Warbirds

At present the site is occupied by the former CASA office building (one of two sites that CASA has had and left on the airport). That building is to be demolished and a new building erected on the land – 4,000 square metres. This building will house the civilian collection. The existing site will continue in its current format, but will eventually be rebuilt as well.

President of the MAM, Ashley Briggs, was keen to note that all aircraft will finally be undercover for the first time.

With the lease done the hard work of the next few years has begun. At the moment the museum is looking at a budget of approximately $6-8 million for construction and fit out. Talks with the government have been underway but hampered by the pandemic. The museum is keen is engage with any Warbirds, classic aircraft, museum and air show news philanthropic donors who may wish to contribute to the construction of Phase One (the Civilian Collection).

At one stage the museum was looking at a move to the other side of the airport, on Boundary Road. That would have involved a massive undertaking and move expense. Now the new building will be just adjacent to the current site.

Quotes for the demolition of the former CASA building and museum archives site are already out and the concept drawings will be available soon. In addition, the Moorabbin Airport Corporation (MAC) has kindly offered to repaint the existing building with the colour being set at dark grey with white lettering, which will stand out to passing traffic.

The planned building is truly an exciting chapter in the history of the museum.

Once completed the museum will have some 12,000 square metres and the largest collection of Australian-built aircraft. On another tack, the museum has recently acquired a former Victoria Police helicopter, a Dauphine, VH-PVF, better known to the police as ‘Daphne’. She was the first state-owned helicopter for the Air Wing in 1979 and has had a long-distinguished career.

Amidst the COVID-19 Lockdown the aircraft was transported from Sunbury, Victoria, on Friday, 8 October to the museum and with the aid of a 10-tonne crane was hoisted over the fence into a display site previously occupied by CAC-built Sabre jet fighter, 989.

The Dauphine has played a vital role in aerial policing by VicPol of Melbourne and outer areas and has been an integral part of law enforcement in recent years.

From Nhill we learn that the Anson rebuild for the Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre has had an engine run, in fact a run of both the Cheetah engines. The aircraft, previously W2364 with the RAAF, still needs the port (left) wing to be attached but apart from that the aircraft looks good enough for the RAAF to requisition it and start patrols and twin training again.

GERMANY SPEAKING

Recently noted at the Latrobe Valley airport was a Bucker Bu 181 Bestmann low-wing two-seat fixed undercarriage trainer aircraft. It has a tailwheel. An import, it is understood that the aircraft has been here for a while having been imported from the UK but needed work before flying here. As this column closed off the Australian VH registration was unknown.

The type first flew in 1938 and this sample is understood to have been built under licence in Egypt and served with the Egyptian Air Force. Some 3,800 were built between 1938 and 1970 by at least four different countries. The aircraft is decked out in a typical German Air Force WWII colour scheme of camouflage and markings. It was planned to make a first showing at the Illawarra Air Show.

The owner is reported to be Chris Mayer of Raptor Aviation. Mayer is the owner of the Focke-Wulf 190A8, VH-WLF. He has another German aircraft in an imported Fokker Triplane replica also at Latrobe Valley having a New Zealand manufactured rotary engine installed.

“The replica is dressed up in the silver colour scheme that was much used pre-WWII”

TURNING THE CLOCK BACK

At the RFDS visitors experience centre at Dubbo airport there is a new and interesting exhibit. A replica DH83 Fox Moth carrying the registration VH-UQM is a recent new exhibit. The original aircraft was built in 1932. It was delivered to Holyman Airways in August 1932. Holyman merged with ANA (Australian National Airways) in November 1936. The Australian Aerial Medical Services (AAMS) in Broken Hill, NSW, hired the aircraft in 1937. It was used for medical flight work in Broken Hill from 1937 to 1939 when it was destroyed in a hangar fire at Broken Hill on 6 September 1939. The replica is dressed up in the silver colour scheme that was much used pre-WWII. On the rudder is the ANA logo.

An interesting addition to our aviation history. This aircraft was previously reported as being in the Dubbo Airport Terminal but is in fact in the RFDS building. The 1939 hangar fire was suspected as being deliberately lit. Also destroyed in the fire were DH60 Moths VH-ULA and VH-AAL as well as DH82a Tiger Moth VH-AAE.

