Warbirds

Over the years Ian Honnery, now aged 75, has been the driving force to work with his organisational team to run the Avalon Airshow and to prepare for the next one or two. Ian felt that he needed to stay with the foundation and the airshow until it was clear of COVID-related lockdowns and restrictions. Justin Giddings as the Avalon CEO has been party to all the organisation of the airshow and is the right man for the job; he has the knowledge and the experience. 

Ian Honnery started out being a solicitor when he organised the very first Schofields Airshow. That subsequently led to the Richmond and the Avalon shows. Avalon Airport has become the home for the AMDA and the Avalon International Airshow over the years. It is not only an airshow but it has become a centre where the ADF can display its hardware and show the tax payers what they get for their money. It is a meeting place for overseas military members to meet their Australian counterparts and display their airborne hardware. It is also a sales shop for Australian military hardware. For the ADF, it is a recruiting centre for new armed force members. For the civilian field it is a great place to show the latest aircraft makes and models and services and for flight schools to recruit new trainees. The visitors also show keen interest in static displays of warbirds, antiques classics and just GA aircraft. As the visitor numbers have always shown, it is also a great entertainment for the masses. Colour, noise, and action being the key words. 

This writer has worked at Avalon as an airshow commentator. In that time, it has been interesting to observe Ian Honnery in action as the CEO. I have no doubt that organising the show would be like trying to herd cats but to the public, Ian Honnery has always been the ever smiling-chief with a handshake. A good man for remembering names and positions. 

New to be CEO Justin Giddings has a big hat to wear but he has organisational experience. He made the comment that in conjunction with the Air Force they will be staging the largest ever Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition at Avalon in early March 2023. The theme will be ‘The Future is Now – From the Sky to the Stars’. 

For Ian Honnery, the aviation industry and the ADF say thank-you for the hours and indeed years that you have put in, through thick and thin, to establish the event and to keep it rolling to where it is today. Enjoy slowing down and having time to smell the roses. 

WARBIRD NEWS

Forced landings. The Temora DH-115 Vampire, VH-VAM, has an in-flight engine issue on 16 November and made a hurried landing at Temora.

In Queensland, PZL TS-11 Iskra VH-ISK # 3, C/N 1H0608, made an early morning forced landing in a paddock off the end of Archerfield airport runway 28R on Friday, 3 December following a reported engine issue. The crew of two were uninjured. The aircraft suffered some damage. The red and white ex-Polish Air Force aircraft was registered to Alpha Foxtrot Pty Ltd of Mount Gravatt, Qld since 16 November 2020. Built in 1970, the aircraft had recently had the original SO-3W turbojet engine replaced by a Rolls Royce Mk.22 turbojet. In recent times the machine had been advertised as for sale with a total time of 2,460 hours. 

Struck off the register was Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatross, 430423, VH-IJY. The aircraft has been in the USA for some time having been a Reno racer. The aircraft was N239GS before it became VH-IJY and now will take up a US registration again. 

Taken off the register late in 2021 was Canadian Car & Foundry Hawker Hurricane Mk.XII, VH-JFW, 5481. The first Australian owner was listed as Galway Scone Pty Ltd, Scone, NSW. The machine was exported to the UK. New on the register is N-A T-6D Harvard, 121-42181, on the register as VH-TXF to NQ Warbirds, Cairns, Queensland on 10 November 2021. A change of ownership of TS-11 Iskra VH-ISZ, 1H0403, to Donald Beaumont, Port Hedland, WA on 8 December.

AUSTRALIA DAY AWARDS

The awards, awarded on Australia Day (26 January) this year contained only one aviation recipient. Greg Davies of Oatlands, NSW, was awarded the Order of Australian Medal (AOM) for service to recreational flying. It is disappointing that there were no airline, general aviation or aviation history recipients. 

REGISTER

A few less register changes in both New Zealand and Australia, in the classic and warbird area. No doubt a sign of the times and that COVID-19 is still with us.  For a start from New Zealand. ZK-ATM a DH82a Tiger Moth is an import from the USA a few years ago where it was N82TM. C/N 85470. The listed owner is ATM syndicate of Whitiangi. A well travelled Tiger Moth but mostly in a container crate. It has held previous registrations DE474, G-ANKL, OO-JIM, G-ANKL, N82TH, ZK-KLF and is now back on the ZK register on 25 November. ZK-JRF an Aero L-29, 892851, changed owners to G. J. Shivas of Christchurch on 8 July 2021. A new import to NZ is DHC-1 Mk 22 Chipmunk, ZK-CHP. It was previously N895WP in the USA. It took up ZK registration on 13 December. C/N C1-0895. 

