Sundays at Sid’s

In the midst of this activity, one focal point for aviation enthusiasts at Bankstown was Hangar 273, home to Marshall Airways, operated by Sidney David Marshall (1902-1975). After training as an aircraft maintenance engineer with Interstate Flying Services operated jointly by Anderson, Kingsford Smith and Ulm in 1927, Sid later gained further experience in New Guinea as an engineer and pilot. After his wartime experience maintaining aircraft throughout the Pacific he took up the lease of Hangar 273 on December 16 1946 where he operated, maintained, sold and stored a variety of aircraft.

It was the amazing variety of aircraft in and around the hangar which achieved fame worldwide. They included aircraft such as Avro 643 Mk. II Cadet VH-AGH, Avro 652A Ansons Is VH-ASM and -AGX plus W2599 still in its original service colours, DH. 80 Puss Moth VH‑UQB, DH. 84 Dragon VH-AQU, Douglas DC-2 VH-CDZ, Lockheed 10-B Electra VH-ASM, Short Scion I VH‑UUP, and the military combat trio of Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 163824, Nakajima Ki-43 Army Type 1b Fighter Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon), Allied Code Name System ‘Oscar’, and Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIIIc MV154.

To add to this array, parked in a compound on the airport boundary were other DC-2 major items with one fuselage showing the Great Silver Fleet title still visible, confirming its original Eastern Air Lines heritage.

Marshall had obtained three ex RAAF DC-2s, A30-11, -12 and -14 through the Commonwealth Disposals Commission in 1946/47 for a price as low as £52. The origins of these aircraft was their acquisition by the British Purchasing Commission of 10 former Eastern Air Lines DC-2s on behalf of the RAAF and these were allocated serials A30-5 to -14 and served with a variety of RAAF units during World War 2.

The Marshall collection attracted so much attention that periodically in the 1960s aircraft were sourced and displayed around Sydney. The Spitfire appeared in the lobby of the Philips Industries building in the city while at the Roselands shopping centre during January 1967, the Spitfire and Oscar joined other aircraft on show in the carpark.

Marshall was happy for enthusiasts to photograph his aircraft. This writer remembers joining other enthusiasts in washing his Spitfire to have it spruced up for photography.

A willing conversationalist about all aviation matters, Sid had an extensive and detailed knowledge of events in our region going back decades.

In an address to the NSW Branch of the Aviation Historical Society of Australia in Sydney he showed his rare movie film footage he took of the departure of Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan in their Lockheed 10-E Electra NR16020 from Lae on July 2 1937. It was to be their ill-fated final flight which saw them vanish in the central Pacific Ocean, believed to be near Howland Island.

This historic artefact, now preserved at the National Library of Australia, was the last photographic account of Earhart and Noonan, filmed when Marshall was a pilot for Guinea Airways.

However, it was Sundays which provided the greatest activity around Hangar 273 when joy flights were available. In the 1950s it was possible to even get a nostalgic flight on DC-2 VH-CDZ before it was withdrawn from use after suffering an undercarriage collapse while landing at Bankstown on November 10 1957.

Undaunted by the unavailability of the DC-2, Marshall had several other aircraft on hand to continue the joy flights. The nostalgic line-up comprised the Cadet, Puss Moth, Dragon and Electra. Marshall sometimes flew the aircraft but the Puss Moth, Cadet and Dragon were mostly flown by Ron Gower, with another pilot enlisted to fly the Electra.

For a reasonable fare of a few pounds you could get a local flight or a longer version including a sightseeing tour around Sydney. This writer had numerous flights in the Dragon and Electra and they were delightful experiences. One flight in December 1965 took in the sights of the Sydney CBD with a panoramic vista available through the Dragon’s large window area.

Where are all Sid’s aircraft today? Some remained in Australia while others were exported. The most visible aircraft in Australia and seen by so many visitors is the Bf 109 now at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, part of the impressive and stirring night mission display.

For all those who enjoyed the fun of flying in some vintage aircraft and saw Sid’s collection it was an enjoyable and memorable experience. Hangar 273 still stands as a nostalgic reminder to all its former classic aircraft.

‘For a reasonable fare of a few pounds you could get a local flight. ’