Warbirds

The aircraft is B-25J 44‑31508 Lucky Lady. On the US register as N6578D, it is currently at Franklin, Virginia in the US where it has been in open storage for over a decade. The old bomber is not flyable and will need to be dismantled and shipped to Australia.

Built in 1944 it was used as a bomber trainer until early 1945. Sold as surplus in 1960 its biggest claim to fame is that it was used as a camera ship for the film Battle of Britain flown by legendary pilot Jeff Hawke.

The aircraft is now owned by Peter Smythe of Reevers Pastoral of Adelaide, In need of some TLC, Peter hopes to put Lucky Lady back into the air here in Australia. Peter’s Reevers Pastoral has several other warbirds registered to it, including two Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vs. Both aircraft – VH‑DQU serial BS234 and VH-BZR serial BS219 – were built in 1942 and were placed on the Australian register on February 28 2014.

They join Curtiss P-40E VH‑AJY, serial 41-35974, which was built in 1941 and registered on August 21 2009. The P-40E and the two Spitfires are understood to be rebuild projects.

Last but not least is Douglas B-26C VH-VNI. Currently located at Archerfield, Queensland, the 1944 vintage aircraft – serial 44‑5898 – was previously owned by Randal McFarlane before it changed ownership in 2014. It has been reported that activity to get the aircraft into the air has been taking place recently.

Qantas Founders Museum completes disassembly of Super Constellation ahead of shipment back to Australia

The Lockheed Super Constellation headed for the Qantas Founders Museum at Longreach has had its major components removed ahead of the aircraft’s shipment from the Philippines back to Australia.

The Qantas Founders Museum purchased the Super Constellation, which has been grounded for 25 years, at an auction of old aircraft organised by the Manila International Airport Authority in September 2014.

With help from the Qantas Engineering Aircraft Recovery Team, the Super Constellation was raised out of the mud and made safe and secure for towing at the end of 2014. The museum said in early April the engines/propellers, the tri-tail, wings and landing gear have been removed, with the aircraft components and fuselage expected to be moved to a storage area shortly.

“Detailed arrangements and plans for the transportation and restoration of the aircraft are currently underway,” the museum said.

Qantas Founders Museum chief executive Tony Martin acknowledged the help of industry partners such as Qantas, Manila Airport, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Heli Craft Aero Industries and the Australian Government.

“We also have a major fundraising drive underway with corporate and individual donations being received and in progress,” Martin said.

Previously operated by World Fish and Agriculture Inc to transport fish cargo and the United States Air Force, the aircraft will be transported first by ship then onwards to the museum’s location at Longreach by road. Meanwhile, the Qantas Founders Museum’s recently arrived Catalina is to feature in a documentary film. The Catalina, recently repainted, will be the star in the doco Return of the Catalina and The Double Sunrise Flights. The films are being made by Director Daniel Bunker.

The films will tell the story of the Catalina flights that connected Australia to England during WW2.

Finally, also from Longreach comes news that the Stockman’s Hall of Fame has added a Beech Queenair to its collection.

The aircraft is a former RFDS aircraft that served the organisation between 1978 and 1992. It has now been suspended in the Stockman’s Hall of Fame Museum.

Aviation great passes on

Jack T Garden, better known to all as Jock, passed away on March 20, aged 85. He was best known as the CFI and chief pilot for Brookes Aviation and later Civil Flying School at Moorabbin airport.

While still a youngster he made his first flight in a Puss Moth joyrideat Essendon airport, probably with Charlie Pratt, and started his aviation career as an instrument fitter with the RAAF.

He later commenced flying with the RAAF. There he gained Mustang experience that was to see him fly the type in his civilian days.

He worked his way up as a flight instructor at Latrobe Valley then Mckenzie Flying School and later Brookes Aviation. When about to buy out the firm in partnership with Bill Prouse he was beaten to the punch by Bib Stillwell. Jock stayed on as CFI and the school used the name Civil Flying School (and Services) as a pinch on the RAAF’s CFS (Central Flying School). There he stayed as CFI and chief pilot.

With his RAAF background Jock brought a touch of discipline with him that was lacking in a lot of civilian flying schools. He introduced a standard uniform to his instructors, a first for Australia. He also created different rates for dual and solo flying. Everyone else then copied CFS.

A stickler for smart dress andpunctuality Jock was said to not suffer fools lightly. As CFI he was said to demand high standards of his instructors and their students. The role of flying school CFI brought with it long hours, probably the reason that he eventually went freelance in 1972.