Two PAC CT4E Airtrainers have been exported from NZ. ZK-PTM, 212, and ZK-PTV, 204, both struck off the ZK register on 18 November. C/n 204 became VH-KQE with Flight Innovations P/L of Green Hills, while C/n 212 also was put on the register as VH-KQW. Both on the register as of 1 December 2021 and both operated by Onyx Aviation of green Hills, NSW. A few interesting changes of ownership. Fairchild 24-C8C, 2605, ZK-ABE moved to Phillip Wilby of Rangiora on 18 October. Tiger Moth ZK-BAA, 84893, moved to B. Hore & Co. Ltd of Lumsden on 23 July.  Airdrome Aeroplanes Bleriot XI, ZK-BXI, BLE-003, changed ownership on 30 September to Bleriot XI Syndicate, Blenheim. (Not sure where they paint the registration on a Bleriot!).

Also in NZ is DHC-2 Beaver, ZK-LAY, 124, was added to the ZK register on 9 September. It is from Fiji where it was DQ-GWW. GCH Aviation of Christchurch is the listed new owner. Aero L-39 ZK-WLM, 332701, moved to Peter Beck of Howick on 26 November. To Australia, we see a new Stinson 108-3 import. N6435M. C/N 108-4435, was struck off the US register on 5 January. It became VH-UKS on 20 January to John McCracken of North Ryde, NSW. 

VH-UKS is an interesting registration. It was a Westland Widgeon, WA1780. The aircraft had a forced landing in NSW many years ago and became derelict. It was eventually exported to the UK where Ron Souch of Hill Farm Botley is rebuilding it. Another Westland Widgeon to take to the skies again. Soon to be VH- registered is Boeing B75N1 N9770H, 75-7163. It was struck off the US register on 19 January.

VH-FXY, a 1953 Cessna O-1G Bird Dog, 22913, has been sold and exported to the UK. Interesting enough the aircraft is apparently retaining its Australian registration. With ownership listed as Warbird Experiences Ltd of Biggin Hill, Kent and the operator as Richard Grace of Goulburn, NSW. Richard holds an Australian pilot licence. Perhaps we are to see an Australian registered aircraft conducting warbird adventure flights in the UK. DHC-2 Beaver N72355, C/N 1164, has been struck off the US register on 9 November as being exported to Australia. 

A few more changes of ownership. Boeing A75 Stearman VH-JLA 75-2265 went to Edward Brooker of Port Noarlunga, SA. With operator being Ivor Paech of Christies Beach, SA. The c/o took place on 13 November. DHC-1 Chipmunk went to Anthony Ram of Docklands, Vic on 8 November. PA22-108 VH-WHT, 22-9314, went to Lawrence Moloney of Cremorne, Vic on 11 November. DH82a VH-HIV, 198, and Auster J/1N, VH-KCU, 3368, both had listed ownership changes to Conrad Hammel of Tyabb, Vic on 6 November 2021.

Another new aircraft of interest is the addition of Stampe SV-4B, VH-YCI, C/N 424. It was registered to Bryan McGrath of Point Cook, Vic on 4 August 2021. This machine is powered not by a Renault but by a De Havilland Gipsy Major 10 Mk.2. Built in 1946 this Stampe started out as an SV-4C with the Renault engine. That was later changed to the Gipsy Major becoming an SV-4B. This aircraft had previous registrations thus F-BCVD (France) then G-BEPF and now VH-YCI. 

THE AIRCRAFT OF LORD RICHARD CASEY OF BERWICK 

Robert Gordon Casey was a member of the Liberal Party under Robert Menzies. During the war he served time as the government representative in the USA. 

Before the war, Lord Casey, as he became, bought a Percival Vega Gull in 1938. It became VH-ACA. He operated from a small strip at Berwick on the east side of Melbourne. His wife, Lady Casey (Maie) was also a pilot. The machine was used to commute from Berwick to Canberra. During the war, the Vega Gull was impressed by the Air Force and it became A32-2. It was mostly used for communications duties. After the war, the aircraft was sold off as surplus and it resumed the marking of VH-ACA but with a different owner. In 1949 the aircraft became VH-BQA. Some wooden aircraft deteriorate with age and ACA was no exception. By 1973 the machine was out in the open at Mudgee and derelict. 

Several owners planned to rebuild the aircraft but that come to nothing. From the UK, Gerald Smith of Gosport bought the machine as he was keen to own and fly a Vega Gull. It was shipped to the UK in 2012. Work trickles on and the machine is now registered as G-HACA. 

The next aircraft that Casey owned was a Fairchild F.24R-40, an inline six-cylinder Ranger engine-powered machine. Lord Casey had this machine, VH-ADF, from 1947 to 1956. During the war it was carrying the serial A36-4. It had a few owners after Lord Casey and is now with John Gallagher of Sydney. John is planning to rebuild the machine to flying standard in due course. 

