Warbirds

American Champion 7AC VH-STU was struck off the register on October 19. This aircraft was ex N83590 and was last owned by Harvey McBain of Nelson, Vic. The aircraft has c/n 2266.

As previously noted CAC CA-25 Winjeel, VH- WMD, A85-413, changed owner to new owner Paul Lostroh of The Bluff, Qld but we now have a change over date being October 27. DH82 Tiger Moth VH-WEM gained a new owner on October 20 to Nicholas Heiniger of Foster, NSW, on October 20. Folland Gnat T. Mk.1 VH-XSO, c/n FL595, was struck off the register on October 31. It is reported to be going to China for a museum. De Havilland DH60X, VH-JGS, c/n 604, was struck off the register on November 7. The last owner is recorded as Lionel Betts of Geelong. The aircraft was under a long term rebuild when it got involved in a hangar fire at Geelong on April 12 2006. An Auster and another aircraft were also destroyed in the fire.

Auster J5P VH-BTE, c/n 3200, moved to new owner Conrad Hamel of Tyabb, Vic. on October 3. Elderly Piper PA20 Pacer, VH-TPH, c/n 1103 moved to new owner Johan Luies of Aubin Grove, WA, on October 4.

DH82a VH-RIN, c/n A17-588, obtained a new owner on October 4 to Leonard Creek of Nhill, Vic.

Newton VC. Not Forgotten

November 29 will mark 75 years since Pilot Officer Rawdon H Middleton was posthumously awarded the Royal Australian Air Force’s first Victoria Cross (VC) in World War II.

Pilot Officer Middleton was the pilot of a Short Stirling four engined bomber that had been on a bombing mission to Turin, Italy on November 28, 1942.

The aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target with one shell exploding in the cockpit wounding Middleton’s body and face, and destroying his right eye. The same shell also wounded the second pilot and wireless operator. Middleton lost consciousness and the aircraft lost a great amount of altitude before the second pilot brought the crippled aircraft back under control. Middleton regained consciousness and after consulting the crew elected to fly the aircraft back to England. Approaching the English coast line but with scant fuel remaining Middleton ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft. Five men left the stricken aircraft, and two remained on board to help Middleton before attempting to parachute to safety, although unfortunately both were drowned.

The Stirling crashed into the English Channel killing Middleton. He was aged 26 years old. His body was later washed ashore and he was buried in the churchyard of St. John’s beck’s Row, Suffolk, with full military honours.

Now a ceremony is to be held at the RAAF base Wagga on November 29 to commemorate Middleton’s actions of extreme gallantry and devotion to duty on that day in 1942 – that cost him his life and earned the highest honour, the Victoria Cross.

Rathmines Catalina Fly-in

The event, held on Sunday 29 October was to raise funds for the rebuild to static display standard of the Catalina being worked on by the Rathmines Catalina Memorial Park Association. Each year the event seems to grow bigger and this year was no exception.

The Roulettes did their magic with six PC-9 aircraft and on the water some nine seaplanes or amphibians turned up to show what water flying is all about. Warbirds in the form of CAC Wirraway VH-WWY carried out a display as did Grumman Avenger VH-MML. A pair of Yak-52 trainers gave a touch of trainers to the day. The cockpit of Mirage A3-97 was brought to the Rathmines location from the Fighter World museum for the day. The main display aircraft was the rebuild Catalina that is steadily moving towards completed display standard.

The HARS Catalina, VH-PBZ, arrived to put on a display but developed an engine issue and diverted to nearby Maitland where it landed and then had problems vacating the runway. The aircraft required maintenance before it could fly back to home base at Albion Park.

Fn Queensland Museum Interest

In the far north of Queensland, around Cairns, there are a few items of interest to visiting aviation enthusiasts.

At Cairns airport the Short Belfast is still in one piece as of mid November. Given its size it is unlikely to be moved to an air museum. We await its fate with interest. It is understood to be the last of its type flyable. The DC3/C47 that was with the Belfast, VH-SPY, is no longer at the airport but has been moved down the road to Edmonton, just south of Cairns, and is now dormant in a paddock sans its wings. It is understood that there is a dispute over storage fees so the outcome of the machine is in doubt.

