Warbirds

At last count the aircraft was still at Maitland, NSW but was to be transported to Adelaide in the near future.

Peter has several aircraft, some of which are rebuild projects, registered to him or to his firm of Reevers Pastoral. These include Curtiss Kittyhawks P-40E VH-AJY and P-40N VH-DEA, Spitfires VH‑BZR and VH-DQU and Douglas B-26C VH-VNT. As we reported last issue the Yale, RCAF serial 3383, is basically complete except for a propeller. Its rebuilding and returning to the air will provide a real contrast with the Australian-built CAC Wirraway, as both it and the Yale design are direct descendants of the same fixed undercarriage NA-16 trainer design.

Mustang moves

Two local Mustangs are up for sale.

In New Zealand North American P-51D Mustang ZK-SAS, serial 44-13016, ‘Dove of Peace’ is up for sale via Platinum Fighter Sales for US$1. 595m. The aircraft is said to have 597 hours total time. It has two seats and dual controls.

This aircraft has had an interesting history. Starting out as 44-13016 it became A68-674 with the RAAF. Struck off charge in December 1948 it ended up derelict on a farm at Benalla, Victoria. Found by famed museum man Pearce Dunn, it became the property of Albury locals Messers Milne, Lane and Thomas. It had registration VH-CVA reserved for it but this was not taken up. It was exported to the USA to be rebuilt. It stayed there and took up the registrations N9002N, N9200N and later N551D.

There was a proposal that it return to Australia but it ended up in NewZealand and took up the marking ZK-SAS in 2004. Now, recently repainted with a new colour scheme, it is up for sale.

Back across the Tasman in Australia, North American P-51D Mustang VH-FST, ex 45-11526, is also being offered for sale by Platinum Fighter Sales. This machine had a gear issue at Point Cook some years ago, and after having repair work carried out it was flown to Adelaide where it was found to have engine problems. The aircraft was sold as-is to Ross Pay of Scone and its engine was removed and overhauled. Now the fighter is for sale at US$1. 285m. It has 212 hours airframe time since being rebuilt, and features a jump seat behind the pilot.

One hopes that both aircraft stay in the region.

Register news

Following up on our report last issue about the late Guido Zuccoli’s Fiat G59-4B VH-LIX being for sale, this aircraft was struck off the register on October 22. It has a new owner in Germany.

Curtiss P-40N-5-CU VH-PFO, serial 42-104989, was added to the register to Doug Hamilton of Whorouly, Victoria on October 14. The aircraft is said to have been built in 1943.

Yak-3U-R2000 VH-YOV, serial 001-3/2000, changed ownership from Eastern Fighters of Perth to Steadfast of Kelvin Grove, Queensland on October 21.

Yak-52 VH-MDT, serial 800910, was added to the register on October 28 to Michael Beresford of Traralgon, Victoria.

Cessna O-1G Bird Dog VH-XVB, c/n 21546, has a new owner in the form of Stuart Lee of Elanora, Queensland as from October 16.

DH. 85 Leopard Moth VH-UUL,c/n 7111, long under the ownership of the late Col Keith Hatfield, changed ownership to William Finlen of Boonah, Queensland on October 9. The Moth was a long time resident of Victoria. Built in 1935 it was advertised as having a total time of 1,715 hours. A few enquiries from overseas were made enquiring about the machine but it is good to see it stay in Australia.

An interesting change of ownership is that of DH. 82a Tiger Moth VH-BSD, c/n 021. The canopy-covered Moth has long been owned by Joe Drage of Drage Air Museum fame and later Air World Museum at Wangaratta. The change of ownership to Russell Graham of Sunbury, Victoria took place on October 16.

Finally, across the Tasman, 1961-built Cessna 172B ZK-CAA, c/n 48413, has been withdrawn from service effective October 28. This elderly machine was assembled in New Zealand back in April 1961. A real classic.

DC-2 restoration to get underway

In 1979 the Rotary Club of Albury obtained and restored a Douglas DC-2 which was placed on display at Albury Airport as a memorial to the KLM DC-2 PH-AJU, Uiver (Stork), that famously night landed in a storm on the local racecourse when participating in the October 1934 MacRobertson-Miller England to Australia Air Race.

Over the year the elements took their toll on the aircraft on external display. A few years ago the machine was taken down from its plinth with the expansion and upgrading of the airport terminal. Since that time the famed display aircraft has led a dogged life with its future well in doubt at times. Now the big Douglas is to be rebuilt at Albury by a local firm. The restoration will take some five years and then the DC-2 will be displayed at the airport again for all to see and appreciate.

On Saturday October 31 the Douglas went on public display – alongside a number of warbirds and classic aircraft – for the last time before it was due to be dismantled for restoration work to commence.

The original KLM DC-2, PH‑AJU, c/n 1317, was to be destroyed in an accident at Rutbah Wells, Iraq on December 20 1934. The Albury DC-2 display aircraft is in fact an earlier machine, c/n 1286 (previously NC13736 and A30-11 with the RAAF), and indeed is the oldest DC-2 still in existence.

Fw 190 nearing flight

The Albury DC-2 display day also allowed the public to view Focke Wulf Fw 190 VH-WLF, which had recently been imported and assembled in the Hazair hangar at Albury Airport.

The Fw 190 has had the engine run and at the time of writing was waiting for the paperwork to be closed off before taking to the air.

The machine will be flown on its initial Australian flights by Klaus Plasa from Munich, Germany. Klaus has flown and test flown a number of Fw 190 aircraft in various parts of the world and is deemed to be the most experienced pilot of the type available. Klaus is also an engineer and so is well equipped to advise on the mechanical side of this very unique aircraft.