The next aircraft that Lord Casey owned was a Miles M.28 2A Messenger. An unusual aircraft with three fins and rudders. Bought in 1953 he owned it until 1962. The aircraft, VH-AVQ, suffered the problems of many early wooden aircraft in that the glues used in the construction of a number of British built aircraft were failing with age. The Messenger was no exception. It was taken off flying duties and became a hangar queen. After several owners the aircraft was obtained by the Moorabbin Air Museum. It was put on display at the ‘Pipe works’ fun park in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. Later the machine was taken back by the museum and put into store pending a rebuild.

Richard Casey was known as Baron Casey and later became Lord Richard Casey. In his later life he became Governor General of Australia. He retired in 1969. The last aircraft owned by Lord and Lady Casey was a 1956 Cessna 180 tailwheel aircraft. It became VH-RGC when registered in June of that year. 

The aircraft was again operated by Casey from the Berwick airstrip but did little flying. Lord Casey passed away on 17 June 1976. He was aged 86. In due course the machine was sold. It was to become an aircraft with very few flight hours on it. The current owner is Todd Afford of Inverloch, Victoria. Inverloch is not far from Berwick, its original home. The aircraft still has few hours on it even after having been owned in Western Australia. Todd bought the aircraft in January 2020. 

In all, Lord Casey owned four aircraft, from 1938 until 1976. The amazing thing is that all four aircraft still exist. One is flying and another stored pending a rebuild for a museum. The other two, the Fairchild and the Vega Gull are being rebuilt to fly once again. No doubt all that would bring a smile to Lord Casey. 

AIRSHOW NEWS

The big news here is the upcoming Scone Warbirds over Scone on 26 and 27 March. This will not only allow patrons to see the new, just about completed, warbirds museum with up to 14 aircraft on display but also the airborne show. For the first time since WWII there are to be four P-40 Kittyhawks in the air at the same time. Fantastic!

And we thought it was good to see two Spitfires in the air together. On the subject of Spitfires the Mk.IXc VH-IXF/MH603 made its first post-rebuild flight on 11 December with Steve Death at the controls. The Ross Pay organisation at Scone, Vintage Fighters Restorations, did the rebuild work over more than 10 years, such is the complexity of rebuilding a warbird, particularly a Spitfire. The machine is now on sale via Platinum Fighter Sales at a sticker price of $6,665,627. 

Moving on to the Tocumwal Airshow which is set for 10 April. This very big former B.24 air base aerodrome will finally be holding its COVID postponed airshow. The COVID virus is responsible for many hold ups in the aviation system not the least airshows and like events. The airshow is planning to display a host of both warbirds as well as general aviation and unique aircraft. 

Temora and the Temora Aviation Museum, now the home of 110 Sqn RAAF, is to hold Showcase on 21 May while Warbirds Downunder will be held over 15/16 October. With events worth attending at Scone, Tocumwal and Temora, the year looks to be a busy one for enthusiasts and fly-in pilots. Tickets will be required at some. Enjoy. 

VICKERS VIMY MOVE

From Adelaide we learn that the Ross and Keith Smith 1919 England to Australia flight Vickers Vimy is to be moved. For many years the big biplane, with its proudly displayed registration, G-EAOU, better known in some circles as ‘God ‘Elp All Of Us’ has been on display at Adelaide Airport. Until now the aircraft has been preserved in a purpose-built climate-controlled building at Adelaide Airport located near the long-term car park. The current location has been said to not be the best as it is away from the general public view. 

Now it is being dismantled in order to be moved and relocated in the new airport terminal building. There it can be viewed and appreciated by airline passengers. They will see a massive difference in what happened with aircraft design in 100 years.  Senator for South Australia and Minister for Finance, Simon Birmingham said the careful transfer of the Vickers Vimy is the final step in restoring the historical national asset to its former glory. “This iconic aircraft, in its new purpose-built facility will be a great addition to South Australia’s cultural heritage and tourism and be the crowning glory of the newly expanded Adelaide Airport,” said the minister.

FOKKER TRI MOTOR ON THE WAY

At the HARS facility at Albion Park, NSW, the replica Fokker Trimotor, the Southern Cross, VH-USU, has been taxied for the first time in 20 years. The aircraft had the three Jacobs radial engines up and running and ticking over nicely on the first taxi trial on 30 December 2021. The aircraft was damaged in 2002 including out wing damage when the undercarriage failed and the machine made a two-wheel arrival back at Parafield, South Australia. 

After much negotiation HARS took over the derelict project and, after transport to Albion Park, rebuilt the machine and restored it back to airworthy condition. It is planned that the aircraft will be flown later this year. Following that the intent is to fly it around the country to show what Charles Kings-Ford Smith’s ‘Old Bus’ looked like in the 1930s.