Warbirds

A overnight stop and then south-east bound to Cowra the next day, a flight of five hours aided by the long-range tanks. It arrived to a warm welcome by the early arrivals at the Australian Warbirds AGM and fly-in. Pilot Peter Clements participated in a formation flying workshop, then on October 17 he flew the machine 1. 8 hours south to Point Cook where a very relieved Corsair pilot tucked it into the Museum hangar. There it remained ready for the RAAF Museum interactive day on Sunday October 26. Museum director David Gardner reports that some 1,500 people attended the interactive day, more than usual, to view the first public showing of the Corsair.

Peter Clements, a flight lieutenant in the RAAF Reserve and a Jetstar 787 captain, then put the big fighter through its paces. Prior to the flight Peter talked about the machine and its history. He mentioned that what was planned as a six-year rebuild turned into 17 years.

The owner, Graham Hosking, probably never thought that it would take that long. Graham missed the flight as he was ferrying a yacht in Queensland while his aircraft flew at Point Cook.

Built in 1946 Triple India looked brand new and so it should. The engine, a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial of 2,300hp (1,715kW), and the airframe were rebuilt at Darwin.

The rebuild crew – the unsung heroes – were Nobby Bartsch (chief engineer), Roy Macmillan, Peter Bradley, Lindsay McKee, Roland Meier, Mick Johnstone and with assistance from Trevor James, Nick Belfield and Luke Bradley (Peter’s son). In the office they were ably assisted by Gina Bartsch.

Peter said that a huge resource and mentor for both the engineers and for himself as the pilot was Nelson Ezell in Texas. Peter calls Nelson the guru of Corsairs, both in engineering and flying. Ezell Aviation, the Texas Flying Legends Museum, specialises in rebuilding warbirds and operates at Stephens County Airport, Breckenridge, Texas. Its list of restored warbird aircraft is long.

And how does one become the only Corsair pilot in Australia? At the interactive preflight chat Peter talked of when he joined the RAAF at age 16 as an engineering apprentice. Following some study he remustered to flight training andwith experience moved forward in trainers, fighters, transports and even helicopters. He left the RAAF for civilian flying and corporate jets. He then rejoined the RAAF for a second term before leaving for a second time, and today he flies for Jetstar. Along the way Peter has flown most of the warbird types flying in Australia, giving him the experience to test and fly the Corsair.

The Corsair will soon be based at Tyabb Airport on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

B-24 Liberator site secured

The Victorian government has secured the future of the B-24Liberator Memorial on the corner of Princes Highway and Farm Road in Werribee in Melbourne’s west.

The signing of a land transfer agreement between the state government, Melbourne Water and the B-24 Liberator Memorial Restoration Fund has paved the way for the preservation and enhancement of the site’s aviation heritage, Victoria’s Minister for Aviation Industry and Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips said.

“The Coalition government has been working closely with the fund to help the group realise its dream of a permanent home and on-site museum precinct,” Rich-Phillips said in on October 21.

The B-24 Liberator Memorial Restoration Fund has been carrying out restoration work on the World War 2-era aircraft in the hangar since 1993.

Classic jets fighter museum news

From Parafield, South Australia the Classic Jets Fighter Museum (CJFM)has advised that itsLockheed P-38 Lightning has been sold in the UK where it will be rebuilt to flying condition. The aircraft is to be restored at Bentwaters, a disused former USAF and RAF airfield about 130km north-east of London, where it arrived in late September.

CJFM has advised that the twin-boomer has been shipped to the UK for a complete rebuild program to restore it to airworthy status and that this is the best possible outcome for the long-term preservation of this rare early model P-38H. The aircraft flew many missions in the Pacific conflict, including a probable Oscar victory over Rabaul Harbour, New Britain in 1943.

On the subject of the CJFM Corsair noted in the last issue of Warbirds, Bob Jarrett, CEO of the CJFM has advised that the Corsair, Bu02449, VH-ASG, was formally registered to protect its identity. At last count Bob was still in Vanuatu chasing up the last of the parts needed to complete the Corsair restoration.

Australian Warbirds AGM and fly-in

Cowra, NSW was the venue for the 2014 AGM and fly-in of the Australian Warbirds. The event, held over the weekend of October 18-19, attracted a number of warbirds from all points of the compass.