REGISTER UPDATE

From New Zealand we learn that Cessna 180A c/n 50157 was added to the Kiwi register as ZK-KDC on 29 July. This aircraft was previously VH-BNJ and was struck off the Australian register on a date to be listed by CASA on its aircraft struck off dates. The new owner in New Zealand is listed as ‘Private owner’. In NZ it is possible to have the choice of having your ownership of an aircraft not revealed with the stroke of a pen. It had previously been owned by the estate of the late Phillip Dulhunty. Dulhunty (D.29/11/20) was an avid seaplane pilot. He was a founder of the group restoring a Catalina at Bankstown, NSW.

An interesting NZ addition is that of Lockheed 10A c/n 1145. This aircraft has been in New Zealand for a few years being lovingly restored by owner Rob Mackey of Ardmore.

“All states of Australia have air museums but NSW appears to take the prize for the most by number. With COVID-19 restrictions easing up now could be the time to visit some”

The aircraft was put on the NZ register on 20 October as ZK-AFD. ZK-AFD was an original airline aircraft in New Zealand pre-war and indeed the original machine still exists in the Auckland MOTAT. This new aircraft, c/n 1145, was apparently imported from Alaska where it wore the markings of N10310 with Union Airways and named ‘Kuaka’. The aircraft is reported to be close to flying.

The aircraft came from Chile where it carried the markings CC-226, then CC-LCN and then again CC-LEA with Linea Aerea Nacional. A DHC-2 Beaver c/n 124 was added to the Kiwi register on 9 September to GCH Aviation, Christchurch, as ZKLAY. It is ex DQ-GW from Pacific Island Air in Fiji.

Imports coming our way from the US of A are N22969 a Piper J4A, c/n 4527. It was struck off the US register on 11 June. N30335 a Piper J4A c/n 4-1191 was taken of the US register on 17 June. The new Australian owner is unknown at this stage.

DHC-1 Chipmunk VH-BCA DH-HF-46 changed to new owner Malcolm Thompson, Tullamarine, Victoria, on 16 October.

DH87B VH-UDH c/n 8066 was added to the Australian on 18 June to Alan McVinish of Wilsonston, Qld. This aircraft, built in 1936, was previously VH-AMJ.

S.N.C.A.N SV-4B Stampe c/n 424 was added to the register as VH-YCI on 4 August to Bryan McGrath, Point Cook, Victoria. DHC-2 Beaver VH-NTZ was recently taken off the register as having been exported to the US. The flow of Beavers going back and forth across the Pacific continues.

Siai-Marchetti S-205/18F c/n 225 was re-added to the register as VH-SMQ on 11 June to H. Syrros of Bankstown, NSW. This machine ex OO-HAN, G-AVEG, G-IPEC and VH-AZY. Built in 1968 Siai-Marchetti SF-260 VH-OTI has been struck off the register as having been exported to Germany. The aircraft was advertised as never been military and with a TT of 3,300 hours flight time.

Piper J3C-65 Cub VH-NBD c/n 15647 took up a new owner on 18 October to David Lillistone, Lota, Queensland. Piper J3C-65 VH-LEU 4541 became owned by Helico Australia of Whanreg Aewen, Victoria, on 3 September. Piper J3C-65 VH-LFJ 42-36509 changed ownership to Stuart Lee of Wangaratta, Victoria, on 8 September. Cessna 170 VH-OSZ 19645 took up new ownership with David Breckenridge of Highgate Hills, Queensland, on 18 August.

Beagle A61 VH-BGL B3746 has changed ownership to Chris Harrison, Denison, Victoria, on 5 August. Auster D VH-ARX c/n TW498 changed ownership on 23 October from Brian Trotter, Koroit, Victoria, to new owner David Miller of Landsborough, Queensland. A nice ferry from here to there.

It is hard to miss the registration VH-AAA at the start of the register. The rego is being held for a DH83 Fox Moth being rebuilt near Albury, NSW.

Recently an offer was made to obtain the registration mark. It is understood the figure was $60,000. It was declined.

WARBIRDS NEWS

Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) Spitfire Mk.IX, PL344, was added to the Australian register on 14 September as VH-IUK with owner Aerial Speed Icons of Albion Park, NSW. The aircraft is yet to fly.

