iscover
Issue #390: All hail the Hercules & Max Hazelton
Celebrating the man who didn’t much care for the odds
During my research for my feature on the life of Max Hazelton, I managed to track down the newspaper clippings detailing the incredible search for him after his plane crash in 1954. The operation to find the grazier quickly became the biggest in Australian history, with up to 30 aircraft scouring the mountains to the west of Sydney. Yet, after five days, the RAAF scaled down their hunt, and newspapers all but declared him dead. “Hopes fade”, read one, to find the 27-year-old. His brother, Kerry, even told reporters much of the family had given up hope, while his good friend, Rex’s John Sharp, believed a memorial service was being planned.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Only his dear mum was convinced he’d make it.
It was no surprise. After all, who could survive six days in the thickest of the Australian bush, alone, without food or drink and – let’s not forget – having just crashed his tiny Auster Aiglet into the side of a mountain? Yet Max Hazelton – our very own Han Solo – had other ideas and managed to walk out of the woods alive, defying the odds. It was, said Sharp, typical of his dogged, determined approach to life, where he tended not to let fate dictate his plans. “Nothing, nothing would stop Max!” he said.
It’s why this issue, we’re profiling Hazelton’s life and retelling his story for a new audience. Max sadly passed away for real just before our previous issue went to print, but I decided to delay our tribute so we could do his story justice. I want to thank John for taking the time to chat with us and the superb Orange Aero Club, who sent us a copy of his biography, released years ago. For those interested in discovering more about the great man, the book is an outstanding read.
Elsewhere in this issue, we celebrate another aviation legend, the Hercules, after Defence confirmed it would order 20 more. Hannah Dowling, our former staff writer-cum-investigative reporter, returns to detail Australia’s shift to electric aviation and Jake Nelson, her replacement on the team, discusses just why our talent crisis isn’t getting any better.
Oh, and there are the usual regulars, such as Traffic, Warbirds and Inside the Archive.
Enjoy the issue,
Adam Thorn
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pinstripe | The talent shortage from sim providers’ perspective
Kirsty Anne Ferguson, Pinstripe Solutions
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Opinion: Is there Soviet tech in our F-35s?
Robert Dougherty Senior Journalist, Defence Connect
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Opinion: Why we must upgrade our northern air bases
Stephen Kuper, Senior Analyst, Defence Connect
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
