with wood and fabric is a skill that is acquired over years and is so different from working with sheet metal or GRP.

Dragon Crash Memorial

Pilot Des Porter, his DH84 Dragon, VH-UXG, and his five passengers perished when the aircraft, lost in poor visibility, crashed into a ridge 36 km. S-W of Gympie, Queensland on October 1 2012.

Des was a pilot who was popular with all whom he met. Since the accident, family and friends have installed a memorial to the deceased at the crash site.

A stainless steel cross screwed to a gum tree looks over the airspace which the historic aircraft was lost in.

On the cross are the words RIP VH-UXG ‘Riama’ DH Dragon October 2012 and the names of those aboard. Under the names are the closing words ‘Friends, forever loved, forever missed.

All those who knew Des and his wife Kath will long remember them, their friends who were flying with them and the historic DH84 Dragon, ‘Riama’ VH-UXS.

Ran Sea King Helicopters To Be Scrapped

Now out of service the Navy Westland Sea King helicopters that were put up for tender last year are to be scrapped, except one that will be preserved at the RAN Fleet Air Arm Museum at Nowra.

The Westland built helicopters entered service in 1973. They were retired in December 2011 and held in storage at Nowra, NSW. Twelve of the type flew under RAN marks.

The helicopters are to be broken up and sold off for parts by Aerospace Logistics which submitted the successful tender. The firm specialises in the supply of components for aircraft around the world.

The aircraft in the Fleet Air Arm Museum is ‘Shark 07’, N16-118.

The five Sea Kings to be parted out are: N16-114/05, N16-125/10, N16-238/20, N16-239/21 and N16-918/22.

The Sea King has been replaced in service by the MRH 90 helicopter.

Arthur Butler Memorial Museum

These days Tooraweenah aerodrome in central NSW, located between Gilgandra and Coonabarabran, is a quiet unsealed country airstrip. Yet in its heyday it was the base of Butler Air Transport with regular airline flights.

Butler Air Transport operated from 1934 to 1960 mainly in NSW but also into Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. Aircraft types operated varied from the DH84 Dragon, DC-3, DH114 Heron, Avro Anson, Airspeed Ambassador and Vickers Viscount. Ansett Airlines took control of Butler in 1958.

Arthur Butler was an aviation pioneer. He flew a tiny Comper Swift from England to Australia in 1930. In 1934 Butler was flying DH Dragon aircraft on the Charleville to Cootamundra section of the England-Australia airmail route. After Butler got out of aviation he authored the book ‘Flying Start’ covering the early days of Australian commercial aviation.

The people of Tooraweenah are immensely proud of their local hero, so much so the aerodrome is named the Arthur Butler Memorial Aerodrome.

With a view to preserving the Butler story, a museum has been established at the aerodrome using the original passenger terminal building. The museum trustees have been negotiating with the Gilgandra Shire Council for relocation of the original Butler hangar which is still intact but used as the local works depot.

Recently it has been advised that the museum has obtained two Butler Air Transport type aircraft in the form of DC-3, VH-BPN, and DH114 Heron, VH-NJI. These aircraft are to be transported to the Tooraweenah aerodrome museum for public display and are to have regular engine runs conducted.

Arthur Butler may have been a middle-ranking player in the big picture of airlines in Australia but the people of Tooraweenah intend to keep his name in the public eye and remember what he did for the people of inland NSW and Queensland.

Register Update

From New Zealand we learn that the NZ aircraft register has, for now, gone back to what it was with details of aircraft owners included in registration details.

ZK-DAJ, a Cessna 305A Birddog with serial 22548 was added to the register on December 18 with owner as the Strome Farm Trust at Drury. The aircraft was brought from the US where it was N40SD. A new but oldie is ZK-PEE, a 1953 build Piper PA20, c/n 20962.

Previously N1160C it was put on the register on December 3 to D.S.Grant of Motueka. Another 1953 build aircraft is ZK-PSC a Piper PA18-135, c/n 18-2717, ex-N475NC. It is owned by S Coulter of Geraldine.

In Australia an addition is VH-VOD an Aero Vodochody L-39C. Serial 33511, it was put on the register on January 8 to Jay Reha Ekinci of Narellan, NSW.