Aircraft noted included Corsair VH-III; Winjeels VH-HFM, OPJ and WJE; jet warbirds L-39 VH‑LCJ and Siai-Marchetti S211 VH-DZJ; North American T-6 Harvards VH- NZN, XSA and PEM and T-28s VH-ZUK and ZSH. T-38 VH-XUS was present as was CT-4 VH-MCT. Nanchangs VH-NNL, NNC, CJG and NND were noted along with Yak 52s VH-YAV and YYC. CAC was represented with Wirraway VH-BFF and Boomerang VH-MHR. For the biplane enthusiasts Avro Cadet VH-AGH was in attendance while Cessna O-2 VH-OII ran forward air patrols.

Butler Air Transport Museum falls through

From Tooraweenah, NSW comes news that the planned Butler Air Transport Museum is to be disbanded, even before the Heron and DC-3 aircraft it had acquired had gone on display.

The charter of the museum was to preserve the history of famed Australian aviator, Arthur Butler, and his Butler Air Transport Airline. The airport of Tooraweenah was used by Butler as a hub for his operations. It is said that he selected the location because his wife had come from the town. Butler operated from Tooraweenah for 17 years from 1946 to 1963.

The BAT Museum had acquired two aircraft, De Havilland DH. 114 Heron VH-NJI and Douglas C-47B (DC-3) VH-DNF (ex RAAF A65‑100).

The curator of the BAT Museum, Ross Pollock, advised that themuseum is being disbanded due to a lack of community support.

Pollock said that the sale of the Heron is being negotiated with interests in the UK where no Herons are flying. Only three are flying in the world, one in the USA, one in Sweden and one in Chile/Peru. The other Butler Museum aircraft, the C-47B, is also for sale either as-is complete or just engines and props. Both aircraft are currently located at Tooraweenah in dismantled condition.

As no ex Butler DH Heron could be obtained the plan was to restore VH-NJI to represent the Butler Heron VH-AHB, RMS Warrawee. The two Herons used by BAT were sold overseas after the airline was taken over by Ansett Airlines in 1959.

Butler’s original passenger terminal building still stands ‘in-situ’ at the airport. His ticket office in the main street of Tooraweenah remains but is now the Community Technology Centre. The airport is unlicensed and has a grassed brown sand surface single runway that runs 04/22. There are no hangars, the only building being the former terminal.

Aero club turns 100

October saw the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Victorian Aero Club (RVAC).

The RVAC celebrated the event with a gala dinner held in a hangar at Moorabbin Airport on October 25 and was attended by some 350 members and friends. A Tiger Moth and Piper Warrior added decoration to the surroundings.

The club was formed on October 28 1914 as the Australian Aero Club by military aviators Henry Petre and Eric Harrison. By 1926 the title had changed to Australian Aero Club Victorian Section. In November 1934 the name changed again to the Victorian Aero Club and in March1935 it became the Royal Victorian Aero Club.

Over those early years there was a strong connection with the military, in particular the AFC and later the RAAF. That connection was to give the club strength and drive in its early years. Indeed the early years of the club saw a number of military members, past and current, hold office in the club.

In the early years the club owned and flew de Havilland Moths – Gipsy Moths and later Tiger Moths. The club operated from Essendon Airport between the wars and up until 1949. The wartime years indicated that slow Moths should not be mixing it with the Douglas transports that were the then airliners of the day, so the federal government funded the construction of Moorabbin Airport, to the south-east of Melbourne, and operations commenced there in 1949. The club has been there ever since.

In the 50s and 60s the club operated outstations with training operations held at country locations. Over the years a number of these turned into local aero clubs and the RVAC consolidated to Moorabbin from where it operates today.

The RVAC is the oldest aero club in Australia.

In brief

»» The RAAF Museum at Point Cook is to get a replica Spitfire. The aircraft will be of composite construction. It will be mounted on a pylon near the museum entrance. The friends of the RAAF Museum will be funding the replica.

»» BAC 167 Strikemaster VH‑ZEP, serial NZ6361, has been exported to the USA. There it took up the US marking N309JP. The new owner is unknown at present.