Hurricane VH-JFW was struck off the register recently but is not yet recorded on the CASA listing of struck off aircraft. It has been exported to the UK.

A big surprise is the registration of a former RAF fighter trainer, a SEPECAT Jaguar T4. The two seater is ex RAF serial XX842 with a maker’s number of B29. The machine was registered as VH-UXB to Miltek Aviation of Carrum Downs, Victoria, on 28 October. A check of UK photos show the machine part dismantled at Bentwaters Airfield, Suffolk, in 2020.

Hawker Siddeley Hunter Mk.T.75S VH-UXE was reregistered recently. This aircraft was previously VH-RHO. The owner is also listed as Milteck Aviation of Carrum Downs, Victoria. Carrum Downs has become the fast jet centre.

For those keen to have an Air Trainer with grunt, the recent batch of ex-RNZAF aircraft may fit the bill.

Five Pacific Aerospace CT/4E Air trainers have been struck off the NZ register and taken up on the Australian register. The aircraft are:

ZK-PTC c/n 202 SOR NZ register 29/9. Became VH-KQD Ex NZ1987.

ZK-PTD c/n 203 SOR NZ register 14/5.Became VH-PVD Ex NZ1988.

ZK-PTH c/n 207 SOR 29/9. Became VH-KQG Ex NZ1992.

ZK-PTJ c/n 209 SOR 29/9 Became VH-KQI Ex NZ1994

ZK-PTK c/n 210 SOR 30/7. To VH-KQJ 11/8 Ex NZ1995.

VH-PVD is registered to R. Ekinci of Narellan, NSW. The other CT/4E aircraft are registered to operator Onyx Aviation of Green Hills, NSW.

Former Army helicopter VHPWU HDH Bell B/A 206B-1 c/n 44540 took up a new owner on 23 October to Buchanan Turf Supplies, Maitland North, NSW.

North American SNJ-5B VH-OVO a long-time resident with Shortstop Jet Charter at Essendon Airport had a change of ownership to Terry Healey of Bonogin, Queensland, on 22 October.

CAC CA-25 Winjeel A85-429 VH-OPJ changed owners to Michael Cully, of South Melbourne, Vic. on 19 October. North American T-28B VH-KAN serial 140016 is owned by AOG Services, Morley, WA, from 18 September.

Turbo Prop Siai-Marchetti SM1019 ‘Bird Dog’ VH-SNL serial MM57222-030 changed to new owner Geoff Bryant of North Adelaide, South Australia, on 23 August.

NSW AIR MUSEUMS

All states of Australia have air museums but NSW appears to take the prize for the most by number. With COVID-19 restrictions easing up now could be the time to visit some of those museums. There are air museums at Tocumwal, Temora, Scone, Evans Head, the AWM at Canberra, the RAN Fleet Air Arm Museum at Nowra, the HARS museum at Albion Park and the HARS museum at Parkes. Did one get missed? Not to forget that the Sydney Power House Museum has a number of aircraft on display although Power House may have stored them pending the ‘new’ Power House being built. Then there are the gate guardians at RAAF Wagga plus Fighter World at RAAF Base Williamtown.

“Recently an offer was made to obtain the registration mark (VH-AAA). It is understood the figure was $60,000. It was declined.”

SA MUSEUM GETS FA/18A

The South Australian Aviation Museum (SAAM) has been leased a McDonnell-Douglas FA/18A. After much paperwork and getting approval for the lease from the US the aircraft A21-32 is to be new addition to the Port Adelaide based museum. Air Commodore John Meter, Director General of History and Heritage RAAF, recently inspected the museum and was impressed with what he saw. The FA/18A Horner, a former ARDU aircraft, will join an F-111 and AP-3C aircraft now on display at the museum. Boeing Aerospace is to deliver the aircraft and re-assemble it. It will come with related ground equipment.

It has been said that the museum was originally to get A21-21 and A21-32 was to go to the RAAFA museum at Bull Creek but it would appear that a swap was arranged and the SAAM managed to get an aircraft that had operated at nearby RAAF Base Edinburgh, an ARDU aircraft. Most appropriate for a South Australian air museum.

SEABEE AMPHIB FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Back in 1946, the American firm of Republic, the same people who manufactured the P-47 Thunderbolt, chose to build a post-war commercial sales aircraft in the form of the RC-3 SeaBee Amphibian, a seaplane. Several come to Australia.