Removed from the register was VH-EDX a CAC CA-25 Winjeel, serial A85-421. It was taken off the register on January 7 to be reduced to spare parts.

There were two notable changes of ownership. VH-EDF, an Auster J5P, c/n 3191, went to Bruce Ramsay of Gayndah, Queensland on January 4. Another interesting change of ownership was Percival Proctor Mk.1, VH-UXS, serial P6187. It went to Paul Gliddon of Kalamander, WA, on January 24. Previously VH-DUL, this aircraft is a rebuild project.

Coming Events

The Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia (AAAA) is holdings its Annual National Fly-in at Echuca, Victoria between Friday 12 and Sunday 14 April. For more information check https://www.antique-aeroplane.com.au

Temora Aviation Museum (TAM) has announced that its second Warbirds Downunder Airshow will take place on Saturday November 2 2013. The show will be a single day event.This event follows the highly successful inaugural Warbirds Airshow held in 2011.

The 2013 airshow will include not only aircraft from the TAM collection but also antique, classic and military aircraft.

The Royal Australian Navy will be hosting the International Fleet Review in Sydney on October 3 – 11. There will be many water-borne displays and activities more details of which can be found at https://www.navy.gov.au/ifr-2013-schedule-events.

On the aviation side there will be a fly-past by rotary and fixed wing aircraft over Sydney harbour on October 4 and next day, a formation fly-past by rotary and fixed wing aircraft over Sydney Harbour following the ceremonial Fleet review. Aircraft of various navies as well as selected historic civil aircraft are expected to participate.

The Review is being held to commemorate the centenary of the first entry of the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet into Sydney on October 4, 1913. This was a moment of great national pride and importance, one recognised as a key indicator of Australia’s progress towards national maturity. It is anticipated approximately 40 visiting warships and 12 tall ships will participate in this historic event.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, planning for the Classic Fighters Air Show at Omaka, Marlborough, is well underway. The event, scheduled for March 29-31, is to feature two WW2 adversaries, the Focke-Wulf Fw190 and the Spitfire Mk.XIVe. The Fw190 was scheduled in the 2011 event, but a last-minute mechanical glitch prevented this. It is yet to fly at a major airshow.

The Spitfire, meanwhile, has been in New Zealand a number of years. It was badly damaged in a 1996 accident on take-off at Wanaka. Over the years it has changed ownership several times but is now owned by Murray Miers and has been restored by Warren Denholm. The Classic Fighters Air Show is well known for not only WW11 aircraft but also a fantastic collection of WW1 aircraft that will show spectators what early fighters were all about. More information at www.classicfighters.co.nz.

In Brief

● In Victoria author Kevin O’Reilly is working on a history of the Pratt Brothers, Charlie and Percy. These New Zealand born aviators were well known around Geelong and Melbourne in the 1920’s right through to the late 1950’s. They were involved in charter and later were aerial photographers using a DH80 Puss Moth. They were also heavily involved in the early gliding movement and designed and built several sailplanes.

Kevin, who is the author of the recently released book ‘Flyers of Time’ a record of pioneer aviation in country Victoria, is seeking any and all information regarding the activities of the pioneering Pratt Bros. He can be contacted via email at [email protected].

● DH82a Tiger Moth VH-DDA suffered substantial damage following a partial loss of engine power on take-off from Luskintyre, NSW, on December 15. The ATSB reports the aircraft’s wings detached and one crew member suffered injuries.

● March 2013 marks the 70th Anniversary of the battle of the Bismarck Sea. The battle was fought in the waters between New Guinea and New Ireland from March 2-4 1943. Japanese forces attempted the transport of 6900 troops by sea from Rabaul to Lae, in an effort to turn the tide of battle on the Kokoda Track in New Guinea. Allied Intelligence got to know of the move and in a combined effort allied strike aircraft destroyed the enemy. To commemorate the anniversary of the battle a commemorative service is to be held at RAAF Base Richmond on March 7. Veterans of the various RAAF Squadrons that took part will be present.

Contact Dave by email at [email protected]