At the Cairns airport the Cairns Aviation Skills Centre has a Piper PA31 Turbine Cheyenne 1 on display at its front door while inside there is the cabin section of a Robinson R44 helicopter, VH-HOT, as a training aid. At the back of the building is a Robinson R44 helicopter complete with registration VH-TMD. Nearby is a Cessna 152 under rebuild, VH-UZB. Behind the security wire on the airport tarmac is VH-WJW a Dassault Falcon 10 marked as a Cairns Aviation Skills Centre machine. Built in 1978 this machine has carried some five registrations before being retired in 2008. It seems to strange to see executive jets being retired and parted out or broken up but that is what is happening around the world including Cairns and to more expensive aircraft than single engine Piper and Cessna aircraft.

In the Cairns suburb of Edge Hill the RFDS had previously had a Visitor Centre with a Beech Queenair, VH-FDS on display. The centre is now closed and the Queenair moved, again. Built in 1977 the big Beech was retired from the RFDS line and replaced by a Kingair. The machine was initially retired to Mareeba airport then over the road to the Beck War Museum. In 2014 it was moved again to Longreach and is now suspended from the ceiling inside the Stockman’s Outback Hall of Fame museum building. It represents the work that the RFDS has done to assist the outback medical field.

Inland from Cairns is the town of Mareeba. Inland and with good weather this aerodrome played an important link in the allied wartime bomber operations from Australia.

Over the road from the airport is the now closed Beck War Museum. The museum contains a number of aircraft including a C47, Canberra, Bristol Sycamore, DH Venom and the only complete Bell P-39 Airacobra in Australia. Sid beck passed away in 2013 and now his son, Norman, is drawing down the collection. As Norman explained during a recent visit it is not a fire sale and he has a price on all the exhibits. In addition to the aircraft collection there a numerous military vehicles, a large collection of aero engines and all manor of wartime memorabilia. The collection is housed under a huge wartime wooden hangar. This was originally at Townsville but was dismantled and moved to Mareeba many years ago to cover the collection.

If travelling to Queensland it is worth while visiting the Queensland Museum at Brisbane. Located on the south side of the river the entrance foyer has Bert Hinkler’s Avro Avian, G-EBOV, on display. It is suspended from the ceiling. It is the only aviation exhibit on display in the museum at present. Hinkler was born in Bundaberg in 1892. He died in the crash of a DH80 in 1933 in the Italian alps. The Avian was flown by Hinkler fro the UK to Darwin in 1928. It took 15 days and 18,000 km and 128 hours in the air. There was no GPS in those days! The Avian was powered by a Cirrus II four cylinder air cooled engine of 57 kW (76 hp). The aircraft was donated to the Queensland Government in 1929. Looking up at the Avian one can only think that it is a far cry from flying from the UK to Australia today in an A380 Airbus!

Warbird Intel

Douglas B-26C VH-VNI/CFGP still resides at Archerfield, at least most of it. When viewed in mid November the wartime fighter bomber had the horizontal tail surfaces removed and the nose forward of the cockpit has also been removed. It is understood that the machine is to be further dismantled and transported to Adelaide as party of the Reevers Pastoral collection of warbirds. The intent is to rebuild the machine to fly again.

Lockheed AP-3C Orion, A9-753, was handed over to HARS at Albion Park in a ceremony conducted by the Chief of Air Force Air Marshal, Leo Davies.

The AP-3C Orion is being phased out with the introduction of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon. The formal handing over ceremony was conducted on Friday November 3.

HARS reportedly plan to operate the ex-RAAF aircraft as a civil warbird. The aircraft has been at Albion Park since earlier this year.

In Brief

A note for the calendar. The Australian Vintage Aviation Society (TAVAS) Great War Flying Display 2018 will be conducted at Caboolture, Queensland, over April 21 and 22 next year. This will be the third event to commemorate all pilots from past wars but in particular World War 1. The event will not only have replica WW1 aircraft flying but also aircraft from WW2, Korea and Vietnam plus assets from the current ADF. The 21st of April is also the date of the centenary of the shooting down of the Fokker Triplane of the famed Red baron. A Fokker will be in the air and on display at the gathering.
Contact Dave by email: [email protected].