Warbirds

The Mallard had been purchased in the USA and later flown out to Australia. It was one of only 59 of the type built. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engines of 450 kW (600 hp) each. The aircraft, built in 1949, was registered in Australia on July 26 2013 to Thrillionair Pty Ltd of Chapel Hill, Queensland.

Corsair Gear Up Landing

Chance Vought F4U Corsair, VH-III, made a gear-up landing at the West Maitland air show on Saturday January 28. The big warbird had an undercart glitch the day before and after attention from an engineer the machine went out to check all was OK. The landing happened on the return to the airport.

The aircraft suffered damage to the engine, propeller and under surfaces. A local report commented that the under surface damage did not appear to have been too bad. One can only commiserate with the aircraft owner, Graham Hosking, and the pilot Peter Clements.

The two day airshow was well attended and had an interesting collection of display aircraft, both static and airborne. Aircraft of note were Hurricane, VH-JFW, Grumman Avenger VH-MML, Beech 18, VH-BHS, Mustang, VH-JUC, DH60 VH-UOI, DH83 Fox Moth, VH-UVL, Wirraway, VH-WWY, T-28B, VH-FNO and an L-39C. The airshow was the first major show in the area for some time and was well attended, by spectators and interesting aircraft.

New Zealand Strikemasters To The USA

The New Zealand firm of Strikemasters Ltd. has announced that its two BAC Strikemasters, ZK-NTY and ZK-STR have been sold to the US firm of Blue Air Training of Los Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Blue Air will use the two aircraft, along with others, for military contract work, providing up to a 1000 hours per year in all of close support training for ground based troops. Blue Air Training LLC operates a large fleet of Strikemasters of various Marks but predominantly Mk 88 and Mk 80 in support of US Defense contracts.

The two NZ aircraft are ZK-NTY (c/n 302) previously RNZAF NZ6862 and VH-AGL and ZK-STR (c/n 310) previously RNZAF NZ6870 and VH-RBA.

The last New Zealand showing of the aircraft was at the Classics of the Sky Airshow at Tauranga on January 21. Both aircraft were painted up in a RNZAF colour scheme of two tone camouflage complete with air force markings. Blue Air uses both Jet Provosts and Strikemasters in its contract work. The firm now has eight Strikemasters with the two new imports. Four came from New Zealand.

In a media release from Strikemaster Ltd. CEO Brett Nicholls said that Blue Air had purchased all the Strikemaster and Jet Provost spares holdings in Australia (their main source of spares) and have a close relationship with a UK spares holding firm. The result was that costs would rise significantly for Strikemaster Ltd. and hence the decision to sell the two aircraft to Blue Air Training.

All said disappointing for both New Zealand and Australian warbird enthusiasts but good see that the aircraft are to be kept in the air even if in a working capacity.

Mustang Flies

Following on from the Jan/Feb. issue of AA where it was reported that restored CAC built Mustang A68-199/VH-URZ had had an engine run and taxi and was ready to fly. We can now report that the aircraft made its first flight in many long years on Friday December 16. The test pilot was well known Tyabb instructor and Sopwith Snipe replica builder, Nick Caudwell. In the rear seat was engineer Peter Robinson. Nick has flight time in the Judy pay/Dick Hourigan Mustang VH-JUC. No problems were reported from that first flight.

Tyabb now has two Mustangs, a P-40 Kittyhawk, a Yak 9, a North-American T-28 and a Corsair plus a Harvard or two based there as well as a variety of antique and sport aircraft. Tyabb is certainly an interesting place to visit.

Qantas Founders Museum Connie On The Move

Mid December saw an exciting event when the Museum’s Lockheed Super Constellation, N4247K, was moved from Manila’s International airport to the city’s seaport getting ready to be shipped to Australia. The intent of the QFM is to obtain as many of the early types of aircraft operated by Qantas. To date the museum has obtained a DC-3, Boeing 707, Boeing 747, Catalina and originals or replicas of several of the pre-war wood and fabric types of aircraft operated by the fledgling Qantas.

The Super Connie had been dismantled at the airport in preparation for the move. The trip took some four and a half hours over the 15 kilometer route. The move involved not only the fuselage but the wings, tri-tail, engine and propellers. The convoy at times travelled on the wrong side of the road and some power lines had to be lifted. All this required the close cooperation of various government departments, for which the museum is most grateful. Qantas Founders Museum Chairman John Vincent said that they were very excited to see the project complete this stage safely and efficiently. “Moving a 60-plus-year-old disassembled, very large aircraft is no easy feat” he said.

Now the next stage of the move to Australia, and Longreach, will be the transportation of the aircraft by sea to Australia, which is expected to begin in mid-2017.

Register News

From New Zealand we learn that Comper CLA.7 Swift c/n S32/10 became ZK-UVC on November 7 to JEM Aviation Ltd. of Blenheim. This aircraft was previously VH-UVC. It is reported that the aircraft is owned by Roy Fox and that the machine will remain in New Zealand for a short time before returning to Australia.

ZK-FHC is a DH98 Mk. T.111 Mosquito, c/n TV959 was struck off the NZ register on November 2 as having been exported. Last registered to Avspecs Ltd. of Manukau the aircraft is now with Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field, Everett, Washington State, USA.

The two BAC Strikemasters, ZK-NTY and ZK-STR were struck off the register on January 25 as exported to the USA. See above for more detail. The aircraft are bound for Blue Air Training of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Woodwork Delight

Latrobe valley, Victoria, is the site of a woodworkers delight in not one but two aircraft of wood construction being rebuilt. The first is a 1928 Westland Widgeon 111. Being rebuilt by Brian Turner from Latrobe Valley Airframes and Welding Pty Ltd. The Widgeon rebuild (not to be confused with an amphibian of the same name) is well underway and at last view was on its undercarriage. The aircraft is owned by James Courtney of Melbourne. With registration VH-UHU it was last owned by Arthur Whittaker who passed away in 2007 aged 99.

The second aircraft is a Percival Proctor, VH-UXS (VH-DUL). It is owned by Paul Gliddon. This aircraft suffered glue problems and while all the glued joints have been opened up a lot of the timber structure has been retained in the rebuild. Photos show the basic fuselage complete along with the wings. Reconstruction of a Proctor is a big job and Brian has been on the job for some three years now with some time to go. It has been said that when an aircraft rebuild looks about 80% finished there is still about 50% to go. That would have to be the case with the Proctor. There are one or two other Proctors under rebuild in Australia and the rebuilders all echo the same sentiment.

In Brief

● Like to see World War One aircraft? Then plan to be at Caboolture on Saturday and Sunday 22 & 23 April. There you will see aircraft of the Great War flying. A tribute to the Knights of the skies. The show is from TAVAS, The Australian Vintage Aviation Society.
Aircraft to be flown and on display will include Bristol F.2B, SE5A, Fokker Dr.1 Triplane, Fokker E.111, Fokker D. V111, Fokker D.V11 aircraft. Spectators will also be able to see and hear genuine 1917 rotary engines in action. Interesting.

● The Temora Aviation Museum has announced its 2017 Showcase Dates up to the end of June 2017. The dates are as follows: 4/2/2017, 18/2, 3/3, 18/3, 1/4, 15/4, 6/5, 20/5. The show programs have a mix of various aircraft types for spectators to see in the air and on the ground. More details can be found on the TAM website.

Contact Dave by email: [email protected]