Along the way he had a few adventures, one with a PA-31 that had a double engine failure due to a maintenance issue and the second where a Navajo cowling came loose in flight.

Jock was well known to fly the various Mustang aircraft that passed through the CFS workshop at Moorabbin. He was the test pilot of the first Australian warbird, Wirraway VH-BFF, on December 4 1975.

At his funeral it was said that we will not see his like again. His RAAF background and the demanding role of flight school CFI ensured that will be the case.

Museum news

The Queensland Air Museum has just obtained another complete aircraft, Auster J5B VH-KCL.

The Auster had been in the Donaldson family on Neelia Station via Capella, out Emerald way. It had been bought new from Kingsford Smith Aviation Services.

Used as farm transport it had not flown for many years and was recently offered to the Queensland Air Museum. The donating of complete aircraft to the museum has been a growing trend.

The Auster was trucked to the QAM site at Caloundra in early March.

Moving inland and the Central Australian Aviation Museum has taken charge of a new exhibit, a DH. 114 Heron.

The four-engined aircraft was previously VH-CLW and had been purchased from a Sydney owner. Currently dismantled the aircraftawaits a shelter that is to be built to protect it.

After service with Connellan Airways at Alice Springs the Heron moved to the South Pacific. Later it moved back to Australia and was operated from Sydney.

Now it has gone back to its previous home at Alice Springs.

Antiques gather at Echuca

The Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia held its annual fly-in gather at Echuca, Victoria over the weekend of March 27-28.

The fly-in attracted some 130 aircraft. With good weather one of the stars was Ryan SCW VH‑SCW, a cabin monoplane with a Warner Scarab radial engine. It was a marked contrast to Ryan ST3‑KR trainer VH-RPT that was also present.

The Auster crew fielded no fewer than 12 aircraft including three Mk IIIs of WW2 vintage. Two vintage twins rate a mention, Aero 145 VH-DUH and DH Rapide VH-UXZ in its all over silver paint scheme.

The Cessna 180 has taken on a life of its own with some eight of the type present. More of a real classic! Other Cessna aircraft of interest were a C120 and a C140.

No antique fly-in would be proper without a Tiger Moth or two. There were six that attended. There was also a cabin DH Hornet Moth, VH-UXY. A rare Piper PA11, VH‑LTE, was an attractive light Piper.

The best warbird award went to Stinson L5E VH-NOY that was painted up in an unusual and unique blue US Navy colour scheme.

The best contemporary award went to a Cessna 172 of 1956 vintage. The aircraft was imported last year having been dismantled in Arizona before being shipped to Australia. The aircraft looks like it stepped out of a manufacturer’s sales catalogue.

The DH Canada Chipmunk also had a few of the type present with no fewer than six attending including a Canadian-built model, the rest being English-built.

For those that like wind-down windows the two pre-war Stinson Reliant models VH-UXL and ISR would be of interest. Unique Interstate 1A Cadet VH‑VCQ is the only one of its type in Australia.

The AAAA plans to run the annual fly-in at Echuca for the next three years.

Register news

In the change of ownership area Christopher Leon of New Farm, Queensland took ownership of Cessna 140 VH-COO, c/n 10805, on March 11, while Steve Golding of Montacute, South Australia became the owner of Boeing A75N1 Stearman VH-EYC, c/n 75-6488, on March 18. SIAI Marchetti S-211 jet trainers VH-CGL, VH-CJU and VH-CKJ were struck off the register on March 20 as being exported to the United States. The last owner was Roy Ferris of International Air Parts, Sydney.

In brief

»» During April the Melbourne Museum will be hosting a First World War exhibition of 350 significant artefacts on loan from the UK’s Imperial War Museum in London. The display will include photographs, artefacts, dramatic film and famous art pieces. The display will also include the actual engine that was powering the Fokker DR-1 Triplane of the Red baron, otherwise known as the German fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen, when he was shot down by Australian troops.

»» The Civil Aviation Historical Society & Airways Museum has a new patron, Professor Brian O’Keeffe. The previous patron, Ian Leslie AM passed away in December 2014.

»» A second Boeing B-29 bomber is to take to the skies again. The B-29, known as Doc, has been restored at Wichita over the last 15 years. The big bomber was rescued from the Mojave Desert after 42 years before being trucked out to Wichita for restoration. It is planned to operate the machine as a flying museum.

»» CAC Boomerang A46‑147 has gone on display with the B-24 Liberator Memorial group in Werribee, Victoria while it undergoes restoration. Owner Nick Knight has a lack of garage space at his home and the B-24 group will assist Nick with his restoration onsite.