Warbirds

Also sighted at West Sale airport, at the Gippsland Armed Forces Museum, is Jet Provost T Mk 5A, VH-JPE, c/n EEP/JP/1024. It is displayed outside.
In a hangar but perhaps not for long are BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk 87 c/n EEP/JP/2876, VH-AGZ, and Strikemaster Mk 80A c/n EEP/JP/409, VH-AOE.

The former started in March 1971 with the makers test serial of G-27-195. It became Kenyan Air Force ‘605’. Circa 1981 it moved to the Botswana Defence Force as OJ10. Retired in 1997 to moved back to the UK and became G-BXFS. Several owners later it became G-UVNR and was flown by the Team Viper Display Team still with its brown camo colour scheme. Transported to Australia it became VH-AGZ on December 23 2016 with owner Miltek Aviation Pty Ltd of Carrum Downs, Vic. on December 23 2016.

The second Strikemaster, VH-AOE, has also seen extensive military service. The aircraft, with c/n EEP/JP/4091 was built in 1976. It first went to the Royal Saudi Air Force as serial 1125. When retired from service to returned to the UK where it became G-CFBK but was painted up in mock Kuwait Air Force marks as K167-113. Sold and exported to Australia in June 2015 it became VH-AOE on October 27 2016. The owner was Milteck Aviation of Carrum Downs.

It is reported that two Strikemasters, an Iskra, a Folland Gnat, a DH Vampire and two Hawker Hunters are to being looked at to be exported to China. The types and numbers are yet to be confirmed. Assumedly the machines will end in air museum in the same vein as the New Zealand Spitfire, TE330 that was sold and went to China in 2008. It ended up in the People’s Liberation Army Air Museum at Datang Shan.

Register News

Nothing in the way of new warbird or antique news from the New Zealand register this month but from Australia we learn that Yak-50, VH-YAX, c/n 832504 has had an ownership change from The Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, Brisbane, Queensland to Nicholas Maddocks, Booval, Qld. on July 11. Meanwhile Yak-3M, VH-YZK, c/n 0470102 was removed from the register in late July. The CASA register does not as yet record an exact date. The last owner was listed as The Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, Brisbane. More details on the events behind the aircraft being sold by auction can be found in the June issue of AA.

It is reported that the aircraft is to be exported.

The register records that Siai Marchetti S-111 jet trainer, VH-SGB, c/n 02-017, has a new owner with Stephen Gale of Richmond, Vic. as at July 28.

Museum Hovering Around

With the Australian Army disposing of its Kiowa Utility helicopters Australian Air Museums have been offered the chance to bid for the now retired machines.

The South Australian Air Museum has been able to obtain Bell 206B-1 s/n A17-010. This aircraft was the most complete of those that the SAAM was offered. The aircraft is soon to be transported from Queensland to Port Adelaide where the museum is located. Transport of the helicopter will be a much easier task than the last interstate museum moving job – a DHC Caribou! The helicopter will be a simple flattop trailer transport job. The SAAM has also obtained a civil bell 206B. This machine was donated by Hartwick Air of Parafield and was obtained through the efforts of the late Paul Daw, a SAAM member and then Chief Pilot at Hartwick’s. The civil Bell has been retired and while it has had a lot of parts removed it will give up some needed parts for the Kiowa.

Meanwhile in Queensland the Queensland Air Museum has obtained Kiowa A17-012.

WW1 Replicas up and Running

At Caboolture The Australian Vintage Aviation Society is moving ahead with its short and long tern plans. Short term plans are to run regular flying days with the main display aircraft being its growing collection of WW1 replicas. At present there is an SE5A, Bristol F2B Fighter and Fokker Eindecker and Fokker DR-1 Triplane. With more to come.

Long term plans are to build a fixed museum where visitors can see the WW1 aircraft in a closed museum, good for any weather. In early April noted American antique aeroplane collector Kermit Weeks visited Caboolture to see the TAVAS collection. In recent times Andrew Carter, founder of TAVAS, flew the SE5A in company with the Fokker DR-1, VH-FXP, to Wollongong and back. Some feat for open cockpit aircraft. The SE5a took to the air on march 12. It is a two seater that can have the front cockpit covered over to give it the single seat look. The RAAF had one such aircraft back in the 1920’s. That aircraft was serial A2-36. It was modified from being a single seat aircraft.

It is unfortunate to report that the SE5A got a tad bent in a reported ground loop at Caboolture on June 29. The right wheel collapsed and the aircraft suffered some damage. Meanwhile at Gatton an RA Fokker DR-1 scaled down Triplane replica made a forced landing and ended up in a lettuce patch. With the attendant publicity the locals must have thought that WW1 was starting all over again.

In Brief

● The Australian Warbirds Association Ltd (AWAL) is to hold its Annual General Meeting at Temora, NSW, on Saturday November 11. As is usual a number of members fly their warbird aircraft to the AGM so Temora is expecting a number of interesting warbird aircraft.
● What does this mean? From the TVAL website in New Zealand we note the following interesting statement, ‘Important notice to our customers. Due to ongoing investigations, The Vintage Aviator has temporarily suspended all sales of its aircraft, engines and accessories. If you have entered into discussions to purchase any of our aircraft or engines since mid-2016. please contact Dominic Sheehan at +64 4 909 3100 immediately. Thank you – we look forward to resuming our normal service very soon’.
● Platinum Fighter Sales has flagged its website that it has sold the Grumman TBM-3E Avenger, VH-VTB. The aircraft, with serial 5337, is listed with the CASA aircraft register as owned by Round Engines Pty Ltd of Toowoomba West, Qld. Sources report that the machine is to be exported. Built in 1945 the aircraft was put on the Australian register in April 2006. It is powered by a Wright R-2600-20 radial engine of 1900 hp (1420 kW).
● Down but not out. That could be the catch cry of Winjeel VH-SOB that got partly submerged at Murwillumbah, NSW, on March 31. The warbird trainer was tied down at the airport when the unexpected floods came through and the result was that the machine got submerged for a good amount of the fuselage. The aircraft has been dried out and work undertaken to get it back to flying status again.

Contact Dave by email: [email protected]