Now there is a new import, c/n 806. The aircraft was unloaded at Parafield in early April. The amphib was registered as VH-UUM on 30 August to Steve Barlow/Amphus of Renown Park. In the past, the Seabee has been regarded as a tad underpowered with its Franklin engine but this new arrival has a Lycoming GO-435 of 260hp with greater power, power that will make it really perform.

VH-UUM has had a few owners and registrations over the year. It started out as N6540K the to Canada as C-GBIE then back to N6540K then again back to Canada and C-FBUM. It was struck off the Canadian register on 17 August and added to the Australian register as VH-UUM on 30 August.

An interesting and unusual import.

There is one other SeaBee in Australia. That aircraft is VHKNA (maybe to become VH-CBZ) that the late Les Coleman has stored at Tyabb, Victoria, pending an extended overhaul being completed. Les had imported a replacement Franklin engine from Europe but the rebuild was not completed when Coleman passed away on 15 September 2019.

There was another SeaBee at Mackay. VH-WET. The aircraft last seen in 2006 and then disappeared after a flood of the airport and was thought to have been turned into scrap. Next it turned up in Thailand. There it is on display in the Chokchai Museum, Pak Chong. It is painted up in a fake US Navy paint scheme along with a fake US registration of N64PN on it. All a copy of a photo of an RC-3 in the US.

WARBIRDS FOR SALE

In the warbird market, the countries of America, Canada, France, New Zealand, Great Britain and Australia appear the biggest players, perhaps with Germany and Italy as new entrants. Over the past 20 or so years Australia has imported warbirds and classic aircraft but it has also been a supermarket for aircraft that went to the above countries.

Former RAN Fairey Firefly Mk. IV WH632 has not flown for several years but is looking to go back in the air next year. The aircraft, C-CBDG, is currently with the Canadian Warplane Museum, Ontario.

Platinum Fighter Sales currently has Spitfire Mk.IX VH-IXF/NH603 for sale at $6,531,703/US$4,356,960. The aircraft is billed as zero time since rebuild. At last count, the aircraft was due to have engine runs in the fourth quarter of this year. The machine was restored by Vintage Fighter Restorations at Scone, NSW

In the UK, Ryan ST-A, previously VH-AGZ, took to the air again on 8 March following some restoration work. This aircraft started out with the RAAF in 1942 as A50-31. Post-war it became VH-AGR. Then across to the USA where it became N288Y later to become N7779. It is understood to be staying under the US registration while it is in the UK.

DH85 Leopard Moth VHUUE is in the UK where it is to be rebuilt for its new owner Jim Cresswell. Also in the UK is DH85 Leopard Moth VH-USM, now registered as G-CLSM with new owner David Reid in Norfolk. Auster J5A Adventurer VHKSB is now in the UK with new owner James Wesson.

In the US, Avro 594 Avian VH-UFZ is now N7083 with Greg Herrick in his air museum at Minneapolis, Minnesota. This machine was a very early aircraft. It was rebuilt by Land Kidby before being sold overseas. It currently carries the markings ‘G-EBUG’ to look like an Avian flown by famed US pre-war flyer Amelia Earhart.

Warbird VH-FXY a Cessna O-1G Bird Dog has been sold in to the UK. UK registration is unknown as yet. Ex-RAN Fairey AS-6 Firefly WB377 is for sale in the US. The registration it carries is N518WB. This aircraft has been an award winner such is the restoration. It is currently in California.

NEW BEECH 17

A new Beech 17 has surfaced in Victoria, several years after it arrived in Australia. The aircraft is a Beech F17D Staggerwing. The aircraft, c/n 258, arrived in WA in 2009 having been struck off the US aircraft register on 25 June 2009. The big biplane is being rebuilt at Tyabb by Andrew Ralston for owner Glenn Wattie. The aircraft was built in 1938.

It took up registration NC290Y. In March 1942, it was entered military service with serial 42-22246. When war surplus it became N50256. In March 1956 it became N290Y. At the time of export to Australia it was owned by Lon Dienst of Dekalb, Illinois. The aircraft is powered by a Jacobs L6 radial engine of 330 hp. The airframe has been stripped down to the steel tube frame and will be progressively rebuilt.